Who's the back-up catcher on this squad?

[Paul Pleiss]

Kurt Suzuki is the Twins everyday catcher, but even as the everyday catcher, someone else is going to need to kneel behind the plate a couple of days each week so that Kurt's knees make it through the next two seasons. Who is that going to be?

 

Eric Fryer was removed from the 40-man roster to make room for Tim Staffner, which I was actually more than a bit excited about, but the more I think about it, the less I like it.

 

Chris Herrmann is still on the 40-man roster, and aside from being a below average corner outfielder, he's also a terrible hitter. Now, Herrmann is listed as an OF on the twins 40-man roster page, so maybe the club doesn't view him as a catcher, as evident by his single inning behind the dish last season, but if not him, then is Pinto really going to be the back up C?

 

I hope the answer is yes. I want Pinto to get some reps behind the plate. I like the idea of him as a bench bat/back up catcher. I think the Twins can afford to drop him into the lineup twice a week to get his bat in the lineup. Yes, it may cost them on the defensive side of the game, but I think his bat is worth the risk a couple days a week. And if Pinto's used as a pinch hitter, you can double switch him into the game for Suzuki, or bring in Eduardo Escobar later in the game as the true EMERGENCY 3rd catcher and then recall anybody from AAA to join the club the following day.

 

What do you guys think, is Pinto going to be the Twins back-up catcher in 2015? Will they try to bring Eric Fryer back? Will Herrmann stick with the club? Is there another free-agent coming to the Twins before the season starts?

[pierre75275]

I think the backup catcher ends up being Evan Gettis of the Braves and Josmil Pinto goes to the cardinals in some kind of package for John Jay

[Seth Stohs]

As of right now, it would appear to be Josmil Pinto. I think I'd rather he be a bench bat with pop, a pinch hitting option who gets some time as the DH too, than the backup catcher.

 

Maybe they're about to sign someone like Jose Molina or something. He'll probably cost $1.5M and that isn't too bad.

[Thrylos]

I hope that Pinto is the starting Catcher and Suzuki is the backup.  2014 was an aberration for Suzuki with the stick and their defensive metrics are similar despite what some players say.   What's the difference:  Pinto has a better bat and he is 5 years younger than Suzuki with the opportunity to improve in all aspects of the game, while Suzuki has decline in front of him.

 

Hopefully getting rid of Gardy gets rid of the bias against younger players and for no hit catchers in this organization.  The best catcher in the last 20 years was a catcher whose ability behind the plate was about as good as Pinto's...

[Platoon]

I think this thread/topic is maybe more important than most consider. Most of us are looking at the 2014 version of Suzuki. It's a little like my 2001 Chevy S10, it runs good some weeks but it's better days are behind it. I think the Suzuki we see in 2015 will be more in line with the 2nd half of 2014 Suzuki, than the All Star half. I would like to see a fair completion over the beginning of the season between Pinto and Suzuki. I don't think Pinto is currently defensively equal to Suzuki, but I would give it a chance, looking to the future, which is where the Twins should always be looking right now!

[Winston Smith]

If we had only picked up Butera, another missed opportunity! 

[DaveW]

The best catcher in the last 20 years was a catcher whose ability behind the plate was about as good as Pinto's...

Pretty sure Mauer was better defensively by a long shot....

[Danchat]

I think Chris Herrmann is more of an emergency catcher, or at least that's how the Twins view him. Frankly, if he isn't catching, there aren't many reasons to have him on the roster.

[stringer bell]

I think of Herrmann as passable and satisfactory in a backup role (short term) and more than an emergency catcher.  However, he hasn't shown himself to be a major league hitter and his defense is nothing special.  He offers positional flexibility in an era where that is important.  A similar marginal talent (Chris Gimenez) has now had over three years of major league service time in a similar role while getting just over 500 plate appearances in that span.  I see the Diamondbacks have signed Jordan Pacheco, another example of a guy that is more than an emergency catcher who can play other positions.  It seems to me that guys who can catch a little bit and can play other positions are more valuable to mangers and front offices than their offensive and defensive stats would suggest.

[USAFChief]

Pinto is the backup catcher, starting about 30 percent of the time. More as the season wears on.

[ashbury]

I think of Herrmann as passable and satisfactory in a backup role (short term) and more than an emergency catcher. 

If Herrmann's the team's backup catcher, it'll be because some kind of emergency has arisen.

 

Dropping Fryer from the 40-man leaving only two players with "catcher" attached to their name, on the closest thing to an official roster (http://www.mlb.com/team/roster_40man.jsp?c_id=min), tells me Pinto is the backup.  Barring some kind of trade or major pickup, obviously.

[Thrylos]

Pretty sure Mauer was better defensively by a long shot....

 

Talking about the Majors.  Not the Twins.  That would be Mike Piazza...

[Thrylos]

Was looking for that earlier, but here it is.   "Framing" and "Framing Runs" has been a way of measuring catcher's performance and Pinto's detractors are using it to say that he is a horrible catcher.   Here is a study that correlates ERA with Framing Runs:

 

http://pinstripepundits.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/ERA.png

 

 

Flatline.  Zero. Zip.  ERA is unrelated to framing runs.  In other words, data shows that Framing Runs have nothing to do with actual runs and game outcomes, so it is a pretty much worthless measurement.

[Mike Sixel]

Pinto would be my guess, except Suzuki will be hurt/bad and Pinto will be the starter by the 2nd half.