Cubs catcher Rick Wilkins was asked which feat would give him the most satisfaction:
With two outs in the ninth inning and the tying or winning run at third base, blocking a pitch in the dirt to prevent the runner from scoring? Or hitting a ninth-inning home run to give the Cubs a 1-0 victory?
Wilkins sank into deep thought. He was in the dugout, his face flush after a strenuous early-morning workout. I knew the answer, having been a good-field, no-hit, Douglas Park American Legion catcher. If it were me, I would rather block the pitch and hold the runner at third.
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Wilkins didn’t answer directly. He smiled, then replied:
“I did both last year in a game at Houston.”
He went on to explain that on July 24 he hit a ninth-inning solo home run off Doug Jones that broke a scoreless tie.
Then, in the bottom of the ninth, two outs, bases loaded, two strikes, the batter swung and missed Bob Scanlan’s sinker, which bounced in the dirt. Wilkins not only blocked the ball, but he also threw out the batter at first base to end the game.
“It was a double thrill,” Wilkins conceded. “It was an awesome day.”
More thrills should be ahead for the husky Wilkins, who is now the Cubs’ No. 1 backstop. For the last two years he was platooned with Joe Girardi, who was left unprotected in the expansion draft and is now with the Colorado Rockies.
Wilkins, 25, had only 203 at-bats in ’91 and 244 last year; combined, it’s the equivalent of a full season. Barring injury or a severe slump, neither of which is anticipated, he could come to the plate 500 times during the long season ahead.
“I hope so,” manager Jim Lefebvre said. “He’s a good hitter who’s going to improve.”
Better yet, Wilkins bats left-handed, and lefty-hitting catchers are a rare and valuable commodity.
“If he can hit and if he’s good defensively,” said California manager Buck Rodgers, a former catcher, “he’ll be worth twice as much as anyone on the club.”
Wilkins, at this point, is slightly above average defensively, but doesn’t always have a quick release. He has a strong and accurate arm, but his percentage against would-be base stealers last season was 37 percent; 45 to 48 percent is the desired ratio.
The required time on a throw to second, from the catcher’s glove to the shortstop or second baseman’s glove, is 2 seconds. Thursday, in Tucson, he threw two runners out. “I’m working on it,” he said.
The secret is waiting for the pitch to come to him and in transferring the ball from his glove to his bare hand.
“Give him two years and he’ll be the all-star catcher, Lefebvre said. Then Lefebvre added: “Look at him, he’s big and strong, the perfect size for a catcher.”
Wilkins, 6 feet 2 inches and 215 pounds, has been catching since he was 9 years old, in Little League. His father, Ray, who had been a college ballplayer, was coaching the team and was constantly upset because so many runners were scoring from third on wild pitches.
“He gave me a chest protector and a mask and told me, `Get down on your knees and block those pitches,’ ” Wilkins recalled. “And he showed me how to keep my chin tucked in to prevent getting hit in the throat.”
It was a tough assignment for a 9-year-old, but Wilkins never changed positions. Like his father, his mother, Pat, always was encouraging him. Today, 16 years later, Wilkins is more appreciative than ever.
“I’ve got the best parents and the best family in the world,” Wilkins said, “They’re my support system.”
Growing up in Jacksonville, Fla., Wilkins had two big-league heroes, both catchers: the late Thurman Munson of the Yankees and Johnny Bench, the Cincinnati Hall of Famer.
He idolized Munson, Wilkins recalled, “because he was a sturdy, hard-nosed player. His uniform always was dirty. I liked his spirit.” As for Johnny Bench, Wilkins said, “If you’re a catcher, who wouldn’t like Johnny Bench?”
The biggest difficulty for a young catcher is knowing the hitters and handling his pitchers. Steve Lake, a veteran receiver who has returned to the Cubs after a long absence, will be Wilkins’ backup. Lake has been tutoring him on game situations.
“He made a big step forward in taking charge last year,” Lefebvre said. “I can tell that every day the pitchers show him more respect. He’s learning his pitchers, which guys he can bark at and which ones he has to pat on the back.”
Wilkins has a .248 lifetime average, but at this stage in his career, doesn’t have big home-run power. Still, if he plays the full season, he is capable of hitting 15 to 18 home runs.
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“We’re in an arena of offensive numbers,” Lefebvre observed. “If a player hits 25 home runs, he goes to arbitration, and the arbitrator says, `Wow, 25 home runs; that’s $2 million a year.’ That’s why it’s so hard to get these guys to work on defense. No one pays much attention to defense.”
Wilkins is different. His biggest concern is improving his skills behind the plate.
“People don’t realize how long it took me to get here,” Wilkins said. “I was in the minor leagues for four years, four long years, and I learned one thing. I saw many talented players in Double A and Triple A, and they’re still not in the big leagues. It takes perseverance, and that’s what I’ve got.”
In abundance.