Catcher Position for 2020

[Brewcrewin07]

So is Stearns going to do anything?? He who hesitates finishes last. Oh, that's right, he wants a bargain. SMH. Grandal is gone, now the best FA Catcher is also gone...So DS...your move.

[long ball]

So is Stearns going to do anything?? He who hesitates finishes last. Oh, that's right, he wants a bargain. SMH. Grandal is gone, now the best FA Catcher is also gone...So DS...your move.

 

relax. the Brewers didn't make a notable transaction until 12/13 last off season when they traded for Claudio. Didn't sign a notable free agent until 1/14 with Grandal.

 

It will be ok.

[Brewcrewin07]

So is Stearns going to do anything?? He who hesitates finishes last. Oh, that's right, he wants a bargain. SMH. Grandal is gone, now the best FA Catcher is also gone...So DS...your move.

 

relax. the Brewers didn't make a notable transaction until 12/13 last off season when they traded for Claudio. Didn't sign a notable free agent until 1/14 with Grandal.

 

It will be ok.

 

They also didn't have as many holes to fill last year...this year you NEED a catcher, SS, 1B, TOR arm, 3B.

[long ball]

So is Stearns going to do anything?? He who hesitates finishes last. Oh, that's right, he wants a bargain. SMH. Grandal is gone, now the best FA Catcher is also gone...So DS...your move.

 

relax. the Brewers didn't make a notable transaction until 12/13 last off season when they traded for Claudio. Didn't sign a notable free agent until 1/14 with Grandal.

 

It will be ok.

 

They also didn't have as many holes to fill last year...this year you NEED a catcher, SS, 1B, TOR arm, 3B.

 

And last year they "needed" a C, SS, 2b, TOR arm. so the difference is basically 1b?

 

I agree that this team is less stable than it was at this point in 2018, but all of notable 4 free agents have signed and 3 of them were signed by 1 team.

 

Maybe the early movement in the catcher market will force the Brewers to act early, but I wouldn't get too frustrated until the team reports to spring training.

[reillymcshane]

Travis d'Arnaud to Braves. 2-years/$16M.

[TURBO]

 

And last year they "needed" a C, SS, 2b, TOR arm. so the difference is basically 1b?

 

I agree that this team is less stable than it was at this point in 2018, but all of notable 4 free agents have signed and 3 of them were signed by 1 team.

 

Maybe the early movement in the catcher market will force the Brewers to act early, but I wouldn't get too frustrated until the team reports to spring training.

 

and for the 2nd straight year of a winning window, we did not go after a top starting pitcher.

 

we made the playoffs both years, I can only imagine what could have happened had we addressed that glaring need one or both years...

[clancyphile]

Travis d'Arnaud to Braves. 2-years/$16M.

 

The best option for the Brewers now:

BREWERS GET:

C Mejia

3B Potts

SP Lauer

 

PADRES GET:

LHRP Hader

3B Erceg

[mtrebs]

we made the playoffs both years, I can only imagine what could have happened had we addressed that glaring need one or both years...

 

This. This is why I was so upset with the pitching approach we took last year, getting rid of Miley and counting on three I proven starters.

[Jopal78]

Travis d'Arnaud to Braves. 2-years/$16M.

 

The best option for the Brewers now:

BREWERS GET:

C Mejia

3B Potts

SP Lauer

 

PADRES GET:

LHRP Hader

3B Erceg

 

The Brewers left Erceg unprotected for the Rule 5 draft. San Diego could theoretically acquire him for nothing

[wntrtxn21]

Travis d'Arnaud to Braves. 2-years/$16M.

 

The best option for the Brewers now:

BREWERS GET:

C Mejia

3B Potts

SP Lauer

 

PADRES GET:

LHRP Hader

3B Erceg

 

Lauer is a run-of-the-mill starter. More hits than IPs - 1.4 WHIP - higher era and fip even though he pitched in San Diego. He's a #5 type/long man in the pen guy at best. Potts stunk at AA (.227/.289) and isn't any better prospect than Erceg, who the Pads could get as a rule 5 guy for $100,000. So the trade is really Mejia for Hader. I think the Brewers could do better.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

So is Stearns going to do anything?? He who hesitates finishes last. Oh, that's right, he wants a bargain. SMH. Grandal is gone, now the best FA Catcher is also gone...So DS...your move.

 

It's Nov. 24. But I guess a zebra doesn't change it's stripes.

[Brewersfanatic2882]

Our best option at this point is to just get a lefty platoon. Pina can hit lefties so if you get someone like castro who can hit righties well they'll be fine there. Then they can use their savings to go after a ss, sign moose, and sign a big name starter. Pina is at least servicable and valuable and a couple different ways.....arcia is not

[Devinep]

Our best option at this point is to just get a lefty platoon. Pina can hit lefties so if you get someone like castro who can hit righties well they'll be fine there. Then they can use their savings to go after a ss, sign moose, and sign a big name starter. Pina is at least servicable and valuable and a couple different ways.....arcia is not

 

I’d be surprised if one of Castro, Avila, or Vogt isn’t signed to be that lefty complement to Pina

[Eye Black]

I’m going to miss Grandal. I’m not upset they didn’t sign him and I understand the financial commitment combined with number of years was likely out of their comfort zone, but I’m certainly disappointed he won’t be back. He was seemingly the clear cut best option at the catcher position in terms of likely production. It is really going to put the pressure on filling some of the other lineup holes with above average bats.

 

The difficulty with a platoon at the catching position is that you aren’t going to make in-game substitutions nearly as often as you would with other positions (unless maybe you’re carrying 3 catchers).

 

Jason Castro has been good against RHP, but is also an obvious target to face LHP matchups late in games. In the case of Castro his career line versus LHP is .195 BA / .260 OBP / .293 SLG. While the potential for high leverage moments increase later in the game it isn’t exactly ideal to have a guy with a career .553 OPS against LHP sitting in your lineup.

 

I still don’t hate the idea of signing Castro, but it certainly has some pitfalls.

[Devinep]

I’m going to miss Grandal. I’m not upset they didn’t sign him and I understand the financial commitment combined with number of years was likely out of their comfort zone, but I’m certainly disappointed he won’t be back. He was seemingly the clear cut best option at the catcher position in terms of likely production. It is really going to put the pressure on filling some of the other lineup holes with above average bats.

 

The difficulty with a platoon at the catching position is that you aren’t going to make in-game substitutions nearly as often as you would with other positions (unless maybe you’re carrying 3 catchers).

 

Jason Castro has been good against RHP, but is also an obvious target to face LHP matchups late in games. In the case of Castro his career line versus LHP is .195 BA / .260 OBP / .293 SLG. While the potential for high leverage moments increase later in the game it isn’t exactly ideal to have a guy with a career .553 OPS against LHP sitting in your lineup.

 

I still don’t hate the idea of signing Castro, but it certainly has some pitfalls.

 

Unless they carry 3 catchers with the 26 man roster so Pina can be a defensive sub. This might make sense especially if Vogt is the lefty catcher they sign. Plus he could be used as a pinch hitter/1B.

[clancyphile]

I’m going to miss Grandal. I’m not upset they didn’t sign him and I understand the financial commitment combined with number of years was likely out of their comfort zone, but I’m certainly disappointed he won’t be back. He was seemingly the clear cut best option at the catcher position in terms of likely production. It is really going to put the pressure on filling some of the other lineup holes with above average bats.

 

The difficulty with a platoon at the catching position is that you aren’t going to make in-game substitutions nearly as often as you would with other positions (unless maybe you’re carrying 3 catchers).

 

Jason Castro has been good against RHP, but is also an obvious target to face LHP matchups late in games. In the case of Castro his career line versus LHP is .195 BA / .260 OBP / .293 SLG. While the potential for high leverage moments increase later in the game it isn’t exactly ideal to have a guy with a career .553 OPS against LHP sitting in your lineup.

 

I still don’t hate the idea of signing Castro, but it certainly has some pitfalls.

 

If they get Castro, then they need some sort of player who can be a third catcher... preferably who can primarily play other positions.

 

Hernan Perez... welcome back to Milwaukee...

[umpref]

Jeff Passan reports Seattle might move Omar Narvaez. Thoughts? Go...

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Jeff Passan reports Seattle might move Omar Narvaez. Thoughts? Go...

 

Good bat, but a poor defender. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Brewers made a play for him. We’d probably see a lot of Pina subbing in late for defense, but at least Narvaez could help fill the offensive hole left by Grandal’s departure.

[Eye Black]

Jeff Passan reports Seattle might move Omar Narvaez. Thoughts? Go...

Not a surprise they are open to moving him, but interesting that Passan makes it sound like he may get moved fairly soon.

 

@JeffPassan: Amid the early and heavy movement in the catching market, one name in trades keeps coming up: Omar Narváez. The Seattle Mariners have shown a desire to move him, sources tell ESPN, and a deal could be completed soon. Narváez really can hit. His glove remains a major question

[JohnBriggs12]

Jeff Passan reports Seattle might move Omar Narvaez. Thoughts? Go...

 

Good bat, but a poor defender. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Brewers made a play for him. We’d probably see a lot of Pina subbing in late for defense, but at least Narvaez could help fill the offensive hole left by Grandal’s departure.

 

Narvaez brings a lot of the offensive attributes that Grandal did. I like the idea of going after him.

[ewitkows]

I'd like him more at 1B than at C. he's awful at catching

[Devinep]

If Seattle does the won’t-trade-within-division thing (3 AL West teams could use him) the Brewers would maybe be the most logical fit and there would be be a huge market. The Rays May be too cheap to want him through arbitration. Narvaez would make a good get to replace Grandal’s bar somewhat, and is the opposite of Pina so a perfect complement.

[MadThinker88]

Catchers that are good both offensively AND defensively are rare. On top of that, they cost a ton to hold onto or acquire in a deal. Worse, catchers get banged up so much that a season with 100 starts is considered good. Any other non-pitcher position & only 100 starts is looked upon with questions. So teams tend to make a choice - do they prefer a catcher that is offense first or one that is defense first.

 

I believe the Brewers would be smart to determine the market inefficiency - are more baseball teams leaning offense 1st or defense 1st and go after the other area. The Brewers should be able to get a better deal (due to limited market/ demand).

[umpref]

I read a Seattle poster a few weeks ago mentioned sending Omar and Seager to us and sea throwing in money for seager. Kyle has really fallen off and owed a lot for 3 more years. I see his line of thinking trying to match our needs positionaly, but I don’t think I’d want 3 yrs of him.

[long ball]

Based on the publicly available defensive catcher statistics I don't think Narvaez would be my preference as the primary catcher for the Brewers next season. The bat is certainly attractive though.

 

I'm just not sure with the Brewers' overall pitching strategy you can afford to have a poor pitch framer being the main catcher.