Marcus McBeth is a good listener.

At this point we know two things about PawSox super-reliever Marcus McBeth: He plays the piano and he has a smashed finger. Oh, and that crazy change up!

McBeth is remarkable and I'm going to dig a little deeper.

Here are the basics: Marcus Andre McBeth was born August 23rd, 1980, in Enoree (or Spartanburg), SC. If you know anything about Enoree, well, you're one step ahead of me. McBeth was a 2001 4th round draft pick for Oakland. Boston claimed him off waivers from Cincinnati in August of '08.

can't you just feel the moonshine?
1. MM went to University of South Carolina.
2. McBeth was drafted as an outfielder, but he couldn't hit.
3. McBeth was one of two players the A's traded for the Reds' Chris Denorfia in 2007.
4. McBeth enjoys Huston Street's work.
5. And Homer Bailey's.
6. McBeth is a business-minded Realtor who makes savvy investments.
7. McBeth was an AFL invitee in 2006. I guess he dug AZ, because he lives there now. At any rate, he working on his pitching transformation there and got his first taste of dead arm!
8. McBeth is married and has a daughter. At least.
9. MM calls his change up "a Bugs Bunny Change up". Like, those gorillas on the visiting team swing three times at one slow, slow pitch and strike out.
10. McBeth may have a terrible groundball/flyout ratio.
11. McBeth allegedly taught Joe Thurston how to read music while they were both in Pawtucket last year. How... excellent...is thy name...
12. McBeth's fastball command was slow to come around.
13. McBeth hit a grand slam at USC. Later in the same game, he homered. He high-fived the good Lord that day.
14. If you care about Jon Coutlangus: After McBeth was drafted out of USC, JC transferred there and took his spot in center field. Even better: Coutlangus has ALSO converted to a relief pitcher. Click here and scroll down for a detailed story.
15. I would love to listen to this Fantalk episode featuring Marcus McBeth, but I need a new monitor with sound. Would someone like to hook me up? I'm looking at YOU, Pawtucket Red Sox Baseball Club Inc! Or maybe Rocky Cherry or something.
16. McBeth's outfielding while with the Oakland org was compared to that of Andruw Jones. (link includes video)
17. While at USC, McBeth went to Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts' parents' house and played 'Amazing Grace' on their piano. Swear to god.
18. McBeth's signing bonus was $275,000.
19. McBeth played in the Cape League for the Chatham A's!
20. McBeth is enough of a man to say that he cried when he heard he'd been called up to the Reds from triple-A.

In my limited interaction with McBeth, I mean, he seems nice enough. Quiet. But as my mama says, It's Always the Quiet Ones. Perhaps Marcus is like 'The Wild Man from Okinawa'!

Is that quite enough? My eyeballs ache. 'I cried when I wrote this song...'