Three catchers to build around.

Written by Joe Veno on August 3, 2009 – 8:36 PM -

Building around a player does not simply mean the best three catchers in the game of baseball.  Some will forget to read the title and argue with this like it is illogical because they are not ranked by performance.  But anyway, it isn’t like there are many readers here anyway  :)

But the catching position is a delicate place to reside on the defensive side of the ball.  Players who play the position wear down more quickly, and they tire during a season faster than at other positions.  It is natural, for it’s the most demanding position on the field.  No other position has to block the plate on a consistent basis, not to mention squat down for well over a hundred pitches a game.

Anyway, the position is tough.  You get that yet?  :)

The three catchers that I would build around, in order:

Joe Mauer:  .355/.426/.592: Is there anyone else?  Look at the picture on the front of my blog, notice who the guy swinging the bat happens to be.  Yes, it is none other than Joe Mauer.  I have said most of what I am going to say in the past, but Mauer is the player that I think best embodies what the game of baseball should be.  Well, I shouldn’t say “the best” necessarily.  But one of the best would be more accurate, and more fair I would imagine.  But Mauer displays incredible patience/pitch selection/pitch recognition to go along with actually putting the ball where they ain’t, more often than anyone else does.  He reaches base a boatload of times per plate appearance.  He can square up a baseball and drive it out of the park with his new found power stroke.  And his defensive prowess is unparalleled among the great hitting catchers in the game.  For example: the Red Sox just acquired another great hitting catcher in Victor Martinez.  But all indications point to him being a sub-par defender, based on both reputation and controlling the running game.  If Martinez is catching only a few times a week, then it will be fine.  Giving the aging Tek rest kind of offsets the inability to do what is required back there.  But it just shows how difficult it is to be the complete package–as Mauer is–and even more so from this position.  Joe Mauer is the best player in the AL, and may be the best player in baseball in just a few seasons.  Unfortunately, because of the fragile nature of the catching position, his peak will last fewer seasons than at other positions.  Which may be a reason he eventually moves off the position, to savor his bat for a few additional years.  Mauer’s contract is very reasonable right now, but if I wasn’t playing with some extra income, then I may shy away from Mauer and head toward a more club friendly contract.  Only one more season before Joe Mauer reaches free agency…

Brian McCann:  .298/.370/.515: McCann holds the title of “Best catcher in the National League.”  And it probably isn’t all that close.  Brian Mc-CAN hit the crap out of the ball.  And yes, I am sure that the previous joke has annoyed Braves fans since his arrival.  But that is okay because Jorge CANtu jokes probably piss Marlins fans off as well.  Anyway, McCann’s real strength comes from swinging the stick.  To be able to hit the ball like that is a luxury, and to do it from the catcher position is even more so–much more so actually.  McCann currently has a 3.2 ‘WAR’ which is on pace to come very close to the awesome 5.8 WAR he posted last season.  To be honest, I have a hard time not choosing this guy first, as he is under club control for four more seasons.  Mauer could be extended, but McCann already is.  Making it very hard to choose Mauer.  Joe’s the best catcher, but Brian’s actually pretty darn intriguing…

Matt Wieters:  .275/.319/.386: Letting this kind of talent, at such an inexpensive cost, under control for so many years, would be collectively foolish.  By “collectively,” I mean that anyone helping you make that decision would be aiding in the process.  Wieters still has much to prove.  Much.  But he plays on both sides of the ball (or so I’ve heard).  And he can do a little, no a lot, of everything.  Anyone with that kind of talent needs to be recognized in an exercise such as the one we are currently exploring.  A switch-hitting catcher with Minor League numbers like he has put up, and with scouts drooling all over him.  Well, it doesn’t get much better than that.  it wouldn’t surprise me in three years if this guy is helping his team win more games than anyone else in baseball is helping their respective team win games.

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Posted in Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins, Rankings | 6 Comments »

6 Comments to “Three catchers to build around.”

  1. PWHjort Says:
    August 3rd, 2009 at 9:48 PM

    Well my first three would be Brian McCann, Brian McCann, and Brian McCann. Then Joe Mauer. Then Matt Wieters. I’m just joking but I have a serious point.

    There are five logical catchers (maybe 6, I’m not sold on Saltalamacchia) in MLB right now to build a team around (and a few more in MiLB, specifically Max Ramirez, Tyler Flowers, and Buster Posey). The two you left off are numbers 4 and 5, they’re obviously not as good as the three you named, but I wouldn’t mind building my team around Ryan Doumit or Mike Napoli. I’d prefer McCann, Wieters, or Mauer; but Doumit and Napoli are pretty dang good ones too.

  2. PWHjort Says:
    August 3rd, 2009 at 9:54 PM

    Also, one time we were playing the Marlins and Jorge Cantu struck out and our goofball announcer (Jon “Boog” Sciambi. Hilarious, by the way) says, “Jorge Can-NOT”. I thought it was pretty funny.

  3. Joe Veno Says:
    August 3rd, 2009 at 9:56 PM

    I say that when he comes up to bat. :)

  4. Mike F Says:
    August 4th, 2009 at 9:18 AM

    I like doumit a lot as well. head a load of great things about buster posey who has just about the best name for a baseball player since the 40’s hey has anybody else heard about beemer weems? another great name, but not a catcher..

    hey joe–this team you’re building…is it a poor team in a small market? you seem obsessed with building the team around a player that you aren’t paying very much. — just a thought…

  5. Joe Veno Says:
    August 4th, 2009 at 10:33 AM

    I would just like to save money in as many areas as possible if I were building a team.

  6. Dirty Water Says:
    August 4th, 2009 at 11:48 AM

    Four no hittahs!!

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