Oh, the life of a backup catcher. Always the bridescatcher, never the… uh… catcher. Anyway, it’s never exactly fun to go from town to town, praying the guy above you will get Buster Poseyed so you can go out there and squat for three hours straight, which is why Phillies backup catcher Dane Sardinha (The Sardine!) decided to take a moment at August Henry’s bar in Pittsburgh this past weekend to have a beer and get photographed facedown at the bar.
Someone took the above photo and then sent it to Deadspin. Of course they did. That’s why Deadspin is there, gang!
Anyway, this photo isn’t particularly damning. Sardinha went hitless over the weekend, so why NOT hit the bar and drown your sorrows? Frankly, I think we’ve all had a moment like this, have we not? You go to the bar, you start drinking, you look around and the place is empty, and you’re like, “Guhhhhhhh. WHAT HAVE I DONE WITH MY LIFE? I SHOULD HAVE LEARNED TO PLAY THE VIOLIN.” It’s all right, Sardine. I don’t judge. I accept and I sympathize, mostly because I’m a shameless lush myself.
Usually, when Deadspin gets pictures like this, the athlete in question is all drunk and happy and surrounded by any number of women of questionable age. But here we have a portrait that’s a far more interesting look at an athlete. Dane ain’t partying here. He’s coping, man. I bet Mickey Mantle spent half his life in this very same pose.
So if you see Dane at the ballpark, don’t go harassing him about getting caught drinking and sulking at a bar. You should BUY him a drink. Pat him on the back. Tell him it’ll all be all right. And if it doesn’t turn out all right, hey, there’s always MORE drinking!
