Combative Catcher : Aggressive Approach to Baseball Casts Bible as Relentless Leader at Canyons

A sign had been missed and catcher Mike Bible wanted to let pitcher Pablo Suarez know about it. And in such a way that he likely would not forget.

Bible had called for a pickoff and Suarez failed to execute. Now it appeared Bible might execute Suarez.

He stood toe to toe and nose to nose with his College of the Canyons teammate, jaw jutting, giving a very animated scolding.

Meanwhile, in the opponent’s dugout, Pierce College players wondered aloud whether the tongue-lashing would turn to Bible thumping.

Suarez had been mildly embarrassed that he missed the sign, but his chagrin had turned to anger.

“He came out to the mound and started getting in my face,” Suarez said. “He told me not to get in his face and started saying I’d missed the pickoff sign.”

Suarez should have expected as much. Nicknamed “Bulldog,” Bible is not known for diplomacy. He would rather win a game than make friends and if his aggressive manner alienates a teammate, that’s tough.

“He’s so intense during the game that he lets it show,” Suarez said. “I’ve never had a catcher like that before and I doubt I ever will again.”

Bible says his attacks aren’t personal, that they’re for the good of the team. “There were a couple of head butts with pitchers last year,” Bible said. “Most of the time all a guy needs is a pat on the back. But some guys need special motivation. They have to be mad to play.”

And Bible is an expert when it comes to churning a pitcher’s emotions. His bat normally does the talking to opposing pitchers.

Last season, he batted .520 with 15 home runs and 69 runs batted in to earn All-American honors and the attention of professional scouts.

The Houston Astros took Bible in the 27th round of the June draft. But when the two sides could not come to terms, Bible returned to Canyons.

“With the numbers I had last year I thought I would get offered a lot of money, but I didn’t,” Bible said.

His batting average has dropped to .290 this season, but Bible still is considered a top prospect. After the season, he plans to sign with a top Division I university such as Florida State, USC or Cal State Fullerton--all of which are recruiting him. And, of course, there is always the draft again.

Bible blames opposing pitchers for his lower batting average this season. “There’s no way I’m going to get the same numbers I had last year if I don’t get the same pitches,” Bible said.

Pierce Coach Bob Lyons said that the Brahmas found success this season pitching inside to Bible.

“We tried to keep the ball in on his hands,” Lyons said. “That seemed to be effective because he was having trouble with his hands.

“I think maybe he was trying to press and do too much this season. But he’s still a force and a team leader.”

Yet despite his lower average, Bible’s intensity has not waned.

Indeed, Bible hit three home runs and had five RBIs in a doubleheader against Hancock on March 26 while playing with a broken right hand.

For Bible, a broken hand is just a minor nuisance. It would take a serious injury to keep him out of the lineup.

“I don’t want to miss any ball this season,” Bible said.

The Cougars don’t want Bible out of the lineup, either. He is their leader both on and off the field.

“As catcher, you’re the guy who’s looked up to in practice,” Bible said. “You have to be respectable out there and can’t act like a clown.”

Canyons Coach Len Mohney swears on his Bible.

“He wants to be up at the plate with the game on the line,” Mohney said. “He’s a good catcher and a team leader. He makes us go.”

Bible leads the Cougars by example. If his teammates are not playing as hard as he is, they had better have good reason.

“He’s more visibly intense than the others,” Mohney said. “He’s definitely a guy you would want with you walking down an alley.”

Mohney did not always want Bible at Canyons, however. Bible redshirted with the Cougars in 1986 but could not find a position on the roster.

“We really didn’t go after him,” Mohney said. “He was no can’t-miss guy.”

Instead, Bible went to Tarkio College, a small NAIA school in Missouri that recruited him to play football.

But when he learned he could not play both football and baseball at Tarkio, he left after one semester.

Bible then called Mohney to ask if he could return to Canyons.

“I asked him if there was a spot for me,” Bible said. “Coach told me only to come on out and battle for a job.”

Bible competed for the catching position left vacant by all-state selection Pete Kuld, now with the Cleveland Indians. But there was a problem--Bible had not caught since his freshman year at Saugus High where he pitched and played third base.

“I always thought I could catch,” Bible said. “It was just a matter of what was open. Catching was the only position I could battle for.”

Catcher proved to be the ideal position for Bible’s aggressive nature.

“I beat out the others with my hustle,” he said. “When you’re a catcher you have to lead the team. He pretty much runs things.”