Solving the Catcher Position for 2019

[wallus]

I think Pina gets dumped on too much on this site.

 

Oh yeah, from who?

 

Dumped on may not be the right terminology, but considering all the threads talking about upgrading from a league average backstop with plus defense...

 

Manny is a good starting catcher but would be great in a backup/shared role. I don't think anyone is saying he shouldn't be on the team.

[pacopete4]

If anything, Manny has shown to not be a starting catcher in this league. His body doesn't hold up well enough to be counted on for playing 2/3's of the games. Even during his minor league career, he never caught more than 100 games in a season. He'd be a great backup to a better catcher. He'd stay fresh. His defense wouldn't hurt you. And he'd occasionally have a nice game hitting.

[long ball]

Is it really a bad thing to have a 60/40 or 50/50 playing time split at catcher with the way pitching has changed?

 

The job of catching every day has to be mentally exhausting. The amount of game planning that goes into preparing for every different batter a team has + how a specific pitcher is going to attack each hitter. There's more information than ever before so the job of a catcher has evolved over the years.

 

We saw the Brewers pair up Pina and Kratz with specific starting pitchers and I'd expect that to continue in 2019 (easier to do because neither was a great hitter in 2018).

 

If you invest heavily into a catcher like Ramos, Grandal, or Realmuto you probably want them playing 80% of the time.

[Smichaelis9]

I like Pina more than most, but the fact that the team did not even deem him worthy of getting any playing time over Erik Kratz in the second half and playoffs is pretty telling as to how they feel about going forward with Pina as the starter.

 

To me, this felt more like an error by CC. I think they liked Kratz in there calling games and for his veteran presence. Stearns should absolutely punt Kratz for the sole purpose of not giving CC an opportunity to make stupid decisions again.

 

For playing the catcher that received the ball really well, and was preferred by Miley and Chacin? Miley for sure said that he was most comfortable with Kratz, and it seems like Jhoulys was in that same boat. Those two pitched quite a bit down the stretch...

[JohnBriggs12]

A guy nobody's mentioned because his extensive injury history likely relegates him to being a backup is Devin Mesoraco. This is a guy that once posted an .893 OPS and just last year had 11 HR in under 300 PA. He probably can be had for very little investment. He's still only 30.

[coolhandluke121]

If Grandal gets low-balled because of his playoff yips, I'd gladly take that risk. I think he could hit a ton of homers in Miller Park, and while I don't think he's ever going to solve his catching woes, I also don't think the yips are a permanent thing. I think his bat could make up for his mistakes behind the plate and then some, and that's coming from a guy who loves defense at key positions (I didn't put Yelich ahead of Cain in my MVP race until the last 2 weeks).

[Eye Black]

Kurt Suzuki signed a two years for $10 million deal with the Washington Nationals. It takes one FA catching option off the market, but also significantly lessens the likelihood the Nationals will be in the mix to trade for Realmuto (or sign another FA catcher).

[CheezWizHed]

I think they did Manny a favor by starting him in a 3/2 format with Kratz due to Pina's age. But that also exposed Kratz's bat with a larger sample size. Personally, I thought Nottingham did enough in his short stints to warrant a look in Kratz's role. But if they go for a FA, I'd guess it would be someone that can hold up 2/5ths or 3/5ths of the playing time like they wanted Kratz to do and not a full time starter.

[RollieTime]

Kurt Suzuki signed a two years for $10 million deal with the Washington Nationals. It takes one FA catching option off the market, but also significantly lessens the likelihood the Nationals will be in the mix to trade for Realmuto (or sign another FA catcher).

 

I was thinking Suzuki would of been a good fit with Pina. Seems like a pretty reasonable contract for being one of the top hitting catchers in the game the last couple seasons.

[Eye Black]

Another catcher potentially available via trade...

 

Per Ken Rosenthal:

 

Indians drawing significant trade interest in catcher Yan Gomes as well as SPs, sources tell The Athletic. Gomes earning $7M in 2019 with $9M club option for ‘20, $11M opt for ‘21. Rival exec says CLE “scrambling to get young players.” Perez and Haase only other Cs on roster.

[mlloyd10]

Gomes scares the hell out of me because be basically sucked from 15-17

[Madhawk23]

Gomes scares the hell out of me because be basically sucked from 15-17

 

Yikes, yeah he was really bad in that 3-year stretch, wasn't he. And, he's owed 27M over the next few years (with team options in '20 and '21). At that price, wouldn't we be better off just going out and getting one of the catchers in F/A and save our prospects? I'm not even sure what it would take to get Gomes in a trade, but I don't think I'd want to give up that much.

[clancyphile]

I think they did Manny a favor by starting him in a 3/2 format with Kratz due to Pina's age. But that also exposed Kratz's bat with a larger sample size. Personally, I thought Nottingham did enough in his short stints to warrant a look in Kratz's role. But if they go for a FA, I'd guess it would be someone that can hold up 2/5ths or 3/5ths of the playing time like they wanted Kratz to do and not a full time starter.

 

Pina is an elite #2 catcher... ask him to be the #1, and he is average.

[BrewCrewForever]

I am in the camp of sign Grandal to go with Grandal/Pina. Trade for Gomes and go Gomes/Pina or do nothing and go with Pina/Nottingham.

[KeithStone53151]

I have less than 0 interest in Grandal because of the draft pick compensation. I don't want to give up another pick, and in this case to sign a very questionable defender behind the plate that will certainly split time with Pina.

[tmwiese55]

I'm basically at the point that if you don't get the noticeable upgrade with Realmuto or I suppose Ramos if the price is right then just go with Pina/nottingham in at least a 3/5 split to Pina. Pina was really good in 17, struggled to start 18 but then was basically back the whole second before losing his PT to someone who couldn't hit. I'd trust him to be fine next year. Probably have to grab some kind of vet in the Kratz/Vogt mold to stash in AAA in case of injury.

[wallus]

I have less than 0 interest in Grandal because of the draft pick compensation. I don't want to give up another pick, and in this case to sign a very questionable defender behind the plate that will certainly split time with Pina.

 

Except he has graded out as positive defensively.

[Eye Black]

I am convinced more than ever that Yasmani Grandal is the correct answer to this question. I think Grandal should be the Brewers big off-season splash, even with the parameters of having to give up a second round draft pick and a good amount of money to sign him. I think a switch hitting catcher that both walks and hits for power could be a real weapon in the Brewers lineup. He also isn’t nearly as bad defensively as was witnessed in a minuscule post-season sample.

 

Here is a quick look at the moves thus far this off-season and teams known to be in the market for catchers (let me know if I missed anyone and I’ll update the lists)...

 

Trade Candidates

J.T. Realmuto

Yan Gomes

Omar Narvaez

Mike Zunino

Francisco Cervelli

Salvador Perez

Wellington Castillo

Russell Martin

Carson Kelly

 

 

Free Agents

Yasmani Grandal

Wilson Ramos

Kurt Suzuki

Brian McCann

Jeff Mathis

Robinson Chirinos

Jonathan Lucroy

Martin Maldonado

Matt Wieters

Devin Mesoraco

Nick Hundley

Chris Herrmann

A.J. Ellis

James McCann

Stephen Vogt

Drew Butera

 

 

Teams in the Market for Catchers

Nationals - Yan Gomes, Kurt Suzuki

Braves - Brian McCann

Mets - Wilson Ramos

Phillies

Brewers

Dodgers

Diamondbacks - Carson Kelly

Rockies

Rays - Mike Zunino

Red Sox

Astros - Robinson Chirinos

Mariners - Omar Narvaez

Rangers - Jeff Mathis

A’s - Chris Herrmann

Angels - Jonathan Lucroy

White Sox - James McCann

Reds

Padres

[wallus]

I obviously agree with you on Grandal but think that the Dodgers are not in the market for a catcher from your list at the bottom.

[Eye Black]

I obviously agree with you on Grandal but think that the Dodgers are not in the market for a catcher from your list at the bottom.

I included them just because I haven’t ruled out a Grandal reunion with the Dodgers, even with Austin Barnes.

[KeithStone53151]

All those options, tough to imagine someone giving up the massive asking price for realmuto

[StCroixCtyBrewer]

Ramos, Ramos, he's our man

[Mr Southpaw]

Ramos, Ramos, he's our man

 

...If he can't hit, nobody can!

 

Can he catch for three years with two ACL surgeries? Seems like an AL DH kind of team would be a better fit. He would be my second choice after YG. My options would be...

 

1. Grandel (4years + one team option, 5/$75)

2. Ramos (2 years + one team option, 3/$36)

3. Remalto (only at our price, No Burnes, KH and only one of Woodruff and Peralta)

4. Stay put with our internal options

[KCBrewerfan34]

Brewers met with Ramos in Vegas yesterday per McCalvey.

[Dadbauer]

McCalvy reporting that Brewers have met with Ramos at the meetings.