We got to hear Martin Maldonado's conversations with the umpire, hitters and his pitcher...
. ESPN often puts mics on players for their broadcasts, including Alex Bregman on opening day, but this was the first time a catcher has worn a microphone during a regular season game.
Although some of it was tough to hear through Maldonado's mask, it did give the audience a feel for how the veteran handles pitchers and the little conversations he has with hitters and the umpire. When Rangers slugger Adolis Garcia led off the inning, Maldonado tried to greet him, but then, in Spanish, told the broadcast crew of Karl Ravech, David Cone and Eduardo Pérez,"He doesn't even want to look at me."
Later, when Jonah Heim took a pitch low for a ball, Maldonado asked home-plate umpire Ryan Willis if the pitch was down before also checking with Heim.Heim, staring straight ahead at the mound preparing for the next pitch, replied flatly,"Right down the middle." Maldonado spent part of the inning trying to help Valdez keep his emotions in check after a couple other close pitches were called balls, but he also was encouraging.Maldonado also provided some humor when Robbie Grossman ended the inning by striking out on a ball in the dirt and the catcher had to throw down to first base. When Pérez asked why he didn't tag him, Maldonado said, while walking back to the dugout,"Faster than me. That was easy.
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