Today we finish off our lineup with a look at what baseball types refer to as “The Battery.”

Catcher

Lure = Senko wacky rig
Fittingly, this thing just looks “wacky” but it flat out catches fish. I ignored the testimonials from the fishing magazines for a few years before giving it a go and now have one tied on every time out once the water warms in the spring. An all-time great.
17 bass with Top Bass 3-5

1974 & 1985 Before my time so only saw as a manager

Player = Yogi Berra
An undisputable all-time great, Yogi gets the nod on this bait for the humorous and sometimes perplexing collection of quotes that bear his name as “Yogisms.” For a few good laughs give it a search on the internet sometime.

Starting Pitcher

Lure = Booyah Buzz Buzzbait
While not always the best choice if you’re looking for numbers, this noisy contraption can make your day with one, heartstopping strike. Those strikes can be addictive so proceed with caution before tying one on.
5 bass with Top Bass 5-9

1978 Real name was Lee, kinda like the “Yogi” fellow above was actually Lawrence.  Dig the hair, Dad had a ‘fro like that about that time.

Player = Buzz Capra
No doubt on this pick, everything to do with the name and nothing to do with similarities in bait and ballplayer. And get this, while playing with the Atlanta Braves in the 1970’s he teamed up with catcher, Biff Pocaroba. A battery of Buzz and Biff, folks, gotta love baseball, you can’t make this stuff up.

Relief Pitcher

Lure – Underspin
This one is new for me in 2017 and joined my arsenal after some impressive late season success by our 2016 Top 5 Champ, Mark Balbinot.
2 bass with Top Bass 1-9

1974 Strange how some of these obscure players leave a mark and gotta chuckle at the “baffled American League batters” in the description as his stuff was a hit for National League hitters sending him back to the AL in July.

Player = Horacio Pina
This submarining slinger (near underhand pitching delivery) joined the Cubs in 1974, appearing in 34 games before being dealt to the California Angels at mid-season for Rick Stelmaszek. However, that weird underhand delivery made such an indelible impression on the mind of a seven year old Cubs fan and baseball card collector that Pina now achieves yet another few minutes of fame 43 years later.

There you have it, for better or worse. I had fun, hope a few others did as well during a bit of a stretch for an “outdoor” blog. Yogi Berra famously stated that “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over” but this one is. Latest fishing report due up tomorrow. Talk to you later. Troy

A couple months ago on my previous blogging gig I submitted a posting entitled “Starting Lineup.”  The premise was to combine two of my favorite pastimes, fishing and baseball.  For that posting I offered up a starting lineup of the lures I had tied on for my March 4 outing and provided a baseball player comp for each bait based on the qualities, appeal and success of the lure.

Well, I’m at it again as we go “Around the Horn” with a look at the lures that have reeled in my catches this year paired up with some diamond greats (and otherwise) from yesteryear.  Three parts over the next three days, beginning with the infield.

(Note: 22 hours of fishing for 59 bass and all lures and cards are from my collections)

First Base
Lure = 3/8 oz. Booyah Blade Spinnerbait (white/chartreuse) with twin tail trailer (salt & pepper)
The dual blades on this bait provide plenty of thump and just enough flash to get a reaction.
15 bass with Top Bass 2-1

A little carried away with George Scott cards but hard to find a better mix for a player as these samples cover 1973-1977 Topps and feature action shots, killer facial hair and a crazy necklace Scott desribed as “second baseman’s teeth.”

Player = George “Boomer” Scott
The bulk of this spinnerbait combined with the added thump of the blade combo just got me to thinking of the fellow they called “Boomer.”

Second Base

Lure = Strike King Red Eye Shad
3 bass with Top Bass 1-15
A favorite that can hold its own throughout the year tangling with bass of all sizes, an ingenious mix of attention grabbing flash and noise that works quite well with what I call a “brainless’ retrieve; cast it out and crank it in.

1972 Always something to say as evidenced by his grip on the bat.

Player = Billy Martin
A second baseman before I came around, I only knew the stories and saw him as a feisty manager.  Comparison arises from slight frame, plenty of commotion, “Red Eye” lifestyle and ready (no, eager) to take on anybody (see George Brett below as well as Reggie Jackson, Bert Campaneris…); brash and noisy, ingenious and brainless at the drop of a hat.

Third Base

Lure = Strike King 3/8 oz. Rattling’ Jig (black/blue) with pork frog trailer (black/blue)
12 bass with Top Bass 6-2
My go to bait in cold water and sticky situations (beaver lodges, laydowns, brushpiles), reliable and can produce some big hits.

1975 Rookie Card for future Hall of Famer and 3,000 hit club member

Player = George Brett
On the short list of guys who I would want at the plate when the chips are down, willing to get dirty and seemed to always come through, quite memorably in a sticky situation as well with good old Billy Martin (google “Pine Tar Incident” if unfamiliar, Brett’s reaction is one of my all-time favorite baseball highlights).

Shortstop

Lure = Ned Rig
This unassuming bait can get them when nothing else seems to fool them and is also effective in pulling another bass or two out of a spot that’s already been worked over.
1 bass with Top Bass 11” (kind of fitting)

1973 Another of the action cards in landscape orientation that were always a favorite

Player = Freddie Patek
Short in stature (5’5”) but long on heart, Patek was a mainstay at short for some successful Kansas City Royals clubs of the 1970’s covering the left side with our third base choice, George Brett.

There you have it, first to third and as with anything baseball, always up for debate.  Feel free to offer up any suggested changes to the lineup and tune in tomorrow as we take a look at our outfield.  Talk to you later.  Troy