Former San Francisco Giant catcher Mike Sadek (right) puts a wet one on teammate Willie McCovey’s (44) cheek (photo from the SF Giants archives)
By Tony the Tiger Hayes
Mike Sadek wasn’t physically imposing, nor did he produce gigantic statistics, but the venerable 8-year big leaguer unequivocally had a #ForeverGiant heart.
Sadek, who passed at age 73 in 2021, would have turned 80 last week.
The feisty backstop, played for San Francisco in 1973 and from 1975-81.
A tightly coiled 5’9, 165 pounder, Sadek or “Sheik” to his teammates – was typically the backup to the backup receiver in San Francisco – averaging 50 contests per campaign.
Not much of threat at the plate, Sadek batted a modest .226, with 5HR and 75 RBI in 383 career contests.
But Sadek’s value to #SFGiants was never based on slugging percentage.
Sadek was a big leaguer for as long as he was, because of his catch & throw abilities and an innate ability to relate to pitchers.
“His skills were extraordinary,” former Giants pitcher John D’Acquisto told Sadek’s hometown paper The Calaveras Enterprise at the time of his passing. “His arm was above average. He had a really strong throwing arm. The ball never dipped down; it was always a straight shot from home to second. He had a very quick release. He blocked balls like there was no tomorrow.”
So when managers Wes Westrum or Joe Altobelli decided, say, to pinch hit for frontline receiver Marc Hill or spell regular Dave Rader, the club was in the capable hands of Sadek.
Sadek – who rocked uniform # 3 to match his position on the backstop roster – also played a vital role in maintaining a loose clubhouse culture.
The eternal ice breaker, Sadek was like the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle. Without him the team was incomplete.
“It was mostly not about baseball, that’s for darn sure,” D’Acquisto, said recalling the topics of conversations the pair would have on the sidelines. “We would just talk about life in general.”
Sadek was also a quite the lighthearted character – once riding the conveyor belt onto the baggage carousal at Montreal airport for laughs and a collective pot from his teammates.
In 1975, when the TV cop show “Kojak” was at the height of it’s popularity, Sadek, fellow catcher Rader and reliever Dave Heaverlo all shaved their to heads to ape the show’s red hot star Telly Savalas.
Needless to say, they didn’t quite pull off the look. In a clubhouse full of mod Giants sporting blowout Afros and corkscrew perms, the ragged trio looked more like devotees to “Synanon” the 1970s Marin County based cult populated by shaven headed devotees.
In 1966, San Francisco originally drafted Sadek out of his home state of Minnesota, but he opted to return to college. The Twins drafted him next, but San Francisco finally got their man in the 1969 Rule 5 draft.
As the Giants reserve catcher, Sadek was often asked to do the unglamorous duties of a bench player, warming up pitchers between innings, catching ceremonial first pitches or taking the blame when the ace has a sour outing.
The one place Sadek did receive preferential treatment was when verbose star pitcher John Montefusco was pitching.
Not matter what. The “Count” wanted his beloved Sadek as his personal catcher.
Montefusco bluntly stated Sadek was the best catcher he ever threw to because of his low target and great pitch- selection.
Sadek was Montefusco’s caddy on most of the Count’s personal best performances, save his 1976 No-Hitter (Gary Alexander).
In just over 10 days in 1975, “Shiek” was in the squat for Montefusco’s top three career strikeout games. (Fanning totals of 14, 13 & 12 in three consecutive starts)
The brilliant back-to-back-to back performances were likely the reason Montefusco was unanimously voted NL Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association in ‘75.
Sadek also caught a pair of 10 & 11 strikeout games by Montefusco in 1978 and produced with the bat.
In the former, a 10-7 win at Dodger Stadium, Sadek batted 3-for-5 with a career topping 3 RBI (5/19/78).
In the latter, a 9-3 win at Atlanta, in the matinee of a doubleheader, Sadek flogged a solo HR off Jamie Easterly (6/25/78).
After career highs in just about every offensive category in 1980, including batting (.254) Sadek just didn’t gel with new manager Frank Robinson. After the 1981 players strike was settled mid-season, Sadek was replaced on the roster by Triple-A catcher Bob Brenly.
But Sadek did not leave the Orange & Black fold, immediately joining the club’s community relations department.
His last day was in 1999 after the final Giants game played at Candlestick Park.
Before they closed the home clubhouse doors for good, Mike Sadek was the last man to leave..
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