Backup Catcher for 2008?

[endaround]

Counsell doesn't have negative value since he can play SS. Rottino and Dillon can't. And I'd take Counsell over Nunez any day.

[TooLiveBrew]

Counsell is the opposite of Ryan Braun in the IF. Craig's O is so bad, it cancels out much of his fantastic D.

[jazzytrav]

What are the chances Rottino is kept as a 3rd catcher/utility player? I imagine that would provide some advantages, especially the option of pinch-hitting for Kendall late in a close game.

[TooLiveBrew]

I think Vinny's got just an outside shot at making the big club - he's still got options left, doesn't he? To me, he's of great value should Dillon/Counsell/Hardy/Weeks/Hall get injured.

[TooLiveBrew]

Rivera does suck. He can't hit and is bad defensively.

Rivera as a Brewer in 06 and 07: 155 ABs. .265/.322/.477, 8 HR 27 RBI

 

Yeah that really sucks.

 

And before you point to his AAA stats in 07 to back you up endaround, look at what he did in 05 (.895 OPS) and 06 (.827).

But you're talking about just 155 MLB AB - not really a great evaluation tool. His AAA stats have been put up in the hitter-friendly PCL, too... at ages 28 & 29 for the seasons you cite. Basically, if Rivera couldn't do that at his age (like, say, put out the line he did from 2007 at Nashville), he'd have a hard time finding work. Rivera doesn't BB nearly enough to justify his low BA ability. Basically, he's Johnny Estrada offensively, but without the ability to hit for a high/respectable BA. Defensively, he's not good enough to balance out the poor O... though he's not as bad as Estrada was in 2007.

 

 

EDIT: The fact alone that the Brewers put Rivera through waivers just so they could possibly send him back to the minors tells you all you need to know about how much the Crew thinks of Mike... and the fact that not one team claimed him gives you a good idea of his overall value.

[logan82]

I was going to say that Munson has the most experience catching at the MLB level, but he has played more games at 1B and 3B in the majors than at catcher.