Catchers going forward

[billymac]

Maldonado is under team control through 2018, Susac through 2020 and Pina a rookie, what do you think will be the strategy going forward for the Brewers at Catcher?

 

Let Maldy start the remainder of the year then try and trade him this winter and have Susac as the primary catcher for a few years with Pina backing up until one of the younger catchers in the system rises up?

 

I'm not sure what Maldy's value is at this point or what type of return he could get, but if he can hit .240/.250 and with the solid defense, that is what alot of teams would love. He's a career 219/294/341, but in 2012 he did hit 266/321/408 in 256 AB's.

[QuevedosTongue]

Maldonado will get the bulk of the starts right now, but Susac will be up and catching a lot by September 1 at the latest. I don't think Pina really factors into this unless the Brewers think they have something in him that nobody else thinks they have. I don't know that Maldonado is much of a trade candidate, he seems to be like a lot of other backup catchers out there who can't really hit but can play pretty good defense. The team may also think it's beneficial to have Maldonado around so there is someone with more familiarity with the pitching staff, as opposed to going with Susac and somebody else next year.

[Outlander]

The Brewers actually control Susac through at least 2021 and possibly more because they could in theory option him next year and go with Maldonado/Pina.

[reillymcshane]

I think you'll see more of a platoon system with our catchers, splitting the catching duties instead of making one guy the 'starter'. That's okay. Catching is a tough gig, and keeping the guys fresh is important.

 

Pina will get August to show off to the club, then Susac will probably come up in September. One of those two will likely be the guy to go with Maldy in 2017.

 

A lot is really working with the young arms. I think that will be crucial. We know Maldy is trusted by the club, so I think he'll be around to provide some leadership and aid the kids as they get called up.

[pacopete4]

Susac is 26. He's done well at every level including a short MLB stint. It is time to mold him as the catcher of today. He is the highest rewards catcher we have right now. Maldy is what is he and can continue to be a backup player for his team. Or if some team wants a defensive catcher, make the trade. But Susac is at that age now where he needs to play and it's truly possible he could be our catcher going forward for awhile.

[JohnBriggs12]

It's discouraging that Nottingham doesn't seem to figure in. Nottingham cost them the prime years of a guy who has 46 HR and 111 RBI in the last calendar year. That was a major whiff by the boy genius.

 

Susac's a decent option. He should hit better in the NL Central. Don't see a future All Star but adequate. The next 2 months might be the most important of Maldonado's career. He's been too streaky offensively in the past. Lets see how he does.

[Thurston Fluff]

Whether Nottingham sticks at catcher or not his offense is going to be as good or better than what we traded him for so that was far from a bust even if he can't stick at catcher. Especially considering our lack of first base options in the upper minors.

As far an Maldy goes I think he can be a legit starter in this league if given a chance. He did so when he was the everyday catcher a few years back and given regular playing time may be able to do that again. He isn't going to be Luc but he could be close to league average at a position where the average is fairly low. Add in his well above average defense and one of the better throwing arms in the game if he can hit for a little power or do something on offense he will be serviceable.

[DR28]

Yea why was Khris Davis traded again?

[jerichoholicninja]

It's discouraging that Nottingham doesn't seem to figure in. Nottingham cost them the prime years of a guy who has 46 HR and 111 RBI in the last calendar year. That was a major whiff by the boy genius.

 

Good lord when you think you have a point you really like to pound it home. Khris hits homers, we get it. But pretty much sucks at every other facet of the game.

[StearnsFTW]

The Khris Davis angst always kills me. .290 OBP. Terrible defense. 100/15 k/bb.

 

Nottingham's bat can play at 1b if it develops as well. It seems unlikely he'll be a catcher at this point, but even at 1b, he could be a nice player for us.

 

As far as the catching situation goes, I think Susac is going to be involved as at least a platoon player as early as September and going through next year. I think they're going to give him every opportunity to win and keep that job.

[FVBrewerFan]

I'm not sure what Maldy's value is at this point or what type of return he could get, but if he can hit .240/.250 and with the solid defense, that is what alot of teams would love.

 

If Maldy hits .240/.250 I'll buy season tickets for you.

[Boomer5]

Nottimgham isn't going to be a quality MLB catcher as he is setting records for PB and errors at AA, and his bat (~620 ops) doesn't warrant any consideration at 1B.

 

It is what it is. The fact that no one brought him up during the Luc trades as the next generation but Briggs and I says it all.

 

Going forward, Susac is the guy with Maldy backing him up. Susac is a pretty good fallback and at 26 this is his time. Obviously he wasn't going to play much in SF.

 

As for replacing Luc, we won't. He was a very rare find. But we are getting so little production out of two of our 3 OF spots that the net effect of putting in a real RF and CF vs the fall in C production should be a significant net positive.

[yoshii8]

Ok, so Jacob Nottingham is 21 years old, and in AA, he tore up A ball as a 20 year old last season. Don't you think it might be too early to give up on him? He probably will end up repeating AA next season, and will still be pretty young for AA.

[billymac]

I'm not sure what Maldy's value is at this point or what type of return he could get, but if he can hit .240/.250 and with the solid defense, that is what alot of teams would love.

 

If Maldy hits .240/.250 I'll buy season tickets for you.

 

**Saved for future reference He did hit better than that in 2012

[DuWayne Steurer]

Maldonado is the absolute definition of a backup catcher. He plays good D, he throws out runners at a good rate, he handles pitchers well. He doesn't hit great, but he has a little bit of pop, and he can at least draw a walk. He's certainly not a guy that should be starting 70 games or more a year, but I don't have a problem with him being the backup for 40-ish games.

[Ennder]

Maldonado strikes me as one of those guys who might just suddenly figure out how to hit in their late 20s like a Carlos Ruiz or Yadier Molina.

 

While it looks like his stats are just as bad this year he has some sneaky improvements in there. His BB rate is up significantly, his K% is down, he is elevating the ball more often and popping out less and he is using all fields instead of being pull heavy. His .207 average is more due to a BABIP 40 points lower than his career rate. It can be hard to see in just his rate stats but there is some improvement going on this season.

[Eddiehitsthefoulpole]

If I remember right, the people on this board who really study the minors were surprised by Nottingham starting out at AA this year. They expected him to be in BC. I can't speak to his defense. I have never seen him play. I wouldn't give up on his offense yet because of his age. Getting back to catching defense. A couple of years ago we moved Coulter to the outfield and he really doesn't hit well enough for that. I am wondering if the Brewers don't have to accept some of the responsibility. In the last 40 years we have developed one two-way catcher: Jonathan Lucroy. That is not a good track record. I am wondering if Nottingham and Coulter couldn't be coached up a little better and develop into catchers.

[mlloyd10]

Our Catcher of the future isn't on the team....Susac will be the starter next yr

[olliegjw]

If I remember right, the people on this board who really study the minors were surprised by Nottingham starting out at AA this year. They expected him to be in BC. I can't speak to his defense. I have never seen him play. I wouldn't give up on his offense yet because of his age. Getting back to catching defense. A couple of years ago we moved Coulter to the outfield and he really doesn't hit well enough for that. I am wondering if the Brewers don't have to accept some of the responsibility. In the last 40 years we have developed one two-way catcher: Jonathan Lucroy. That is not a good track record. I am wondering if Nottingham and Coulter couldn't be coached up a little better and develop into catchers.

 

Surhoff, BJ

[Fear The Chorizo]

Susac gives the Brewers a competent starting catcher who could platoon nicely with Maldonado in 2017. He also gives Nottingham the additional time he likely needs to develop at AA. Nottingham's 21 - Khris Davis was older than Notthingham is right now before his first professional AB, and didn't reach AA until he was 24. Davis' OPS in AA Huntsville during his age 24 season? 0.603.

 

Briggs must've hated Davis 5 years ago, too. Whether Nottingham sticks at C or finds a home at a different position, it's still way too early to give up on him when he had a great 20-yr old 2015 season at multiple single-A affiliates in Oakland's system.

[3and2Fastball]

Yea why was Khris Davis traded again?

 

The Khris Davis angst always kills me. .290 OBP. Terrible defense. 100/15 k/bb.

 

 

I like Susac moving forwards.

[FVBrewerFan]

I'm not sure what Maldy's value is at this point or what type of return he could get, but if he can hit .240/.250 and with the solid defense, that is what alot of teams would love.

 

If Maldy hits .240/.250 I'll buy season tickets for you.

 

**Saved for future reference He did hit better than that in 2012

 

Right. And Aramis Ramirez hit .300 in 2012. I will also bet you another season ticket he won't do that in 2017.

[Madhawk23]

I always hear how good Maldy is defensively, but is that really the case? I know he has a cannon for an arm, but he doesn't seem like a guy that's real agile around the plate or a guy that blocks balls very well. Last night was a perfect example, where he lets a ball go right underneath his glove allowing the runners to advance to 2nd and 3rd. Next batter hits a routine grounder to SS that would have been an easy GIDP, but instead a run scores. Yes, he has a great arm - but is he truly an all-around defensive catcher? I have no idea how he is at calling a game, so I'll leave that to somebody that has more data to back it up.

[DR28]

Yea why was Khris Davis traded again?

 

The Khris Davis angst always kills me. .290 OBP. Terrible defense. 100/15 k/bb.

 

 

I like Susac moving forwards.

 

Makes total sense now.

[jerichoholicninja]

Maldonado is the absolute definition of a backup catcher. He plays good D, he throws out runners at a good rate, he handles pitchers well. He doesn't hit great, but he has a little bit of pop, and he can at least draw a walk. He's certainly not a guy that should be starting 70 games or more a year, but I don't have a problem with him being the backup for 40-ish games.

 

The way you describe him, he sounds like a halfway decent starting catcher. Catcher is an incredibly shallow position across baseball. We've been spoiled having a good one with Lucroy.