More on Doumit's Defense

[70charger]

This is newer: Subjectively Speaking: Catcher Framing Runs, Part 1

 

Its probably impossible to place a value on Butera at this point. But what we can say with a high degree of confidence, I think, is that Doumit is bad, and possibly really bad. If Butera is even average, then the difference between these two overall, at least starts to approach zero and may even favor Butera.

 

The other, and perhaps more important part of the Doumit-Butera equation is the fact that Doumit is useful otherwise. When Butera isn't catching, he's less useful than the Gatorade jug (his relief pitching stats notwithstanding). Doumit DHs, and is valuable there. He can also play outfield in a pinch, although I hate to rely on him to do it. And when he isn't playing, you can put him in in the 8th or 9th inning as a pinch hitter and not want to kill yourself.

 

If it's strictly catching we're talking about, the balance is far closer to be sure, but Doumit is head and shoulders above Butera as a whole player.

[Brock Beauchamp]

This is newer: Subjectively Speaking: Catcher Framing Runs, Part 1

 

Its probably impossible to place a value on Butera at this point. But what we can say with a high degree of confidence, I think, is that Doumit is bad, and possibly really bad. If Butera is even average, then the difference between these two overall, at least starts to approach zero and may even favor Butera.

 

Not this again. Hey, I believe there is a difference in run prevention in good catchers versus bad but that list is so comically slanted that no one can look at it and honestly believe it's anything close to accurate.

 

On that list, the difference between Jose Molina and Ryan Doumit is 155 runs.

 

155 runs. Think about that for a second. On a good team, that's 1/4th of all runs allowed over the course of a season. All done by the catcher framing a few pitches. Nothing to do with the pitcher, the defense's range, pitches called, defensive shifts, preventing the running game, the ballpark... Just the catcher and where he puts his mitt.

 

*head explodes*

[Brock Beauchamp]

The other, and perhaps more important part of the Doumit-Butera equation is the fact that Doumit is useful otherwise. When Butera isn't catching, he's less useful than the Gatorade jug (his relief pitching stats notwithstanding). Doumit DHs, and is valuable there. He can also play outfield in a pinch, although I hate to rely on him to do it. And when he isn't playing, you can put him in in the 8th or 9th inning as a pinch hitter and not want to kill yourself.

 

If it's strictly catching we're talking about, the balance is far closer to be sure, but Doumit is head and shoulders above Butera as a whole player.

 

Ding ding ding. Doumit played 71 games last season where he wasn't behind the plate. That's the value Ryan Doumit brings the team. In a perfect world, you're not relying on Ryan to sit behind the dish 60 times a year... But put him behind the plate 40 times a year combined with his slightly above average bat at DH and OF and you're looking at a valuable player to almost any team, particularly an AL team.

 

On the other hand, Butera has zero value if he isn't behind the plate. Zero. It's not a "well, he's below average" argument, it's that he literally brings zero value to the team when he's not catching.

 

Actually, you can make the argument that he's a negative value player when he's not catching because his bat is so below replacement level that he even detracts from the bench by simply existing.

[mcrow]

I'm not sure how this became an arguement about who has more value. There is no contest Doumit has a ton more value than Butera. It's not even debatable. Seems we all agree that Doumit isn't a very good catcher so that seems settled.

 

Seems to me the only real topic left here to discuss is the vailidity of Butera being on the roster.

[twinsnorth49]

I'm not sure how this became an arguement about who has more value. There is no contest Doumit has a ton more value than Butera. It's not even debatable. Seems we all agree that Doumit isn't a very good catcher so that seems settled.

 

Seems to me the only real topic left here to discuss is the vailidity of Butera being on the roster.

 

The mere fact that we would have to the discuss the validity of Drew Butera being on the roster, is more than enough to evidence to be deepy despondant about the upcoming season.

[Willihammer]

I will admit, I don't know why its taking so long for someone to mull through the actual pitchf/x data and break it down that way. Compare what is truly a strike, and how often a catcher is getting those called (or how often he's getting true balls to to go his pitchers' way). That would be much more convincing than this. What we have here is a very general observation and I don't put absolute confidence in the run values, but I accept the conclusions that the guys at the top of the scale are probably better than the guys at the bottom.

 

And also, just from watching games. How many times do you see an umpire shift like he's going to raise his hand, and not? or call a late strike and the batter gets ticked off - more by the lateness of it and less by the actual call? It happens every game, it probably happens more than we even realize. Data like this just tells us there's a pattern to it. These things aren't totally random. And, really, over the course of 1440 innings, we're talking about less than a run per game separating the absolute best from the absolute worst.

 

Its not like other defense, where you might, on a good day, field 4 or 5 balls. Although even there, you have something like 40 runs separating the absolute best from the worst. And to consider, catchers field 150+ balls every single game. I think its very plausible that they would have a greater impact.

 

edit:words

[mcrow]

The mere fact that we would have to the discuss the validity of Drew Butera being on the roster, is more than enough to evidence to be deepy despondant about the upcoming season.

 

That's a little over the top don't you think? The status ove the back up catcher is worthy beind despondant about?

 

I would save your energy put toward being despondant toward the rotation.

[Willihammer]

Ding ding ding. Doumit played 71 games last season where he wasn't behind the plate. That's the value Ryan Doumit brings the team. In a perfect world, you're not relying on Ryan to sit behind the dish 60 times a year... But put him behind the plate 40 times a year combined with his slightly above average bat at DH and OF and you're looking at a valuable player to almost any team, particularly an AL team.

 

I don't know if this is dircted at me. I was only responding to this notion that Doumit's bat makes up for his awful catching when really, none of the evidence suggests that he and Butera are anything more than a total wash.

 

I do think there may be something to Pavano's and Liriano's stretches of success pitching to Butera, but that's a separate point, pretty much impossible for me to backup and possibly irrelevant now that both pitchers are off the team.

 

I don't know much about Burroughs but I am in total agreement that he should probably be the backup catcher instead of Butera or Doumit.

[Brock Beauchamp]

, really, over the course of 1440 innings, we're talking about less than a run per game separating the absolute best from the absolute worst.

 

Except that we're not. Ryan Doumit caught about 60 games last season. Jose Molina caught 102. The difference between the two is 155 runs. Expand those numbers to a 162 game season and you're looking at a difference of well over 300 runs.

 

For the record, that is 60% of the runs allowed by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2012. From pitch framing.

[twinsnorth49]

That's a little over the top don't you think? The status ove the back up catcher is worthy beind despondant about?

 

I would save your energy put toward being despondant toward the rotation.

 

Having Butera in the lineup is definitely worth being despondant about. The rotation has me in full fledged depression.....thanks for bringing it up. http://www.websmileys.com/sm/sad/310.gif

[Willihammer]

I don't think so Brock. The BP article has a difference of about 139 runs over 5 years, and the pitchf/x guy has the difference at only 38 runs last year. Or, about 78 runs if you scale to 162 games.

[FrodaddyG]

I don't think so Brock. The BP article has a difference of about 139 runs over 5 years, and the pitchf/x guy has the difference at only 38 runs last year. Or, about 78 runs if you scale to 162 games.

This is true. The numbers I assume Brock is drawing from are the 5 year totals. (Not that I put a ton of weight in this particular arbitrarily-drawn-up study anyway.)

[ashbury]

Actually, you can make the argument that he's a negative value player when he's not catching because his bat is so below replacement level that he even detracts from the bench by simply existing.

 

Yeah, but if you make that argument, then there's a mirror image argument that pins the blame right back on Doumit. At the moment Doumit was signed - no, at the moment the rumors surfaced that the Twins might make him an offer - it was clear, "they're gonna carry three catchers, namely Butera as the defensive specialist". Sign Doumit, detract from your bench, simple as that. At least, Gardy's bench.

[FrodaddyG]

Sign Doumit, detract from your bench, simple as that. At least, Gardy's bench.

And that's entirely on the manager's bad habits/philosophies, not common sense.

[Brock Beauchamp]

And that's entirely on the manager's bad habits/philosophies, not common sense.

 

Yeah, this.

 

Also, I didn't realize those stats were from a five year period (was reading on my phone). I'll have to take another look at them when I have more time.