'Dusty' has big impact on first-place River Cats
For the most part, their roles are easy to identify: Jai Miller hits for power and plays center field, Trystan Magnuson pitches in relief during tight situations, Darren Bush fills out the lineup card and manages the team.
One man's role, however, is a bit more difficult to sum up. Though fans know him as the bullpen catcher, Dustin "Dusty" Hughes' contributions go beyond the backstop.
"Most people probably think I'm just out there catching bullpens," Hughes said, "but there's a whole lot more to the job."
In addition to getting River Cat relief pitchers ready, Hughes has many other responsibilities. He does everything from throwing batting practice and hitting grounders to the infielders, to filling up water coolers and rubbing down baseballs before games. He shows up before any of the players to help set up the equipment on the field.
A Bay Area native from Walnut Creek, Hughes has been a catcher his whole life. He starred at Northgate High School, and then went on to play at Sacramento City College, Diablo Valley College and Medanos Junior College. He moved permanently to Sacramento earlier this year. Although he would love to still be able to play competitively, his experience enables him to give valuable feedback to River Cats pitchers.
"I'm always looking for different stuff with pitchers," Hughes said. "If a guy is throwing a sinker, I'll be looking to see if it's too big or too small. If a guy's throwing a cutter, I'll let the pitcher know if it's too big and moving too much like a slider."
Hughes is in his fourth season as the bullpen catcher for the River Cats. After being interviewed by current hitting coach Todd Steverson for the job before the 2008 season, Hughes has made the most of his time at Raley Field and has won over the players.
"He's got a great stance back there," says relief pitcher Vinnie Chulk. "I've had a lot of bullpen catchers in the Minor Leagues that seem like they've just been pulled off the street, but with Dusty, you feel like you're throwing to a solid catcher."
Though Chulk praises Hughes for his efforts in the bullpen, there is disagreement over who is better at using the Fungo Bat to hit balls during fielding practice; both Chulk and Hughes carry the brunt of Fungo Bat duties.
"I'm definitely better than him at groundballs," Chulk said. "He's better at fly balls but he's been struggling lately."
Though all the hours he puts in are not as recognized as the other players and coaches, there is no disputing his value to the team.
"We've always got a lot on our plate to do, so having Dusty come in every day and ask if there's anything we need him to do really helps out a lot," Pitching Coach Scott Emerson said. "He's awesome down there."