St. Louis Blues goalie Carter Hutton had already garnered attention in the baseball world for his goalie mask honoring several Cardinals greats. This time, he’s back, and facing a pitching machine.
When we last saw Carter Hutton, it involved his excellent goalie mask that paid homage to the St. Louis Cardinals and their legends. Stan Musial’s family was moved by the gesture, sending him an autographed baseball for honoring him.
Now, Hutton is back. This time, he faced off against a pitching machine. No, he was not taking his swings in the batter’s box; instead, Hutton was glad in goalie gear and took his practice routine to the batting cages. There, he attempted to stop the various pitches coming at him, and had some degree of success.
So we found a great use for the batting cages. pic.twitter.com/Wxeg7qEVF6
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) January 8, 2017
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It certainly makes one think back to Happy Gilmore, where Adam Sandler stood in front of a pitching machine taking pitch after pitch to the body in order to “toughen up.” Fortunately, Hutton was in full gear, and there were not any little kids around to attempt to replicate his exploits.
It is an interesting idea for goalies looking to sharpen their skills. Ice time may not always be available, and depending on the circumstances, it may be difficult to get extra practice time. Stepping in against a pitching machine, especially one that throws a variety of pitches, can help any goalie get better at their craft.
This idea can even extend to the diamond. A younger catcher looking for help in sharpening their skill could do the same thing, and head to the batting cages to catch a few balls in between taking their swings.
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Carter Hutton didn’t look that bad stopping a few pitches in the cages. If he’s thinking of a career change and the Cardinals need an emergency catcher, maybe he could suit up for a game or two.