it ain’t easy

Life as a backup catcher in the big leagues has to be a tough job. You prepare everyday like everyone else, but when the game starts, you spend most of your time watching from the bench or the bullpen. You know you’ll only get to play once every five or six days. It ain’t easy to find a rhythm in that routine. But some do. Hattiesburg native Craig Tatum is making it work this season, his second as the backup to young Baltimore star Matt Wieters. Tatum has played in just 15 games and had only 36 at-bats. But he’s hitting .333 with three RBIs and five runs. On Saturday, Tatum went 2-for-3 and scored the go-ahead run in the Orioles’ 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Angels. He also threw out two runners attempting to steal. That’s one thing a backup catcher must be good at: defense. And Tatum is. He’s nailed 4 of 15 runners attempting to steal this year with no passed balls and just one error. Drafted by Cincinnati in the third round out of Mississippi State in 2004, Tatum rose through the minor leagues — even passing through Trustmark Park as a Chattanooga Lookout — on the strength of his catching abilities. He made it to the big leagues with the Reds in 2009 and was claimed on waivers by the Orioles prior to the 2010 season. He got into 43 games last year and hit .281, though his defensive stats weren’t as good as this year’s. The Orioles have had a tough season, another in a series, but Tatum has filled his difficult role quite capably.