Cards Closer Sometimes Can't See the Plate

"With his uneven, unkempt beard and a fastball that would break the speed limit in all 50 states and on the Autobahn, St. Louis Cardinals right-hander Jason Motte(notes) plays the role of stereotypical closer awfully well. There’s just one difference between him and the rest of the late-game lockdown artists in baseball," goes Yahoo!Sports. "Motte can’t see where he’s throwing. He’s not blind, exactly, but the 29-year-old’s nearsightedness is bad enough that he often squints on the mound because he can’t see catcher Yadier Molina’s(notes) fingers, which indicate the pitch Motte is supposed to throw. Afternoon games at St. Louis’ Busch Stadium, with their perilous shadows, are particularly difficult. Sometimes Motte will wave his glove up and down, asking Molina to hold his fingers lower – and, in the process, exposing the sign to the opposing dugout." Read more.