Author Topic: Back-up catcher (Read 4214 times)

bubba · « **on:** March 17, 2016, 03:00:59 pm »

Any thoughts on who will be the back-up catcher when the season opens? Heinneman looked good today. Gonzalez was so-so yesterday. I don't see a need to trade for a new catcher when you have some depth in this area in the minors, especially when it is just a temporary situation.

juliogotay · « **Reply #1 on:** March 17, 2016, 03:15:19 pm »

Quote from: bubba on March 17, 2016, 03:00:59 pm

Any thoughts on who will be the back-up catcher when the season opens? Heinneman looked good today. Gonzalez was so-so yesterday. I don't see a need to trade for a new catcher when you have some depth in this area in the minors, especially when it is just a temporary situation.

They will at least consider outside options.

pots · « **Reply #2 on:** March 17, 2016, 03:34:12 pm »

Quote from: juliogotay on March 17, 2016, 03:15:19 pm

They will at least consider outside options.

No doubt since mid-May is likely Stassi's best case return and he's not exactly a lock to be mlb caliber

Duman · « **Reply #3 on:** March 17, 2016, 03:43:11 pm »

Carlos Corporan is in Yankees camp. He isn't likely to make the team. He will likely have to clear waivers. I expect the Astros to claim someone like him off waivers before spring training is over.

VirtualBob · « **Reply #4 on:** March 17, 2016, 03:45:18 pm »

Quote from: Duman on March 17, 2016, 03:43:11 pm

Carlos Corporan is in Yankees camp. He isn't likely to make the team. He will likely have to clear waivers. I expect the Astros to claim someone like him off waivers before spring training is over.

Exactly. Depth we have in the minors would be out of its depth in MLB ... at least for now.

moriartp · « **Reply #5 on:** March 17, 2016, 04:08:15 pm »

Corp! I'd love that. I don't really have a reason to, but I'd love it anyway.

Jacksonian · « **Reply #6 on:** March 17, 2016, 04:23:29 pm »

Quote from: bubba on March 17, 2016, 03:00:59 pm

Any thoughts on who will be the back-up catcher when the season opens? Heinneman looked good today. Gonzalez was so-so yesterday. I don't see a need to trade for a new catcher when you have some depth in this area in the minors, especially when it is just a temporary situation.

It won't be Gonzalez. He got optioned down today.

Nate Colbert · « **Reply #7 on:** March 17, 2016, 04:45:55 pm »

Quote from: Jacksonian on March 17, 2016, 04:23:29 pm

It won't be Gonzalez. He got optioned down today.

"He's got some areas behind the plate I'd like him to work on -- some of his receiving, his game calling, his game management," Hinch said.

Link

astrosfan76 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 18, 2016, 01:21:39 pm »

Quote

Baseball America Retweeted
Jose de Jesus Ortiz ‏@OrtizKicks 32m32 minutes ago

A baseball official tells me the Blue Jays started Jimenez today to showcase him to the #Astros & a few other scouts here to watch him.

Reuben · « **Reply #9 on:** March 18, 2016, 07:00:11 pm »

Who is this Jimenez?

Nate Colbert · « **Reply #10 on:** March 18, 2016, 08:22:45 pm »

Quote from: Reuben on March 18, 2016, 07:00:11 pm

Who is this Jimenez?

Aj Jimenez is a 25-year old former 9th round pick (2008) who has yet to play a day in the big leagues. He's out of options so would come extremely cheap. Career .272/.314/.381 hitter in 8 minor league seasons, including .247/.292/.339 in 89 games at AAA. Missed quite a bit of time over the years with injuries, including TJS.

Don't know his defensive rep* (though he does have a career CS rate of 40%) but at first glance he doesn't seem to be a tremendous upgrade over the internal options.

*Further checking indicates Baseball America named him best defensive catcher in Toronto's system for at least three years in a row (after the 2011, 2012 and 2013 seasons).

Reuben · « **Reply #11 on:** March 19, 2016, 12:08:58 pm »

Thanks!

Nate Colbert · « **Reply #12 on:** March 19, 2016, 03:49:25 pm »

Another out of options catcher that there's been some speculation about is the Tigers' Bryan Holaday. Could be coincidental but Detroit started him in both games against the Astros this past week. The Dallas native and TCU-ex went 4-6 with a couple of XBHs in those games and FWIW is hitting .500/.520/1.208 in 12 games this spring. The Tigers of course already have Brian McCann and Jarrod Saltalamacchia and are shopping Holaday who apparently has a great clubhouse reputation.

Holaday's minor league numbers are pretty mediocre: .241/.309/.343 over 5 seasons. In 108 major league games, the righty hitter has batted .251/.283/.340. More importantly, BA at least has liked the 28 year-old's defense over the years.

Nate Colbert · « **Reply #13 on:** March 20, 2016, 03:31:08 pm »

McTaggart checklists some further names as possible external options (as well as a further discussion with Hinch as to the possibility of Gattis at some point as the sole backup).

pots · « **Reply #14 on:** March 20, 2016, 05:04:53 pm »

I'm confused. Wasn't Gattis going behind the plate dismissed by Luhnow before he had the hernia? Now all of a sudden it sounds like this is their plan.

Nate Colbert · « **Reply #15 on:** March 20, 2016, 05:46:16 pm »

Quote from: pots on March 20, 2016, 05:04:53 pm

I'm confused. Wasn't Gattis going behind the plate dismissed by Luhnow before he had the hernia? Now all of a sudden it sounds like this is their plan.

Or they want some folks to *think* this is the plan.

Mr. Happy · « **Reply #16 on:** March 20, 2016, 06:08:17 pm »

Quote from: Nate Colbert on March 20, 2016, 05:46:16 pm

Or they want some folks to *think* this is the plan.

I love a good conspiracy theory, but I doubt seriously that this is the case.

Nate Colbert · « **Reply #17 on:** March 20, 2016, 06:12:52 pm »

Quote from: Mr. Happy on March 20, 2016, 06:08:17 pm

I love a good conspiracy theory, but I doubt seriously that this is the case.

A guy coming back from hernia surgery and who hasn't been behind the plate since 2014 and you're gonna make him the starting catcher 1-2 games a week? Maybe during the back half of the season but it's hard for me to see that happening anytime sooner.

Ebby Calvin · « **Reply #18 on:** March 20, 2016, 08:51:09 pm »

Quote from: Nate Colbert on March 19, 2016, 03:49:25 pm

The Tigers of course already have Brian McCann and Jarrod Saltalamacchia and are shopping Holaday who apparently has a great clubhouse reputation.

I didn't click the link, but I assume this means he can do the robot.

Reuben · « **Reply #19 on:** March 20, 2016, 10:55:27 pm »

Quote from: Ebby Calvin on March 20, 2016, 08:51:09 pm

I didn't click the link, but I assume this means he can do the robot.

Well done.

Mr. Happy · « **Reply #20 on:** March 21, 2016, 10:27:10 am »

Quote from: Nate Colbert on March 20, 2016, 06:12:52 pm

A guy coming back from hernia surgery and who hasn't been behind the plate since 2014 and you're gonna make him the starting catcher 1-2 games a week? Maybe during the back half of the season but it's hard for me to see that happening anytime sooner.

I agree that it's far-fetched, but I doubt that's the plan anyway.

Fredia · « **Reply #21 on:** March 21, 2016, 11:02:39 am »

wait there is a plan?

Nate Colbert · « **Reply #22 on:** March 25, 2016, 05:01:17 pm »

Evan Drellich ‏@EvanDrellich 27 minutes ago
Told today that it’s probable the Astros go outside of the organization for a back-up catcher. 60-40 if you like assigning numbers to things.

Nate Colbert · « **Reply #23 on:** March 28, 2016, 04:23:37 pm »

Quote from: astrosfan76 on March 18, 2016, 01:21:39 pm

Jose de Jesus Ortiz ‏@OrtizKicks 32 minutes ago

A baseball official tells me the Blue Jays started A.J. Jimenez today to showcase him to the #Astros & a few other scouts here to watch him.

Jimenez was DFA'd by the Blue Jays today.