It happens practically every baseball game. Runners on base. A pitch in the dirt. The catcher blocks it. And the announcers say, "What a great play by (catcher's name) blocking that ball. That's the type of thing that doesn't show up in the box score, but what a play.''

Enough already. Isn't that the catcher's job? Look, the mailman delivers mail. The butcher cuts meat. Catchers block pitches in the dirt. Do they say that every time a shortstop fields a grounder or a leftfielder catches a fly ball? The catcher is supposed to block the ball, and heck, half the time it's a lucky bounce anyway. Here are five other stock phrases by announcer that drive me batty:

* When a basketball players dives for a loose ball: "Look at that hustle!'' Hey, if I'm paying 50 bucks to sit in the upper deck, a guy better be diving for balls. Isn't this, too, part of his job? In fact, if he doesn't dive for a loose ball, I'm ticked.

* Anytime white players in any sport are described as "scrappy,'' while black players who work just as hard are described as "gifted.''

* "These two teams really don't like one another.'' You mean there are teams out there that do like one another?

* When a hitter hits a blooper to the opposite field: "What a great piece of hitting!'' Why? Because he swung late or otherwise swung the bat like he was supposed to? Know what a "great piece of hitting'' is? Sitting on a fastball and hitting it into the third deck.

* "You won't meet a nicer young man.'' Listen, unless Gandhi comes back to life and joins the Red Sox as a closer or something, let's retire that phrase, shall we?