Does George Kottaras have any legitimate trade value?

[DHonks]

fyi, the roster construction thread is an example of the knee-jerk reactions I was referring to. I'm sorry...I was a bit cranky when I made my other post. I think we just tend to view things a bit differently, and it seems like you want constant changes to the roster like a fantasy sports team. be patient and we'll be fine.

[Baldkin]

last year he was outrighted to AAA, wasn't he? Revocable waivers are in August-Sept.

 

He was, when Hawkins came off the DL and we finally went with fewer than 3 catchers on the roster.

[Bombers]

last year he was outrighted to AAA, wasn't he? Revocable waivers are in August-Sept.

 

He was, when Hawkins came off the DL and we finally went with fewer than 3 catchers on the roster.

 

 

Don't remind me ... 3 catchers. Jeez.

[3and2Fastball]

I'd like to find more ways to get Kottaras playing time as opposed to trading him

[RWeeksFan23]

Kottaras should start every other game or so against righties imo.

[HiAndTight]

Kottaras should start every other game or so against righties imo.

 

 

Until the real George Kottaras steps up and we realize we've got a legitimate above average young catcher who's locked in for the next 5 years at 11 million dollars.

 

It's possible, but players don't generally change like Kottaras has(and in what, 15 PA's)? And he's still a awful defensive catcher.

 

There is no way I want him starting every other game. Perhaps PH'ing every game, but certainly not starting.

[Baldkin]

Every other game against RHP.

So, since 25% of pitchers are LHP, that means 8 of every 20 games, up from 4 of 20 right now.

 

This would give Lucroy a bit more rest (which could only help him, IMO).

[DHonks]

I always liked Yost's strategy to have the starter catch 3/5 games and the backup catch 2/5.

[SenatorShriv]

I like that RR has been using him in situations that he can succeed so far this year. Kottaras can crush fast balls and stands a solid chance of getting on base against good relief pitchers. I want LuCroy in there 4 out of 5 games with the occasional extra day of rest on good matchups for Kottaras. If they keep using him in those types of situations I could see his line looking very good a couple months down the road. THEN we can have the conversation about his trade value vs. his value to the current team.

[JohnBriggs12]

I always liked Yost's strategy to have the starter catch 3/5 games and the backup catch 2/5.

 

I'll bet Mike Rivera is wondering what happened to that Yost strategy when he was backup.

 

Wasn't Yost the guy that let Jason Kendall go weeks at a time without a rest?

[Roderick]

I always liked Yost's strategy to have the starter catch 3/5 games and the backup catch 2/5.

 

 

Wasn't Yost the guy that let Jason Kendall go weeks at a time without a rest?

 

That was my memory. Kendall all day, every day.

[monty57]

Rivera had 21 games played and 62 AB in 2008. Kendall had 152 GP and 516 AB with a .651 OPS. In 2009, Kendall "only" played in 134 games with a mind-numbing .636 OPS.

 

I think Yost was scared of him.

[HiAndTight]

I always liked Yost's strategy to have the starter catch 3/5 games and the backup catch 2/5.

 

 

Yost starting catcher wasn't in his mid 20's.

 

Lucroy vs Damien Miller is a bit different. I don't quite get all the Kottaras love for a board that rightfully values sample sizes and defense so much.

 

Kottaras really is still just awful defensively.

[HiAndTight]

I like that RR has been using him in situations that he can succeed so far this year. Kottaras can crush fast balls and stands a solid chance of getting on base against good relief pitchers. I want LuCroy in there 4 out of 5 games with the occasional extra day of rest on good matchups for Kottaras. If they keep using him in those types of situations I could see his line looking very good a couple months down the road. THEN we can have the conversation about his trade value vs. his value to the current team.

 

 

I absolutely agree.

 

I also forgot about Jason Kendall. Yost overworked him, but it also shows the difference between the caliber of catchers Yost had and Lucroy.

 

There's no reaon for Lucroy to 40 pct of the time at this point in his career.

[Baldkin]

I always liked Yost's strategy to have the starter catch 3/5 games and the backup catch 2/5.

 

 

Yost starting catcher wasn't in his mid 20's.

 

Lucroy vs Damien Miller is a bit different. I don't quite get all the Kottaras love for a board that rightfully values sample sizes and defense so much.

 

Kottaras really is still just awful defensively.

 

After watching Lucroy wear down and really struggle the last two months of last season at the plate, and having him catch the 2nd most games in MLB (despite missing 2 weeks of the season), I want to see our backup more this year.

 

If that's Kottaras love? Fine, call it that. But if he gets the platoon advantage, he is a solid weapon to have. I know he won't OPS 1.000 over the season, but I'd wager he could OPS .800 going forward.

[jjfanec]

I like George and doubt we trade him since he is one of a few guys who are hitting right now, but with Ramos out for the year in Washington I wonder if they would look for a veteran catcher?

[HiAndTight]

I always liked Yost's strategy to have the starter catch 3/5 games and the backup catch 2/5.

 

 

Yost starting catcher wasn't in his mid 20's.

 

Lucroy vs Damien Miller is a bit different. I don't quite get all the Kottaras love for a board that rightfully values sample sizes and defense so much.

 

Kottaras really is still just awful defensively.

 

After watching Lucroy wear down and really struggle the last two months of last season at the plate, and having him catch the 2nd most games in MLB (despite missing 2 weeks of the season), I want to see our backup more this year.

 

If that's Kottaras love? Fine, call it that. But if he gets the platoon advantage, he is a solid weapon to have. I know he won't OPS 1.000 over the season, but I'd wager he could OPS .800 going forward.

 

 

 

I would say that starting a guy who's a defensive blackhole like George Kottaras at one of the most important defensive positions if not thee most and a guy who's clearly a vastly inferior hitter to Lucroy should be getting 40 pct of the starts.

 

The last thing I want to see from Lucroy in his prime is sitting on the bench 3 times a week.

[Warning Track Power]

I like George and doubt we trade him since he is one of a few guys who are hitting right now, but with Ramos out for the year in Washington I wonder if they would look for a veteran catcher?

 

Couple of options here I think:

 

-Kottaras and K-Rod for Ian Desmond

Fills the SS need potentially long term for us. Gives them a C and potential closer while Storen is out. Lombardozzi fills in at SS for them

 

-Kottaras for Steve Lombardozzi

Lombradozzi appears to be a 2B but has some minor league experience at SS.

 

-Kottaras & Gomez for Danny Espinosa

Espinosa was a SS up until Triple AAA. They fill 2B with Lombardozzi.

 

I would love to get Danny Espinosa now that I know that he came up as an SS. With his slump to begin the season, he might be had given Washington's apparent contender status and desires to upgrade in other spots with an heir apparent at 2B in Lombardozzi. Worth investigating.

[JohnBriggs12]

After watching Maldanado for several games, I think the defense he brings would offset the offense lost from Kottaras (who has cooled off anyway). Maldanado looks very impressive behind the plate. If he can hit .220 with a little pop here and there, he's definitely a quality backup catcher.

[Outlander]

Since Kottaras is arbitration eligible next year I don't see him being a Brewers beyond this year. However, with his recent slump and injury I don't the Brewers could get much of anything in return anymore.

[3and2Fastball]

After watching Maldanado for several games, I think the defense he brings would offset the offense lost from Kottaras (who has cooled off anyway). Maldanado looks very impressive behind the plate. If he can hit .220 with a little pop here and there, he's definitely a quality backup catcher.

 

I'd have to see a much bigger sample before I know for sure, but I think the difference Maldonado makes behind the plate is so fantastic that the Brewers should consider moving Lucroy to 1B and having Lucroy catch 1 out of 5 games a season.

 

Seriously

[Raw Biz]

After watching Maldanado for several games, I think the defense he brings would offset the offense lost from Kottaras (who has cooled off anyway). Maldanado looks very impressive behind the plate. If he can hit .220 with a little pop here and there, he's definitely a quality backup catcher.

 

I'd have to see a much bigger sample before I know for sure, but I think the difference Maldonado makes behind the plate is so fantastic that the Brewers should consider moving Lucroy to 1B and having Lucroy catch 1 out of 5 games a season.

 

Seriously

 

No. I'm usually not one who says a guy's bat needs to be at some sort of level before he plays a position but in this case, unless you have a Posey/Napoli/VMart type bat, I don't think a catcher should be playing 1B. I don't even think Mauer is a good choice to play 1B full-time even though he hits for a great average. 1B is a position where you should be getting some easy power (I know Gamel was never a huge HR threat but he still put up the OPS [in the minors at least]). As good as Lucroy has been this year, he most likely wasn't going to keep that pace up. His production was great for a catcher but his projected OPS for the rest of the year is .735. That's not very good for a 1B. Let him continue to grow as a catcher and whatever he offers on offense is a plus at the position. I highly doubt the defensive difference of Maldonado would make up for his lack of offense and the lack of offense from not having a "usual 1B-type."

[AZBrewCrew]

With Maldonado playing as well as he has been (defensively at least) does this make it a little bit easier to shop Kottaras around to see if there is any interest out there? Although knowing Melvin and RRR, I fully expect Maldonado to be sent back to AAA once Lucroy is back.

[nate82]

With Maldonado playing as well as he has been (defensively at least) does this make it a little bit easier to shop Kottaras around to see if there is any interest out there? Although knowing Melvin and RRR, I fully expect Maldonado to be sent back to AAA once Lucroy is back.

 

What interest is there going to be out there for a backup catcher? You will be lucky to get a Cuttery Dykstra type prospect back in return for Kottaras which isn't even worth even discussing a trade with a team for a return like that.

 

What is wrong with Maldonado going back to AAA once Lucroy is healthy? Offensively Kottaras is better than Maldonado by a lot. I would rather have Kottaras on the bench and playing once every five games as the offensive drop off from Lucroy to Kottaras is not all that much compared to the offensive drop off from Lucroy to Maldonado. The only thing that you are gaining is some defense behind the plate. The offensive loss is like going from Damian Miller to Chad Moeller (with just a little bit better defense behind the plate for Maldonado). I really do not see why there would be anything bad of Maldonado going back to AAA once Lucroy is back.

[DHonks]

Nate, as much as I've hated this speculation...if we could get Komatsu back, I'd be happy! I miss his OBP