Should Kurt Suzuki take a week off?

[jimbo92107]

After watching a relatively rested and fresh Eric Fryer catch Wednesday's game against the Orioles, I'd like to see more of Fryer. A week more.

 

Would Kurt Suzuki benefit from about a week off at this point? That, plus the All Star break, might help Suzuki quite a bit to heal up from all his bumps and bruises from a tough first half.

 

The key is Fryer's performance. He looked so fresh, and yet his plate appearances looked very hopeful. He's got a quick bat, yet plays within himself, not trying for too much, as Chris Herrmann sometimes did. It's perfectly legit for a backup catcher to be a slap hitter, especially if he's got a decent average and can work out a walk now and then. That's exactly what I saw today in Fryer.

 

Kurt Suzuki is a good starting catcher, but a worn out Suzuki isn't so good, and lately he's started to look worn out. If Eric Fryer can help give Suzuki some time off to soak in the hot tub, pump a little iron and work in the batting cage, it might help the starting catcher get his mojo back.

[Brock Beauchamp]

While Fryer is nothing special (and I really mean nothing special), giving Kurt some time off for the stretch run can't really hurt because he has been so terrible.

 

Even if Fryers posts a .450 OPS for a week, that's Suzuki's recent line so whatever. No loss.

 

Something needs to be done to spell Kurt and let him catch his breath. The ASB is a good time to do that. He's not a good starting catcher but he's better than he has been recently.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

Agree, a rested Suzuki could be better than any combo of Herrmann/Fryer, and is almost certainly better than a tired Suzuki.  

 

The concussion issues for Pinto are limiting the Twins' options within the org. - I suppose it's possible a trade could be made for catching help.

[TheLeviathan]

Just a week?

[nytwinsfan]

Yup, dude seems (understandably) worn down. Catching is hard.

[Otto von Ballpark]

There is some precedent for this.

 

Suzuki was Oakland's regular catcher until late June 2012 (133 GS season pace) and was terrible.  After a month-plus in backup duty, he was traded to Washington in early August and hit well down the stretch as their primary starter.

 

He wasn't pushed as hard in Washington in 2013 (117 GS season pace in early July) but faded again.  A month and a half on the bench, and he hit well albeit in a very tiny sample as Oakland's backup in September.

 

2015 is a little trickier.  He really hasn't been good from day 1 this year.  His ISO is lower than ever before.  I guess it's worth a shot, but we really should be looking to put him in a permanent backup role to a better catcher somehow.  Wish we had been trying to do that the past calendar year...

[jimmer]

Last year Suzuki had the most PAs he's had since 2011 and he only had like 10 or so more in 2011.Twins started him at catcher 115 times last year which is the most he had started since 2011. So why are we talking about how his numbers were okay because he got rested more by the Twins last year?

 

He hasn't started more than 127 games at catcher this decade. He's on pace for 127. Not sure that qualifies as wearing a catcher out.  Or does it?

[DaveTMpls]

 

While Fryer is nothing special (and I really mean nothing special), giving Kurt some time off for the stretch run can't really hurt because he has been so terrible.

 

Even if Fryers posts a .450 OPS for a week, that's Suzuki's recent line so whatever. No loss.

 

Something needs to be done to spell Kurt and let him catch his breath. The ASB is a good time to do that. He's not a good starting catcher but he's better than he has been recently.

I disagree with your assessment of Fryer.  He's a better defensive catcher than Suzuki, and might be much better.  Nothing special on offense, to be sure.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I disagree with your assessment of Fryer.  He's a better defensive catcher than Suzuki, and might be much better.  Nothing special on offense, to be sure.

Fryer is fine as a backup catcher. Suzuki is fine as a backup catcher.

 

That's kind of the problem. Both players have their weaknesses, though in different areas.

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

 

Last year Suzuki had the most PAs he's had since 2011 and he only had like 10 or so more in 2011.Twins started him at catcher 115 times last year which is the most he had started since 2011. So why are we talking about how his numbers were okay because he got rested more by the Twins last year?

 

He hasn't started more than 127 games at catcher this decade. He's on pace for 127. Not sure that qualifies as wearing a catcher out.  Or does it?

His numbers in the first half last year were really good, but he faded in the second half. I think he's better the more rest he gets.

He's another year older and like you said, his workload last year was the highest since 2011 (and is on pace to be even higher this year). To be effective, he needs some more time on the bench.  

[darin617]

 

Just a week?

You beat me to it. I was going to write the exaxt same thing. The Twins need a catcher who can at least slow down a running team on the basepaths.(KC). Also, ir would be nice to have a better framer behind the plate to help out this staff.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I disagree with your assessment of Fryer.  He's a better defensive catcher than Suzuki, and might be much better.  Nothing special on offense, to be sure.

I feel like if Fryer was that good defensively, he would have been claimed on waivers and someone would have given him a 40-man roster spot this past winter to be their backup catcher.  Even Butera has gotten that kind of love around the league.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

His numbers in the first half last year were really good, but he faded in the second half. I think he's better the more rest he gets.

Feels like you're trying to have it both ways -- if he starts the year off good, and he struggles later, it's because he wore down in-season.  But if he starts the year off bad... was he still worn down from last year?  If the offseason didn't rest him adequately, not sure there's much we can do.

 

Maybe he's just a bad player with a variable range of performance?  I think he should get some rest simply because his performance suggests backup, rather than a guy you want to guarantee next year's starting job in July again...

[Kirby_waved_at_me]

Nah, I'm just saying that he's older now, and resting him probably won't make him any worse.

 

It's too bad about Pinto's concussion, his offense would be quite welcome right now.