Melvin on Rottino: "Right now, he's our best catching prospect"

[splitterpfj]

The team has told Vinny to go to Nashville and show them that he can be their next starting catcher. I think it's a very interesting move, and I'd love to see him succeed.

 

The comment about "best catching prospect" is an eye opener, I wonder if he means he's the closest to the major leagues, or if he really thinks Vinny is his most talented option?

 

http://blogs.jsonline.com/brewers/archive/2008/03/21/rottino-on-plan-to-be-no-1-catcher.aspx

[trwi7]

If he is our best catching prospect (not meaning closest one to the majors) then I really hope we take someone in the 1st round of this years draft.

[MillerParkSouth]

I'll be the first to admit that I haven't payed nearly as much attention to Rottino's career as some around here but does he really have the catching chops to be a full time player behind the plate?

[Fear The Chorizo]

If he had the catching tools to play in the Majors everyday, his bat at that position would have put him in the majors 2 years ago. I think that speaks more about how poor the catching talent is in the Brewer system right now, and puts an emphasis on drafting a catcher or two with some of the many early picks the Brewers have.

[GAME05]

i'm pretty much assuming Palmisano doesn't see ML action, but i hadn't figured Solome was all that far behind yet. but as it is, that's a pretty scary comment. maybe Melvin said it in part just to be complimentary.

[TheBrewer]

It was always thought he would never be a full time player behind the plate, rather a utility player that could play behind the plate. But if he's there number one catcher at nashvile and full time, even if he doesn't put up popping numbers like our other players (braun, fielder, hart etc), catchers don't hit really. .so if he can provide adequate to above adequate defense and at least hit .270ish with a few homers, he could be our #1 catcher in 1-2 years if they feel he's ready for that, and with the potential upside since he's young.

[igor67]

I guess I read into that comment that they felt he had made enough defensive progress that they felt that at some point he could do the job full time. I don't see anything worrisome about the comment if he can throw out about 20% of base stealers he wouldn't be great, but good enough not to have a track meet and his bat would put him in the middle of the pack or so for catchers. It is generally a pretty barren position.

[endaround]

I think Captain Lou looked to be on track for the majors next season, either back up or starting, until his injury basically wiped out this year. Salome is likely two years away from being in the conversation unless he breaks out.

[dadofandrew]

Take a look at major league catchers, outside the top 5 in the game especially. Vinny can outhit most of them, if he can improve his defense and game calling, there's no reason he could not be a starter.

[Dmiles23]

I don't believe much of what the organization says about a player, they just try to build the player up. But I do think Ted Simmons is a very intelligent man, and knows a good catching prospect when he sees one. During the last telecast, when Rottino was put in behind the plate, Bill and Brian made the comment that Simmons believed Rottino could become a real good catcher. One example they used, and I don't remember the exact times, was throwing to second base. They were saying the average catcher had a time of 1.5 seconds from the ball going glove to glove down to second. They said Rottino was 1.35 seconds, which is the time of Pudge Rodriguez. I know there are other parts to catching, but at least he as one part down that our every day catchers have been pretty bad at of late.

[JonnyLungs]

If Vinny could be one of those catchers that doesn't make you cringe, he should probably be able to hit enough.

 

He may be old for being a prospect, but if he is a catcher, he is pretty young in catcher's years. He had pretty much limited himself to possibly being a four corners guy that couldn't hit enough to start at any of them. But moving him to being a full time catcher makes his weak bat at the 4C become all the more useful at catcher, relatively speaking.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if Vinny is catching a lot of games for the Brewers' playoff team this year. Jason Kendall could get Soto'd again on a playoff team.

[MillerParkSouth]

what about Jonathan LuCroy? If I'm not mistaken he was a college player so I guess I figured that he'd be relatively close to the bigs. Although I guess catching prospects probably take a little longer to develop.

[PeaveyFury]

The comment about "best catching prospect" is an eye opener, I wonder if he means he's the closest to the major leagues, or if he really thinks Vinny is his most talented option?

 

Kind of makes you wonder how serious Salome's issues actually are, as I'd think he'd be leaps and bounds ahead of Rottino in nearly every way.

[splitterpfj]

Exactly, Peavey, my reaction to that comment is more about Salome than anything else. Has he slipped that far in Melvin's eyes? That's the part that surprised me.

[brewjihad]

Among catchers that qualified for the batting title last year (it was around 420 ABs), Jason Kendall was 10th in OPS. There isn't much stability or production from the catcher position. I think most of us would agree that Vinny could outhit Kendall over the course of a year.

 

MLB catchers are so weak right now that it doesn't take much to get above-average production. And from everything I've heard, Rottino is very solid behind the plate. He could get a shot as a starter next year, provided there is a safety net of a prospect or a veteran in case he would struggle. I'd rather see what Vinny can do next year until one of the decent catcher prospects are ready than have Kendall back.

[brettac1]

I think this just says much more about the state of the Brewers minor league catchers than it does about Rottino.

[BrewCrewForever]

Take a look at major league catchers, outside the top 5 in the game especially. Vinny can outhit most of them, if he can improve his defense and game calling, there's no reason he could not be a starter.

I would agree with that. Outside of Martin, Martinez, McCann, Posada, Mauer and Johjima I think Vinny could hang with any other catchers at the plate.

 

[DrWood]

kendall was 10th out of 10 catchers that qualify. If you reduce it to 325 plate appearance, 30 catchers qualify, and he was 30th out of 30.

 

Damian Miller was 28 before he stuck in the majors, so I guess Rottino could have a decent MLB career as a starter.

I doubt he'd be much more than average offensively, though. Not much HR power, and doesn't walk much. He'd be able to run a lot faster than Estrada, though.

[craigharmann]

I'm very surprised at that comment. I would think that if, according to Doug, Vinny has the potential to be a #1 catcher, what does that say about Palmisano, Salome and LuCroy, who have been specifically catchers throughout their career? Are they not as good? I haven't followed Vinny as much as I probably should, but this comment from Doug seems a bit unusual to me.

[brewjihad]

kendall was 10th out of 10 catchers that qualify. If you reduce it to 325 plate appearance, 30 catchers qualify, and he was 30th out of 30.

 

Kendall is not a good hitter. We know that. That reference was trying to prove that it doesn't take much to be an average #1 catcher in the majors because the position overall is so weak.

 

Something like .275/.325 and about 15 homers would probably be above average, and Vinny is capable of putting that line up.

[tristarscoop]

How many positions have they had Rottino play in Spring Training? I'm pretty sure I saw him at first and somewhere else in addition to catcher. It seems like if they would stick with one path with him, that would help the whole process out.

[bork]

How many positions have they had Rottino play in Spring Training? I'm pretty sure I saw him at first and somewhere else in addition to catcher.

All of the backup catchers played 1B in spring training, since the backup catcher may also be the backup 1B.

[Blazer25]

They were saying the average catcher had a time of 1.5 seconds from the ball going glove to glove down to second. They said Rottino was 1.35 seconds, which is the time of Pudge Rodriguez.

Actually it's around 2.0 seconds for the average catcher. Pudge used to be in the 1.70 range, Vinny is not.

[logan82]

Blazer25 wrote:

Actually it's around 2.0 seconds for the average catcher. Pudge used to be in the 1.70 range, Vinny is not.

They were saying Vinny was in the 1.85 range.

[Blazer25]

They were saying Vinny was in the 1.85 range.

Who is "they"?

 

I have no doubt in my mind that Vinny does not throw pop times in the 1.85 range in game action. Whoever was claiming that needs a new stopwatch (or to re-learn how to use it)