Tacoma catcher needs to work on helmet toss

Tacoma Rainiers catcher Brandon Bantz is being referred to as a head-banger in local media. Not because he has a death metal playlist on his iPod that he cranks in the clubhouse after every win, but rather because of his errant helmet toss after he blasted a homerun in the bottom of the ninth inning on Monday to give Tacoma a 6-5 walk-off win against Iowa.

Instead of tossing his helmet straight up and letting it land harmlessly on the ground behind him, he tossed it forward and it plunked him on the back of the head as he neared home plate and his teammates, who were waiting to celebrate. At least he had the wherewithal to get a hand up to deflect the blow.

He was able to laugh about the incident afterward.

"I got to work on that helmet toss," Bantz told The News Tribune. "I thought it was good until I looked at the film, then I realized I threw it out instead (of) up."

Video? Of course there is video.

In 32 games for Tacoma, Bantz is hitting .241/.293/.352 with 2 HR and 11 RBIs.