Iannetta kinda sucks

[nate]

He has not had a good season behind the plate or at the plate.

[fan_since79]

A .366 OBP is the only thing keeping him in the lineup.

 

The guy is a BB machine.

[wopphil]

Do you guys remember who used to be our catcher? Do you remember what his OBP was?

[fan_since79]

Mathis.

 

.225 in 2011.

[nate]

Nailed it

[AngelsAndRamsFan]

Like clockwork. 

 

All six of his HR's are on the road. 

[tdawg87]

He's actually been exactly what I expected. Low average, high OBP with decent pop and below average D.

 

Compared to Mathis he is Buster Posey.

[Angelsjunky]

5 game win streak and there's always something to bitch about. Love this site.

[tdawg87]

5 game win streak and there's always something to bitch about. Love this site.

 

To be fair this thread was made when they were winning, and only had a 4 game winning streak.

[fan_since79]

5 game win streak and there's always something to bitch about. Love this site.

St. Louis and Boston next week in Anaheim.

 

2nd and 3rd best records in baseball. That will be a true test of this team.

[nate]

5 game win streak and there's always something to bitch about. Love this site.

 

My scathing criticism is too much for you to take?  This thread is in line with tons we posted earlier in the season...

 

Guess my Hamilton and Conger posts were bitching too, right?

[Vegas Halo Fan]

2nd and 3rd best records in baseball. That will be a true test of this team.

 

The team with the best record in baseball was in last week and they swept us.

[Ohtaniland]

Iannetta kinda sucks because he's really not a frontline starting catcher. He's not a workhorse, he's a good every 4th or 5th day back-up catcher. He's never been a good hitter. His slightly elevated numbers in Colorado were .262 / 37hr's / 150rbi's were all because of Coors field. He's hitting .217 in Anaheim. He's 30 years old and he has never been an All Star or a GG winner.  He was replaced by a 21 year old kid in Colorado and now Hank Conger looks like he's ready to take his job. We missed out on signing Russell Martin who was available prior to extending Iannetta who I think would have been a great catching mentor for Conger. I'm happy to see Conger get his opportunity.  

 

[Vegas Halo Fan]

Do you guys remember who used to be our catcher? Do you remember what his OBP was?

 

I don't understand why people keep griping about Iannetta when he was preceded by a guy who hit under .200 and was a mediocre defender. The only way you can justify keeping someone like that on your roster is if (1) he's a backup who plays about once a week so your starter can rest for a day, or (2) he is such a shutdown defender that his defensive skills keep him on the roster. Jeff Mathis was neither of these, and he was only around (let alone starting) because our manager was inexplicably in love with him. He would have been released from pretty much any other team in the majors, and he was starting for us.

[tdawg87]

Iannetta kinda sucks because he's really not a frontline starting catcher. He's not a workhorse, he's a good every 4th or 5th day back-up catcher. He's never been a good hitter. His slightly elevated numbers in Colorado were .262 / 37hr's / 150rbi's were all because of Coors field. He's hitting .217 in Anaheim. He's 30 years old and he has never been an All Star or a GG winner.  He was replaced by a 21 year old kid in Colorado and now Hank Conger looks like he's ready to take his job. We missed out on signing Russell Martin who was available prior to extending Iannetta who I think would have been a great catching mentor for Conger. I'm happy to see Conger get his opportunity.  

 

He's 5th in the majors among catchers for OBP. He also has a .721 OPS which is respectable from the catcher's position.

 

No, he's not an all-star and he probably never will be, but he's the best catcher the Angels have had since Bengie Molina. Lets not get greedy here. We had Jeff Mathis behind the plate for much longer than we should have. Iannetta is leagues better than Mathis at the plate.

[Ohtaniland]

He's 5th in the majors among catchers for OBP. He also has a .721 OPS which is respectable from the catcher's position.

 

No, he's not an all-star and he probably never will be, but he's the best catcher the Angels have had since Bengie Molina. Lets not get greedy here. We had Jeff Mathis behind the plate for much longer than we should have. Iannetta is leagues better than Mathis at the plate.

 

So Iannetta was brought in for his hitting skills? Ok got it.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

So Iannetta was brought in for his hitting skills? Ok got it.

 

That's not what he said. Compared to Mathis, pretty much anyone in the majors is a good hitter. If I were managing the Marlins against an AL opponent, I would let my pitcher bat and let the DH hit for Mathis.

[tdawg87]

....what?

 

He was brought in because he was an upgrade over Mathis. Which he is.

[Ohtaniland]

Why does Mathis set the "we have to get a better catcher than him" criteria? We settled for Iannetta because Mathis was so bad. Pretty much any available catcher was better than Mathis. Russell Martin is a much better catcher than Iannetta but Dipoto didn't want to be wrong.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

For those who pine for Mathis due to his CERA, squat, "framing pitches" or whatever other meaningless fetish, his current line: .109 batting average, six hits in 55 at bats (five of them for extra bases, in one of the odder quirks), .167 OBP, .255 slugging average, .421 OPS. He has now dragged his career batting average below .200 (currently .194). He has struck out 15 times in those 55 ABs.

[2002_halos_II]

How many "elite" catchers are currently playing?

[HaloMagic]

Why does Mathis set the "we have to get a better catcher than him" criteria? We settled for Iannetta because Mathis was so bad. Pretty much any available catcher was better than Mathis. Russell Martin is a much better catcher than Iannetta but Dipoto didn't want to be wrong.

This. A lot of what Hamilton say is over the top but this is something I completely agree with. If you like Iannetta for what he brings then just say that. Don't like him for being better than Mathis. Everyone is better than Mathis. That was the whole point of replacing him.

[tdawg87]

Iannetta was a cheap, solid option at a position in which the Angels had a huge weakness. Was he the best choice? No, but he has only "sucked" if you compare him to the elite catchers in the game. He has put up a .720+ OPS and a 2.2 WAR at the position since coming here. Considering his contract and what it took to get him I'd say that's pretty damn good.

[tdawg87]

This. A lot of what Hamilton say is over the top but this is something I completely agree with. If you like Iannetta for what he brings then just say that. Don't like him for being better than Mathis. Everyone is better than Mathis. That was the whole point of replacing him.

 

We were all begging for a better catcher, and we got one. Now we are complaining that we don't have an AS caliber catcher. This team has NEVER had an AS catcher.

 

Iannetta is not great by any means. But he is not bad either. He has been nothing but solid at a normally weak position.

[Ohtaniland]

Iannetta is losing his starting job.........again.