Rod Barajas?

[DrWood]

I think he is still without a contract. He would fit in nicely to the backup catcher competition, I think. A few years ago, some folks wanted to acquire him to start for the brewers.

[jordanmuehl]

I wouldn't mind it, but we have a glut of serviceable backup catchers, so I don't think it's likely.

[DrWood]

you have a lower threshold for defining "serviceable backup catchers" than I do; certainly we don't have anyone I'd be confident of starting if Kendall was injured for a month.

[jordanmuehl]

Not to be nitpicky, but Barajas has a career average of .239 and a career OBP of .288 -- eerily similar to Mike Rivera's career numbers.

[Gopher74]

Not to be nitpicky, but Barajas has a career average of .239 and a career OBP of .288 -- eerily similar to Mike Rivera's career numbers.

Yes, but Barajas has more power and is a better defensive player than Rivera is.

 

[hauser42]

Not to be nitpicky, but Barajas has a career average of .239 and a career OBP of .288 -- eerily similar to Mike Rivera's career numbers.

Yes, but Barajas has more power and is a better defensive player than Rivera is.

 

 

Would not give Barajas the upper hand when it comes to Rivera. Rivera has a strong arm and calls a good game.

[SaintlySteven]

Rod Barajas - C - Blue Jays

Blue Jays signed catcher Rod Barajas, who had been with the Phillies, to a one-year, $1.2 million contract with a club option for 2009.

This is unexpected. Barajas agreed to a two-year, $5.25 million deal with the Jays last winter, only to switch agents and back out of the agreement. That led Toronto to re-sign Gregg Zaun, who probably would have ended up elsewhere otherwise. Barajas will back up Zaun now, though he figures to get more playing time than Sal Fasano would have. It also means Curtis Thigpen is less likely to see significant at-bats with the team this summer. Jan. 24 - 8:32 p.m. ET

[Gopher74]

Would not give Barajas the upper hand when it comes to Rivera. Rivera has a strong arm and calls a good game.

And Barajas has a stronger arm. And I'm not sure that you or I am really qualified to speak to what type of game he calls. That's the type of thing you argue because it can't really be verified. It's really something you can't quantify.

 

[Big Reed]

so is estrada really that bad that Toronto signs barajas instead of him? Admitedly, they got barajas rather cheap for a veteran catcher. but it has to hurt estrada's ego to see all these other catchers getting offrs while he was being traded and then waived without ever playing a game.

[hauser42]

Would not give Barajas the upper hand when it comes to Rivera. Rivera has a strong arm and calls a good game.

 

And Barajas has a stronger arm. And I'm not sure that you or I am really qualified to speak to what type of game he calls. That's the type of

thing you argue because it can't really be verified. It's really something you can't quantify.

 

 

 

Riviera has always been considered to be a good game caller. Baseball people have been saying it since he was coming up with the Tigers.

[Fatter than Joey]

Riviera has always been considered to be a good game caller. Baseball people have been saying it since he was coming up with the Tigers.

 

Writers say this about every catcher. The fact that they would say "he calls a good game" before he made it to the majors, shows exactly what that is worth.

 

Certainly I think experienced catchers learn things as they play for awhile in MLB.

 

But "calls a good game" is probably the most thrown around compliment, although "Eats a lot of innings" is getting close to it.

[JohnBriggs12]

I don't understand the negativity toward Rivera.

 

He doesn't just "call a good game", he's a good receiver. He blocks balls well, he's active behind the plate and he's athletic.

 

He's had 155 AB's with the Brewers, and has hit .265/.327/.477, with 8 HR and 27 RBI. That is pretty good production in my book for a backup catcher. People knock his throwing arm. He's thrown out 27 runners in 104 attempts in his career which is pretty close to average. They also point to his low batting average at AAA last year. They ignore his 19 HR and 61 RBI in just 349 ABs.

 

They also ignore the fact that he's had some really good minor league offensive years like 05 and 06 when he posted OPS's of .895 and .827 respectively. He's been kind of an up and down hitter throughout his career, but he's certainly head and shoulders over some guys that have had that role with the Brewers. Look he's not a bad option for a backup catcher. He won't hit .300, but he's got more pop in his bat than Miller had and he won't embarrass himself behind the dish.

 

Want a guy to compare him to in Brewer history? How about ol Buckethead himself, Bill Schroeder. Schroeder had that one really off the charts year where he hit .332, but he was basically about a .230 hitter with some pop and serviceable behind the plate.

[Gopher74]

I don't understand the negativity toward Rivera.

 

I don't think anyone's being overly negative, I think they're just being realistic.

 

He's had 155 AB's with the Brewers, and has hit .265/.327/.477, with 8 HR and 27 RBI.

 

155 AB's. Not really enough to say that he's a solid player by any stretch of the imagination. He also put up a .215/.285 line last year in AAA, and I'm not sure where the .327 OBP comes from since the last two years his OBP has been .286 and .325, so he's definitely not at .327.

 

Want a guy to compare him to in Brewer history? How about ol Buckethead himself, Bill Schroeder. Schroeder had that one really off the charts year where he hit .332, but he was basically about a .230 hitter with some pop and serviceable behind the plate.

 

No, I don't want to compare the two. I don't see what that has to do with anything to be honest with you. Yes, we've had other pretty bad catchers. That doesn't make Rivera any better. It just means he's not the worst we've ever had.

 

I also don't know what leads you to say that he's got more pop in his bat than Miller. I do not believe he does. Just beacuse he doesn't do anything OTHER than hit HR's doesn't mean that he's got great power.

[hauser42]

Riviera has always been considered to be a good game caller. Baseball people have been saying it since he was coming up with the Tigers.

 

Writers say this about every catcher. The fact that they would say "he calls a good game" before he made it to the majors, shows exactly what that is worth.

 

Certainly I think experienced catchers learn things as they play for awhile in MLB.

 

But "calls a good game" is probably the most thrown around compliment, although "Eats a lot of innings" is getting close to it.

 

It is not used with young catchers that much. You do hear it with older catchers that can not hit. It was used with Riviera early on in his career. I'm sure he is a better catcher all around than Rottino you for some reason still has love on this site and a base that feel he needs to make the roster this year. Keep his frying pan hads and wiffle ball bat at AAA where it belongs.

 

Backup catcher needs to be a guy that can bring some pop to the game and be solid behind the plate IMO.

[Gopher74]

It is not used with young catchers that much. You do hear it with older catchers that can not hit. It was used with Riviera early on in his career. I'm sure he is a better catcher all around than Rottino you for some reason still has love on this site and a base that feel he needs to make the roster this year. Keep his frying pan hads and wiffle ball bat at AAA where it belongs.

 

Backup catcher needs to be a guy that can bring some pop to the game and be solid behind the plate IMO.

It's pretty much used when someone doesn't have any other redeeming qualities. The fact is, it's a poor argument that essentially gets thrown out there because it really can't be refuted for the most part unless there is overwhelming evidence to the contrary as there was with Johnny Estrada. But really, how can you tell if Rivera calls a good game while sitting at home? What, if a ball gets hit, then he made a bad call, and if it doesn't, then he made a good call? That's mainly on the pitcher, and it comes into play before games when the Pitchers and Catchers talk about the opposing lineup. Don't get me wrong, it's important, it's just rather annoying how people throw that out there like it's a given. How can almost EVERYONE be such a good "game caller" so to speak?

 

As for the bolded sentence, what?

First of all, I don't believe people are talking about Rottino as our backup catcher. They're talking about his overall value to our team for the simple fact that he can play catcher, despite only having spent a few short seasons behind the dish, and because he can play literally every other position on the field, not all that well, but he can play any of them.

 

And let me say, I find it absolutely laughable that you would suggest that Rottino doesn't have a good enough stick, but that Mike Rivera does. Please, AGAIN, Rivera hit .215 last year in AAA with a .285 OBP while Rottino hit .314 with a .379 OBP, and a .289 BA and a .365 OBP the last two seasons. How in the hell does he not have a better stick than Mike Rivera? Rivera's bad for a backup catcher. That's almost a pitcher type hitter.

 

I guess I just don't understand the love for Rivera. Yea, you can win with him as your backup, but only if Kendall plays about 140 games a year.

 

And again, I still don't know why you think Rivera is a better defensive catcher. Barajas is a very good defensive catcher.

[Brian the Automator]

And let me say, I find it absolutely laughable

What I don't find laughable is that a user with 2 strikes continues to dole out condescension. Consider this a final warning.

 

[Gopher74]

And let me say, I find it absolutely laughable

What I don't find laughable is that a user with 2 strikes continues to dole out condescension. Consider this a final warning.

 

Point taken, and that is certainly more condescending when you take it out of context than I'd intended. I was simply trying to articulate that when you ridicule Rottino by making mention of his "whiffle ball bat" while trying to promote Mike Rivera's ability, it comes off as a bit questionable.