Jeff Bridich’s GM Grades As Rocky Movies

Jul 20, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Texas Rangers catcher T. Telis, (right) avoids the tag by Colorado Rockies catcher N. Hundley to score on a double by the Rangers

Rocky III: The signing of Nick Hundley

If you asked me, with a gun to my head, if Rocky III or Rocky IV is my favorite movie I would not be able to choose one. I would sit there and stutter wondering if I should just lie to avoid getting shot but ultimately accepting my fate as I respect both movies equally and would hate to tarnish their reputation during this moment of fear.

That’s how I feel about this Nick Hundley signing.

Hundley’s signing wasn’t exciting and was panned by a lot of fans and bloggers for not being a big splash. But Hundley’s loved Coors Field and the Rockies pitchers have loved working with Nick Hundley. As he progresses into the next year of his contract, Hundley’s value becomes a trade chip. Tommy Murphy waits in the wings in AAABQ, the future of Rockies catching and Hundley may fetch a solid return of a team with an injured catcher or someone looking for a decent bat behind the dish.

Furthermore, Hundley allowed the Rockies to end the era of Wilin Rosario as the Rockies catcher. Which is always a good thing because I’m almost certain a dead turkey could have allowed fewer passed curveballs than Wilin behind the plate and his bat wasn’t going to sustain itself the way Hundley’s shockingly has.

Rocky III tells the tale of a troubled champion, a man who doesn’t know what to do with his sudden fame and success. He doesn’t train, he engages in tomfoolery, he gets a pinball game with his face on it. All of this leads to a shocking defeat to Clubber Lang in their first encounter and the loss of his belt.

I love Rocky III because it’s unapologetically 80’s. The reason the 1980’s created the best action movies of all time isn’t because they’re the best written or the best acted, they don’t even have the best action. But they are unapologetically who they are. They don’t try to be the 1970’s, they don’t try to be anything but who they are at their core.

Nick Hundley is the same way, he’s a catcher, a leader, and a decent hitter and he won’t apologize for any of it. He also famously called out Mark Kiszla for being a pompous tool bag this season and that’s the coolest thing ever.

Next: Rocky IV