Omar Narvaez to Brewers for minor league right-hander Adam Hill and a Competitive Balance draft pick.

[JimH5]

Ken Rosenthal says the Mariners are sending Narvaez to the Brewers for minor league right-hander Adam Hill and a Competitive Balance draft pick (currently slotted as #71).

 

There's the other half of the catching duo.

[mtrebs]

I don’t know how he is defensively, but he consistently hit around .270 for over 1,000 at bats, so that’s promising.

 

Will be nice to have one of our many holes filled.

[JimH5]

Narvaez is the anti-Pina, which makes for a good platoon partner.

 

Lefty bat with good production. 119 and 120 OPS+ the past two seasons. Has a reputation as a bad pitch framer. Just 18 pct CS rate last year.

[TJseven7]

LHB Catchers seemed quite thin on the market. Offensively this is a big get.

[pacopete4]

Whoop whoop! He was one I pointed out right away and then someone told me how terrible he is defensively. I believe he was rated the worst starting catcher defensively. Guy can swing it though and he’s been very consistent offensively.

 

 

 

Omar Navarez would be an ideal platoon guy with Pina.

 

Navarez vs. RHP: .287/.358/.431/.790 (Career)

Pina vs. LHP: .271/.339/.399/.738 (Career)

 

Navarez could start about 100-110 games while Pina picks up the rest. Plop that production in the 7-hole and we'll be fine at the catcher position. I'm fully on board with trying to pry him away from the Mariners.

 

Huge problem! Navarez is one of, if not the worst defensive catchers (-30) in all baseball. Plus Stearns would have offer big prospects to get him. He is really a DH who catches.

 

[TJseven7]

Whoop whoop! He was one I pointed out right away and then someone told me how terrible he is defensively. I believe he was rated the worst starting catcher defensively. Guy can swing it though and he’s been very consistent offensively.

 

Rated worst starting catcher defensively. Welp. Ref has him at oWar 7.4 and dWar -.1 over his first 4 years. 2019 being the only negative in the bunch. It might be an adventure but it doesn't seem like it's enough to make him a negative.

 

Offensively that platoon is very solid in the 7 spot.

[Eye Black]

Narvaez is in his first year of arbitration eligibility, so the Brewers will have him under control through the next three seasons.

 

He appears to have had some real value so I assume the return is something of substance. Rosenthal reporting at least one minor leaguer.

[Lathund]

It's kind of surprising to me. I had very much gotten the impression that the Brewers FO valued defense very highly for catchers based on their previous moves. And that they would bring in a defensive specialist to pair with Manny. In the Baseball Prospectus catching metrics, Narvaez has ranked at or near the very bottom for the last three years. Imagine Willson Contreras level framing, except unlike Contreras he's also a poor blocker. And thrower.

 

Now that's not really an overall indictment of his skill level; over the last couple of years the bat has been has been Grandalesque (119 and 122 wRC+ for Narvaez vs 121 and 125), so even with poor defense he's still a good player. So depending on what we give up, it can still be a good move. Just surprising to me.

[LincolnDD]

Of course can't fully judge until we know the full cost, but I like this.

[Devinep]

Narvaez is the anti-Pina, which makes for a good platoon partner.

 

Lefty bat with good production. 119 and 120 OPS+ the past two seasons. Has a reputation as a bad pitch framer. Just 18 pct CS rate last year.

 

That’s why the 26th man should be a catcher IMO. Someone like Fransisco Cervelli who can be a pinch hitter. That way Narvaez can okay some 1B/PH and Pina can sub defensively for Narvaez. Depending on the regular 1B, Cervelli could start there vs LHB sometimes

[TJseven7]

Narvaez is in his first year of arbitration eligibility, so the Brewers will have him under control through the next three seasons.

 

He appears to have had some real value so the return will likely be something of substance.

 

Yeah, as I hold my breath. They needed to do something. C and 3B were shaping up to be issues without much of an answer. C can be taken off the list. 3B is still very murky.

 

I wasn't overly excited about 6/2 on Castro or Avila for 6/1.

[Lathund]

Whoop whoop! He was one I pointed out right away and then someone told me how terrible he is defensively. I believe he was rated the worst starting catcher defensively. Guy can swing it though and he’s been very consistent offensively.

 

Rated worst starting catcher defensively. Welp. Ref has him at oWar 7.4 and dWar -.1 over his first 4 years. 2019 being the only negative in the bunch. It might be an adventure but it doesn't seem like it's enough to make him a negative.

 

Offensively that platoon is very solid in the 7 spot.

 

When evaluating catchers, Baseball Reference uses the most basic metrics of the three WAR providers, not including framing at all. Fangraphs or Baseball Prospectus is a much better way to go. They both still have him down as an above-average catcher overall on a rate basis due to his offense, but defensively he really is that bad.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

Figured he’d be the target. Hopefully his defensive issues are overstated. Love the bat. If you were going to replace Grandal’s offense, this is the guy that can do it. Nice get!

[TJseven7]

Framing is the most overrated non-issue in sports.

 

I wonder if the team is devaluing the CS rate because teams aren't running like they used to.

[MKEguy]

The Mariners perceived biggest needs are starting pitching and bullpen help. That doesn’t match up, because we need that as well!

 

Definitely looking forward to see what we gave up.

[Lathund]

Framing is the most overrated non-issue in sports.

 

I've never seen anyone making that claim back that up with anything. I'm hoping you'll be the first.

[Eye Black]

2018 offensive stats comparison...

 

Grandal: .246 BA / .380 OBP / .468 SLG / .848 OPS / 119 OPS+ / 121 wRC+

 

Narvaez: .278 BA / .353 OBP / .460 SLG / .813 OPS / 120 OPS+ / 119 wRC+

[pacopete4]

Navarez- 27 years old

Career vs. RHP: .287/.358/.431/.790

 

Grandal- 30 years old

Career vs. RHP: .242/.344/.456/.800

[TJseven7]

Framing is the most overrated non-issue in sports.

 

I've never seen anyone making that claim back that up with anything. I'm hoping you'll be the first.

 

Back up that it has an impact. I've watched umps blow calls that were framed perfectly. I've watched them make calls properly when the pitcher was 3/4s of a plate off his spot and the catcher swiped at it. I do not buy that these umps are that easily swayed, or at the very least swayed to a point that has a statistical impact.

 

It's an old school fairy tale. It has as much to do with the umps bias towards a pitcher/batter as the catchers "skill."

 

Besides, bring the machines.

 

Additionally, wasn't there a metric defensively that Grandal was miserable at? I thought I remembered something when he was signed. I know there was a stretch where he struggled with the decision to back hand a low pitch or block it.

[JohnBriggs12]

Great get. Finally some good news! Narvaez is as close to Grandal offensively as there is. Badly needed a LH bat after the departures of 3 of them. Count me in the pitch framing skeptic group.

[Eye Black]

The Mariners acquired Narvaez one year ago for Alex Colome who ended up being stellar in the White Sox’s bullpen this year. Curious to see what the one year return on investment is for Seattle here.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

I loved Grandal, but it sure seemed like he didn't pass the "eye test" defensively, even though the metrics love him.

 

Between Urias and Narvaez, we see potential offensive equality or upgrades, with defensive downgrades. Overemphasis on poor defense is the new market inefficiency! Get ready for someone like JD Davis or Castellanos starting at 3B next year. (half blue)

[PeaveyFury]

Well, there was a lot of discussion about how they'd replace Grandall's bat last night, and here you go. This is about as good an offensive acquisition as you can get.

 

I wonder if they're hopeful that Pina can teach him/help him improve with framing and the like?

 

Obviously, the 'cost' will be interesting, but financially this is a much better use of resources over the next three years.....

[TJseven7]

I was hoping this year was a year of patience setting up a big 2021 and 2022. Urias and Narvaez sure fit that narrative. Urias more than Narvaez because the latter should be now.

 

"Overemphasis on poor defense is the new market inefficiency!"

 

Analytics crowd: Ok, so we are going to tell them stealing is foolish and that it's all about the launch angle. As soon as they buy into it, we'll load up on hitters in the infield who can't field because the ball won't go there anyway. Hook line and sinker! Genius!

[PeaveyFury]

Interestingly, Narvaez graded out much better when he was with the White Sox, so that's very unusual.