Article: Catching Grief

[Mike Sixel]

If the Yankees can clear out McCann.....and they have all this money....I'd sign Ramos if I'm them. Put Sanchez at backup. 

 

But, I can't tell if the Yankees really think FA is wrong/bad/evil now or not.......

[Darius]

They don't have to get Ramos or Weiters,

but there has to be someone available, whether free agent or trade, that can put out a stolen base attempt once every blue moon.

 

Stolen bases are a killer late in close games.

[DocBauer]

Garver and Turner both have to be added to the 40 man or risk losing them in the rule 5. Garver is a no brainer. Despite being reportedly excellent behind the plate, Turner is in AA and hasn't hit particularly well. I could see the Twins, catching starved or not, possibly risk leaving him off the roster. But I rather doubt it.

 

That puts 4 guys on the 40 man, but you almost have to to protect your interests. And I believe they'll look long and hard for a waiver wire, milb FA type to invite to ST. They may look at an older veteran on a short term deal. If you do that, then one of the other catchers has to be removed. You just can't carry 5 of them.

 

I'd love to see Garver come up in September, if for no other reason than the exposure. But I wish he had been brought up to Rochester a couple weeks ago. Would have made a lot more sense to me.

 

But if they don't still move Suzuki, there's no room for Garver, Murphy and Centeno behind Zuke.

[Rosterman]

Well, Murphy was obviously a catcher the Yankees didn't need. Happily, Aaron Hicks ahs been Aaron Hicks.

 

But coming out of spring training, I almost felt the Twins should've had John Hicks come north so Murphy could catch everyday at AAA.

 

But, no, they left him down...and somehow we lost him in the Murphy (David) mess.

 

Remember, we also had Josmil Pinto floating around, but let him go and kept Pat Dean instead. He's catching about parttime. Hitting well.

 

Centeno is a replacement player, sorry. We could plug in A.J. next season, bring back Rene Rivera, talk Mike Redmond out of retirement.

 

Garver is getting some swings at Rochester and now the decision will be to add him to the 40-man and bring hi up to experience some innings in the majors in September.

 

I could live with Murphy and Garver. Heck, I could live with A.J. and Murphy with Garver starting at Rochester.

 

[Shane Wahl]

Garver, Turner, and Murphy compete out of the gates in spring training. I have been clear about doubting Murphy. But the other two probably get the job done. I would just trust them or go big after Ramos.

[David HK]

 

Nick, while I agree with the overall message of the article, this made me chuckle.

 

Garver is a few months older than Murphy.

How old was Crash Davis when he was with the Bulls?  He had some pop, at least.

[7r4de me]

I don't understand what is so wrong with centeno. I don't get any twins games in nv so I can't see his defense but seems to me his offense is as good as most catchers in the league. Why can't he be an option at starter? Why can't coaches work with him on shortcomings--everyone seems to have so much patience with everyone else in the system. Murphy is garbage and everyone is like 'well should we give him more time? Could he be a serviceable backup?' Ugh. Cut him. Now. Centeno is fine. Keep him until a great solution smacks us over the head or go out and spend some money--I saw Antony's quote about money not really being a problem, so......

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I don't understand what is so wrong with centeno. I don't get any twins games in nv so I can't see his defense but seems to me his offense is as good as most catchers in the league. Why can't he be an option at starter?

Centeno's wRC+ is 87, which is indeed league average for a catcher this year (86).  But it's only 123 PA, and he has no track record to support this level of offense performance.  Most notably, he has 2 HR in those 123 PA this year, after hitting only 4 in 1665 career minor league PA.  Those HR alone are almost entirely fueling a more than doubling of his minor league career isolated power (.129 compared to .061) -- never mind his gift triple the other night that got Carlos Gomez DFA'd...

 

By comparison, Fryer had a 93 wRC+ in 124 PA as a Twin.  These things happen.

 

Now, with good defense (I too have no idea on this front), it's quite possible Centeno remains a viable backup -- since about 2010 or so, he has maintained solid batting averages in the minor leagues, so he likely won't be overmatched too often.  But it would be a stretch to even consider him as a starter, or even relying too much on him in the backup role.  

[Jacksson]

They got Hicks for waiver $$, then the GM exposed him to waivers (Mistake) for the sake of adding an aging outfielder to the 40 man roster so he could be added to the 25 man roster (MISTAKE) but didn't bother to check with said outfielder prior to making that move (MISTAKE) only to be informed by said outfielder that he was done.   Hicks was then lost on waivers to a division rival with their own catching issues.  BTW - how is Hicks doing at AAA for the Tigers??  He is one of 3 catchers on the Tigers 40 man roster......

[Mike Sixel]

 

They got Hicks for waiver $$, then the GM exposed him to waivers (Mistake) for the sake of adding an aging outfielder to the 40 man roster so he could be added to the 25 man roster (MISTAKE) but didn't bother to check with said outfielder prior to making that move (MISTAKE) only to be informed by said outfielder that he was done.   Hicks was then lost on waivers to a division rival with their own catching issues.  BTW - how is Hicks doing at AAA for the Tigers??  He is one of 3 catchers on the Tigers 40 man roster......

 

This was one of many sticks in the camel's back of why it was time for Ryan to go, imo. Not so much losing Hicks, but the whole process.

[Jacksson]

Missed out on a young catcher with MLB experience when SF traded Andrew Susac to Milwaukee (along with SP candidate Phil Bickford) for a reliever - who has had questionable results thus far with SF.  Should an expansion of the Nunez trade have been explored at that time?  We could have beaten Milwaukee to the punch?  Couldn't we have moved either Abad or Kinzler to them before the deadline before SF got in bed with Milwaukee?  What have you got to say for yourself, Rob????

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Missed out on a young catcher with MLB experience when SF traded Andrew Susac to Milwaukee (along with SP candidate Phil Bickford) for a reliever - who has had questionable results thus far with SF.  Should an expansion of the Nunez trade have been explored at that time?  We could have beaten Milwaukee to the punch?  Couldn't we have moved either Abad or Kinzler to them before the deadline before SF got in bed with Milwaukee?  What have you got to say for yourself, Rob????

Kintzler and Abad are not remotely equivalent assets to Will Smith -- career 11.9 K/9 in relief, controlled through 2019.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Kintzler and Abad are not remotely equivalent assets to Will Smith -- career 11.9 K/9 in relief, controlled through 2019.

Yeah...