Brewers have asked Texas about Catcher Gerald Laird

[Mass Haas]

Link

[JohnBriggs12]

What's not said, but likely occured, is that either Texas inquired about a Brewer pitcher or Melvin offered them one and they asked what they want in return, Melvin brought up Laird.

 

Texas has an obvious need for a pitcher. That they won't part with Laird doesn't mean they won't make an acceptable offer though. But keep an eye on the Mets. When push comes to shove, I think they will get involved.

[Hate those Rodents]

Looks like we could get Nelson Cruz back for AAA depth too. Just kidding. Seriously, Laird would be a better backup catcher for us. Too bad they want him to begin the year as their starter.

[hauser42]

Laird is their starting catcher as of right now. Salty is struggling behine the plate and pitchers are not happy. Rangers would be crazy to hand the starting job over to a guy like Salty at this point.

[Invader3K]

Frankly, I wouldn't mind the Brewers acquiring Saltalamacchia. I think he could turn into a pretty talented MLB catcher eventually. He seems to have the bat already, just needs to develop his defense. I thought the Brewers should have went after him before the Rangers got him.

[endaround]

The Rangers gave up Texeria to get him, the Brewers don't have that type of ammo lying around. I don't understand why Texas isn't trading Laird though. His 2006 looks like a fluke and it makes no difference to Texas this season if they have Laird or a scrub playing.

[Big Reed]

Don't hang up that phone melvin......

 

there is this guy named teagarden you should be asking about while you're still talking about catchers. A Teagarden would look real nice behind the plate in Miller Park. We need a Teagarden.

[crewcrazy]

I would think that the Rangers are just content with keeping Laird behind the plate and playing Salty at 1B. That's why Teagarden wouldn't be a bad idea, but considering catching doesn't come cheap, it might not be worth what the Brewers would have to give up in return.

[Gopher74]

Frankly, I wouldn't mind the Brewers acquiring Saltalamacchia. I think he could turn into a pretty talented MLB catcher eventually. He seems to have the bat already, just needs to develop his defense. I thought the Brewers should have went after him before the Rangers got him.

I'd hope you wouldn't mind picking up the top catching prospect in baseball. He's a stud. I'd love to have him, just not for Hart, Hardy, Weeks or whoever else we'd have to give up.

 

If Carlos Lee had another year when we dealt him, we might have been able to get Salt, but not for much short of that.

 

[twobrewers]

I'd hope you wouldn't mind picking up the top catching prospect in baseball.

Salty's shine has really worn off lately.

Some scouts think he will never be good enough as a "catcher" (Defense and game calling) to actually play. The thinking is that he might end up as a 1B. And frankly, as a 1b, his bat is nothing special.

[RobertR]

I'd think that the concensus would be that Wieters is the top catching prospect in baseball. Obviously, he's not going anywhere.

 

Saltalamacchia is still a good prospect, but his bat only projects to be special if he can stick at catcher and there are doubts about that.

 

Robert

[TooLiveBrew]

Teagarden

 

This guy looks to be the type of prospect you'd target as a main piece in return for a player like, say, Sheets. I have a real hard time thinking we could net Taylor for another prospect or a decent major-leaguer. Seriously - BB rates like his don't come around very often for a C, let alone the fact that he can rake, too.

[Gopher74]

Teagarden

 

This guy looks to be the type of prospect you'd target as a main piece in return for a player like, say, Sheets. I have a real hard time thinking we could net Taylor for another prospect or a decent major-leaguer. Seriously - BB rates like his don't come around very often for a C, let alone the fact that he can rake, too.

I don't think Teagarden has near that type of value.

 

[Gopher74]

I'd think that the concensus would be that Wieters is the top catching prospect in baseball. Obviously, he's not going anywhere.

 

Saltalamacchia is still a good prospect, but his bat only projects to be special if he can stick at catcher and there are doubts about that.

 

Robert

Yea, I forgot about Wieters. But the Rangers seem convinced that he'll stick at C. I think reports of his demise as a prospect are greatly exaggerated.

 

I also think that his bat should be pretty good wherever he is.

 

[TooLiveBrew]

I don't think Teagarden has near that type of value.

Really? His BB rate is very strong for a backstop, and unless he can't stick behind the plate, I don't see why an org. wouldn't value him pretty highly. I don't mean Sheets-type would net Teagarden and filler, but I think he's worth more than, a middling SP.

[trwi7]

Really? His BB rate is very strong for a backstop, and unless he can't stick behind the plate, I don't see why an org. wouldn't value him pretty highly. I don't mean Sheets-type would net Teagarden and filler, but I think he's worth more than, a middling SP.

Yeah the only thing you can really question is his injury history. Not only does he have the bat everything I've read about him has him being a plus defender.

[Gopher74]

Really? His BB rate is very strong for a backstop, and unless he can't stick behind the plate, I don't see why an org. wouldn't value him pretty highly. I don't mean Sheets-type would net Teagarden and filler, but I think he's worth more than, a middling SP.

Yea, I think he's worth more than a middling SP'er, but I was referring to your comment about him being the center piece in a Sheets type deal which to me, does suggest he and a filler for Sheets.

 

I like Teagarden, but BB rates don't really mean a whole lot to me until a guy moves beyond A ball, and right now, he's got 29 games in AA.

 

Not to mention, he hasn't been able to catch everyday because he's had Tommy John surgery, so I just don't think he's worthy of that type of package. I do like him though.

 

[Big Reed]

Teagarden put together a tremendous year last year after his tommy john surgery the year before. he split time between A and AA and ended up with 27 homers. he had an OBp at A ball of .450+ and a slug > .600. he had an obp of >. 350 at AA. What I found very interesting was that at AA, he had a BA of about .297 and his right/left splits were also basically .296/7. I have read several reports that his injury problems are well behind him and he's showing very little sign of ever haing the surgery. i've also read reports that his game actual catching and throwing out runners is great.

 

but on the down side, looking at what catching prospects usually command in a trade, I would suspect the rangers would be asking for somebody like Sheets or Hart in return for him. I like La Porta. perhaps the rangers might like to swap a catching prospect for a first base prospect.

[Fear The Chorizo]

Catching prospects are so valuable that the only way to have them in your system without giving up tons of value is to draft and develop your own.

[TooLiveBrew]

Big Reed... utilizing stats to reinforce his opinion... OBP, no less... getting dizzy... need to lie down

 

http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Gopher74]

Teagarden put together a tremendous year last year after his tommy john surgery the year before. I have read several reports that his injury problems are well behind him and he's showing very little sign of ever haing the surgery. i've also read reports that his game actual catching and throwing out runners is great.

 

but on the down side, looking at what catching prospects usually command in a trade, I would suspect the rangers would be asking for somebody like Sheets or Hart in return for him. I like La Porta. perhaps the rangers might like to swap a catching prospect for a first base prospect.

Well, he's caught just 66 games the last 3 years, so I think he needs to prove he can catch everyday before we say that he's anywhere near worth Hart or Sheets. He's been primarily a DH the last couple years. It's funny how much people can question players who actually do catch everyday, but a guy who hasn't even caught on a regular basis because the teams worried that he can't handle it physically gets a pass.

 

I think he's a very good player as well, but again, he had Tommy John surgery and he hasn't caught on a regular basis again since. Again, I don't believe he's worth anywhere near a Corey Hart, whatever the Rangers may ask for.

[Big Reed]

Toolivebrew - it's nice to know people read my posts. I don't know what i was thinking using OBP to actually make my point. That's so totally not me. I've been using this drug to combat a bad case of the flu last week. they said the drug had strange side effects. maybe me using OBP was the drug talking and not me.

 

Golpher does make a good point that teagarden hasn't caught many games in the past 3 years. I went back and looked and saw he caught only 14 games at AA last year and 30 games at High A. admittedly catching only 44 games in one year doesn't look that impressive. However, in breaking it down further, teagarden caught 14 games at AA but only played in 29 games. So you could say he played catcher in half the games he played in at AA during the second half of last year which is a good omen.

 

Baseball America named him to the second team Minor league all star team as a catcher. the Cubs' Soto was first team. So Obviously, baseball America still considers him as a catcher. Admittedly, that honor was probably due to his offensive production rather than his arm.

 

Teagarden also participated in the Arizona Fall league leading the Surprise Rafters to the championship game. he was listed as the 10th best prospect and ahead of seattle's Clement who many suggest is not really a catcher either. LaPorta was listed as the 4th best prospect in the same league.

 

Teagarden has definitely proved he can hit - both for average and power. Just think if he can catch.

[Gopher74]

Golpher does make a good point that teagarden hasn't caught many games in the past 3 years. I went back and looked and saw he caught only 14 games at AA last year and 30 games at High A. admittedly catching only 44 games in one year doesn't look that impressive.

 

 

Teagarden also participated in the Arizona Fall league leading the Surprise Rafters to the championship game. he was listed as the 10th best prospect and ahead of seattle's Clement who many suggest is not really a catcher either. LaPorta was listed as the 4th best prospect in the same league.

 

Teagarden has definitely proved he can hit - both for average and power. Just think if he can catch.

Just to clarify, I'd love to pick him up in a trade, and I do think that we'd have to give up a lot in order to get him, I just took issue with the players that were being suggested(Hart/Sheets).

 

I do think it's interesting that LaPorta was so highly thought of in a very deep Fall League. Too bad he couldn't catch again, huh? That'd be real nasty with him behind the dish, and Cameron still in CF? How bad could he be, right? I mean, hell, we dealt with Estrada's "hustle" for a year.

 

[Big Reed]

with all the accolades teagarden is receiving, I have to believe texas will be asking a lot for him. on the other side of the coin, perhaps salty-mafia may wear out his welcome in texas and be available cheaper than expected. then again, he seems to be not the catcher he once was and has a lot of 'issues".

 

 

what is the opinion of that catcher the brewers drafted a couple of years ago? Jonathon Lacroy from louisiana - Lafayette?

[madbad2000]

Reed, check out the latest Power 50 for the staffs viewpoints on Lucroy.