Miguel Montero

[JohnBriggs12]

Montero is a young catcher that I really like.

I don't see a match right now but he's one guy that should be on the Brewer radar.

[dadofandrew]

I like every .400/.500 AAA catcher you can find. I don't see many teams giving them up without overpaying, however.

[DHonks]

Miguel is also a very good clubhouse guy, and it solid defensively. I don't see AZ moving one of their two talented young catchers.

[Tbadder]

You know my attitude is this? If the market for young catchers is overvalued, and then you gotta pony up. I'll overpay for a young catcher every time if the need is there, and I think you can certainly make a case for the need being there.

 

My next strategy would be to focus on young catchers in the draft. If the market says they're that valuable then we need to do whatever we can to corner that market and stick it to the rest of the league. I remember a million years ago when the Pack was in need of cornerbacks. So they just drafted 4 of them in the first six rounds. I think the Crew should consider that approach. We've got seven picks in the first 100, lets burn four of them on catchers.

[DrWood]

my attitude is put a veteran as a band-aid in there until you can develop one from within unless you can get a young catcher at a reasonable cost.

using 4 of the first 7 picks on catchers only assures having your low minors stocked for the next couple of years, and the low minors are OK with catchers. No big reaches to fill a position with early draft picks (having a catcher jump a couple of players you rank higher might make sense, having a catcher jump 17 players you rank higher doesn't).

[Tbadder]

I certainly can see your point of view, but if Jack Z.'s track record is any indication, maybe we get 2 or 3 major league catchers by drafting 4 in the first 100. Put those guys in a trade with the prevailing overpaying-for-catchers-attitude, and a team can solve some problems pretty quickly. It gives a general manager the bullets he needs to hone his team.

[uwisfan]

The Crew used their second pick in each of the last 2 drafts on catchers. I can't see them taking any more than 2 in addition, especially if there aren't more than 2 worth taking so low.

[DrWood]

I'd like some substantiation of the "overpaying for catchers" idea. I can't think of too many of those actually happening. Just because the average catcher is dreadful, doesn't mean that they cost much more in a trade than they are worth. seems some folks on this board are willing to overpay, but not many GMs are. On the other hand, GMs don't just give one away if they already have a guy in place, so I can see where you are coming from, a little bit.

[sbrylski]

I disagree with the "pony it up" theory. You go after what the market undervalues, and get by elsewhere. At least as a small market team.

[hauser42]

Montero is part of the D-Backs future so I dont see them making a move to send him out of town unless the get over whelmed.

 

I personally like how Melvin has brought in a vet catcher to handle the chores while he has been here. While developing a catcher would be the most optimal path it is the harderst. Catchers have so many obstacles to over come and make the majors that I like having the guy that has already shown he can do it in the bigs.

[JohnBriggs12]

"I personally like how Melvin has brought in a vet catcher"

 

Boy I couldn't disagree more.

 

Look at the vets he's brought in:

2003: Eddie Perez, Keith Osik This pair actually was somewhat productive compared to the 2 he brought in the next year.

 

2004: Chad Moeller, Gary Barnett Please!

 

2005: Damian Miller, Chad Moeller This was the only year they really got their money's worth with Miller

 

2006: Miller and Moeller again, then Rivera. Rivera was actually the most productive in this year of the 3.

 

2007: Johnny Estrada and Miller. They couldn't get rid of Estrada fast enough and didn't want Miller back even for peanuts.

 

I'd rather have a younger unproven guy with some talent than most of this group. I'm not saying Montero is available now, but that team is going to need offensive help at some point and they have 2 fairly young catchers so beside pitching, it's their one area of strength.

[Tbadder]

Look, we've got an organizational weakness right now at catcher. It's a serious problem that affects the near term future of a team that could be playoff bound. Lets pay the price. I know it hurts. I know it costs.

 

But then lets learn from our mistakes and let Jack Z. turn the Brewers into Catcher-Central. Lets have other teams come begging us, and we can ask over thwe top prices. It can start now this year with the extra choices.

 

Of course there may not be any catchers to draft that high, well, we'll just have to step away from that strategy then, but it's essential that eventually we implement the strategy if market forces continue to overpay for catchers. All I'm suggesting is that we make market trends work for us instead of against us.

 

If every catcher we trade brings us, oh I don't know, and outfielder and a pitcher. Then every catcher we trade is in affect giving us multiple draft choices. It just seems obvious that a team would want to take advantage of that.

[DrWood]

c'mon, I'm still waiting for examples of how you can get big returns (above their apparent value) for young catchers. Shoppach was the 2nd most valuable trading chip when Boston got Crisp from Cleveland. Marte hasn't turned out well so far, but he was valuable at the time.

 

it doesn't make sense to pay much more than value for a catcher, regardless of whether the cost is a draft pick, players in a trade, or salary.

[hauser42]

With all the pitfalls a catcher faces in the minors I would not waste a top pick on one. Injuries, learning to hit, play behinde the plate, learning to call a good game. Way to many things to waste a top pick with so many things that will lead to failure. Jason Belcher was suppose to be the next Piazza and he fizzled.

 

JBrigss this team was in rebuilding mode so to bring in a veteran to catch the pitchers is a solid plan. No reason to waste money one a big hitting catcher when the team is not going to contend and has young arms that it wants to be impact to the team. I would rather have him keep bringing in vet catchers that can call a good game and a little something with the bat then some high priced stick that can not handle the staff.

[JohnBriggs12]

According to mlbtraderumors, the D-Backs are looking to fill their 2nd base spot and might be willing to offer Montero to get their guy.

 

Apparently they don't want to pay $4 million for a Loretta or Adam Kennedy. I doubt Weeks would get more than that in arby and he's certainly got the upside edge over those 2.

 

So maybe this would work: Weeks and Rivera to the D-Backs for Montero and a pitching prospect. I'd love it if they gave up Montero and Petit but I'm not sure if they'd go that far.

 

Montero and his lefthanded bat would serve a dual purpose. It would get Kendall's weak bat out of the lineup probably half the time, and it would replace it with a much needed lefthanded bat.