Catching on … the hard way

Three days after backup Miah Bradbury abruptly retires, Harrisburg Senators coach turned temporary emergency catcher Greg Fulton reluctantly finds himself behind the plate 31 years ago today in Reading.

The moment comes after Senators regular catcher Rob Fitzpatrick is ejected in the top of the second inning of Harrisburg’s 7-5 victory over the R-Phillies in a Class AA Eastern League game.

Up until then, the 30-year-old Fulton is fully engaged in his second career as a coach, following eight workmanlike seasons as a utility player bouncing around the minor leagues from 1985-92.

Fulton never works as hard, though, as he does 31 years ago today on an otherwise serene Sunday afternoon in Reading, Pa.

During his playing career, which he thinks is over by now, Fulton works behind the plate in only six innings during a playing career that up to this point totals 820 games.

After Fitzpatrick’s ejection, Fulton catches the final eight innings, giving up five stolen bases and three passed balls.

He also accidentally drills relief pitcher Heath Haynes in the chest with a throw on Ron Lockett’s steal of second base in the seventh inning.

The next would-be throw to second, which Fulton wisely holds, has Haynes diving for the dirt rather than risk taking another shot to the sternum.

“Framing pitches was not in the equation at all; catching as many as he could was,” Harrisburg manager Jim Tracy says of Fulton, who spends five innings of this game catching gifted but frequently wild starter Joey Eischen.

“The courageous part of Fulty on this day was his unwillingness to back off at any time,” Tracy says. “Runners in scoring position, runners on third base with hitters in breaking ball counts knowing full well he may have to block the pitch. He would still call for the breaking ball and knock them down in front of him as if he were Patrick Roy protecting his goal in the NHL.”