Yankees release Mike Rivera

[jjkoestler]

Per MLB Trade Rumors: http://www.mlbtraderumors...ivera.html#disqus_thread

 

The Yankees released Mike Rivera after signing..... wait for it ...... Chad Moeller. Yikes.

[bobbledude25]

Why can't this guy stick on with a major league team? It was fun to watch a catcher actually get a hit once Kendall came out of the game last year

[craigharmann]

The Yankees released Mike Rivera after signing..... wait for it ...... Chad Moeller. Yikes.

That would have worked 2 days ago.....seriously?? This is true? Wow. What does Rivera have to do? And why is Chad Moeller so coveted? Government conspiracy?

[hawing]

The Yankees released Mike Rivera after signing..... wait for it ...... Chad Moeller. Yikes.

Ouch. Burn.

[crewcrazy]

Well, with Jorge Posada being less than stellar defensively these days, I can understand the Yankees not wanting to keep him around. Moeller (still) can't hit a lick, but he still has the reputation of being a decent defensive veteran catcher, and that'll keep you on someone's roster for awhile.

[TooLiveBrew]

Cervelli is the Yanks' MLB backup, this is AAA depth

[dadofandrew]

Rivera gets out 70% of the time. He is an offensive C whose only skill is a bit of extra-base pop.

 

He's AAA fodder.

[crewcrazy]

Cervelli is the Yanks' MLB backup, this is AAA depth

You're right; I had forgotten about Cervelli.

 

Moeller was with the Yankees in 2008 in a similar capacity, so it makes sense that they'd be more comfortable with him in that role than Rivera once they saw Baltimore released him earlier this week.

[MNBrew]

Why can't this guy stick on with a major league team? It was fun to watch a catcher actually get a hit once Kendall came out of the game last year

I think you're remembering 2008, when he was unbelievably productive. Rivera wasn't very good at all in 2009.

[derflotr]

If Mike Rivera is still revered here, Gregg Zaun's going to be a huge hit. The reality is that Jason Kendall just made Mike Rivera look good.

[stalton]

If Mike Rivera is still revered here, Gregg Zaun's going to be a huge hit. The reality is that Jason Kendall just made Mike Rivera look good.

well when the starting catcher OPS's at a .636 clip, its pretty easy to make somebody else look good

[JohnBriggs12]

Rivera gets out 70% of the time. He is an offensive C whose only skill is a bit of extra-base pop.

 

He's AAA fodder.

 

Rivera had 374 plate appearences over 4 seasons with the Brewers and hit .260/.333/.423 with 11 HR and 55 RBI. That's certainly worthy of a modicum of respect as a decent major league backup catcher, not just in comparison to Kendall but certainly to Moeller (and virtually every Brewer backup over the last decade) who as a Brewer took 669 plate appearences to drive in 55 runs and hit .204/.257/.319.

 

So why continue to trash him? Because he's not the most athletic looking guy?

[pitchleague]

I can't be the only one who read the thread title and for a split-second thought they released the "other" Rivera. You know, the "good" one?

 

I'm kind of surprised, really. I'd think he could be at least as useful as Moeller.

[jjkoestler]

I thought about titling the thread "Yankees release M. Rivera."

[HiAndTight]

Why can't this guy stick on with a major league team? It was fun to watch a catcher actually get a hit once Kendall came out of the game last year

Because he's simply not that good. A good offensive catcher as compared to Jason Kendall doesn't mean he's still a good offensive catcher as compared to the league average.

 

Rivera to me was always a very poor catcher who had two things going for him.

1-He was in Milwaukee;

2-He had good numbers in a very small amount of games.

 

I mean the guy can sure run into one if he squares up, but his overall offensive game is just sub par.

 

[battlekow]

A good offensive catcher as compared to Jason Kendall doesn't mean he's still a good offensive catcher as compared to the league average.

From 2006-2009, the duration of Rivera's Brewers career, NL catchers hit .259/.324/.396; Rivera's neutralized line over that time span was .255/.328/.419. Yes, it was only 374 plate appearances in aggregate, but nevertheless, Rivera was an above-average offensive catcher for the Brewers.

[JoeHova]

This is a shame. One of my favorite players is cut in order to make room for one of my least favorite. Hopefully Mike can catch on somewhere.

[HiAndTight]

A good offensive catcher as compared to Jason Kendall doesn't mean he's still a good offensive catcher as compared to the league average.

From 2006-2009, the duration of Rivera's Brewers career, NL catchers hit .259/.324/.396; Rivera's neutralized line over that time span was .255/.328/.419. Yes, it was only 374 plate appearances in aggregate, but nevertheless, Rivera was an above-average offensive catcher for the Brewers.

Yeah, but again, as you said, 374 PA's.

 

Most of that damage was done in one season.

 

I suppose part of the problem in my mind is the last year he got regular playing time he put up a .215/.270/.421 line....in AAA.

 

He's a slow, poor defensive catcher who doesn't draw walks and occasionally can run into one. I don't see much to like about him.

[Nottso]

I'm pretty sure Rivera never hit for the cycle.

[JoeHova]

I don't see much to like about him.

You aren't looking hard enough.