ATLANTA -- As R.A. Dickey divvied out credit after helping the Braves claim a 4-2 win over the Padres on Saturday night at SunTrust Park, the veteran knuckleballer made a point to first compliment his catcher, Kurt Suzuki, who had just experienced a night that was less frustrating than the one he'd had exactly one week earlier.
Dickey has gained an appreciation for the challenge presented to his catchers like Suzuki, who before this season had never caught a knuckleballer.
"It's a freaking knuckleball," Suzuki said. "One day it can be nasty and the next day you're thinking you've got the hang of it, then the next day might put you right back to reality, where you're going.