DETROIT – Kurt Suzuki didn't have much time Wednesday to talk about reaching 1,000 games in the major leagues. He had to go stretch. Again.
"I stretch three times a day now," the 31-year-old catcher said. "When I was 23, I'd barely stretch at all — just get out there and play."
He realized long ago, though, that being more careful with the ligaments and muscles that help him squat behind the plate dozens of times a day might help him last a lot longer as a ballplayer. So he began carrying out an elaborate preparation ritual before each game, and in the past couple of seasons, even added a 15-minute postgame session, too.
All of that has helped make a player who isn't even six feet tall survive, and even thrive, in baseball's most physically demanding position. Since 2008, only Yadier Molina of the Cardinals and Russell Martin of the Blue Jays have caught more games than Suzuki, who on Wednesday doubled, singled, walked, drove in one run and played his 999th big-league game.
"Anybody that said they would expect to play 1,000 games up here, they're crazy," he said. "You can't take anything for granted in this game. It's pretty neat."
Only Torii Hunter and Joe Mauer have played more games among his current teammates, and no other Twin has played even half as many, underlining his point. It's why Suzuki doesn't complain about being forced to sit out a game or two per week.
"I know it's good for me, but sometimes I wish I played a position where I didn't have to do that," he said. "It disrupts your hitting a little bit. You want to be out there, swinging the bat every day, especially when you're going good. But as a catcher, it's tough to do that. I know it benefits me to rest my body."
Wrist management
A flick of his wrist, that's basically it. Blaine Boyer says the difference between being a batting-practice pitcher and a trusted late-inning reliever came down to the position of his hands.
