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Why dont we have a premier catcher?


LAA

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As the resident stat-looker-upper, I thought it would be interesting to see how many teams actually do have "premier" catchers. Of course it depends upon what one means by "premier." Let's start by looking at two criteria:

 

3+ fWAR Catchers in 2013

4.3 Yadier Molina

4.3 Joe Mauer

4.0 Buster Posey

3.6 Russell Martin

 

5+ fWAR Catchers in 2012-13

11.8 Buster Posey

10.5 Yadier Molina

9.0 Joe Mauer

6.5 Jonathan Lucroy

6.0 Matt Wieters

5.8 AJ Ellis

5.6 Russell Martin

5.6 Miguel Montero

5.4 Carlos Ruiz

5.2 Carlos Santana

 

I think its safe to say that Molina, Posey and Mauer are premier catchers and heads-and-shoulders above everyone else. Then you have a bunch of guys - including those listed above, but also Brian McCann, AJ Pierzynski, and Salvador Perez - that have some good years but aren't quite elite. The only one I'd say s good enough at both hitting and catching to be considered premier is Lucroy.

 

So there you have it: four true premier catchers in all of MLB. That's why the Angels don't have one.

 

As for the next group? Well, how many are in the second tier? Maybe 6-10? That still gives us between one-third and half of all major league teams who have an above average starting catcher. The rest - basically most teams - have an average or worse, or platoon situation like the Angels.

 

As for Bengie Molina, I wouldn't call him ever being a "premier" catcher. He was a solid player, but really pretty average. His career line of .274/.307/.411 looks pretty good now, but remember that he played from 1998-2010, a much  higher offensive context. Bengie only ever had a 2+ fWAR season three times.

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As the resident stat-looker-upper, I thought it would be interesting to see how many teams actually do have "premier" catchers. Of course it depends upon what one means by "premier." Let's start by looking at two criteria:

 

3+ fWAR Catchers in 2013

4.3 Yadier Molina

4.3 Joe Mauer

4.0 Buster Posey

3.6 Russell Martin

 

5+ fWAR Catchers in 2012-13

11.8 Buster Posey

10.5 Yadier Molina

9.0 Joe Mauer

6.5 Jonathan Lucroy

6.0 Matt Wieters

5.8 AJ Ellis

5.6 Russell Martin

5.6 Miguel Montero

5.4 Carlos Ruiz

5.2 Carlos Santana

 

I think its safe to say that Molina, Posey and Mauer are premier catchers and heads-and-shoulders above everyone else. Then you have a bunch of guys - including those listed above, but also Brian McCann, AJ Pierzynski, and Salvador Perez - that have some good years but aren't quite elite. The only one I'd say s good enough at both hitting and catching to be considered premier is Lucroy.

 

So there you have it: four true premier catchers in all of MLB. That's why the Angels don't have one.

 

As for the next group? Well, how many are in the second tier? Maybe 6-10? That still gives us between one-third and half of all major league teams who have an above average starting catcher. The rest - basically most teams - have an average or worse, or platoon situation like the Angels.

 

As for Bengie Molina, I wouldn't call him ever being a "premier" catcher. He was a solid player, but really pretty average. His career line of .274/.307/.411 looks pretty good now, but remember that he played from 1998-2010, a much  higher offensive context. Bengie only ever had a 2+ fWAR season three times.

Bengie's brother has always been a better defensive catcher, but the last couple years at the plate, Yadier's had seasons that Bengie could only dream about.

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Of all the mysteries this is the biggest for me. If I were MS I would demand to have a guy that I could develop and transcend all my years of baseball knowledge and experience.

 

If you want to trade Trout for Yadier Molina and maybe Matt Carpenter..be my guest!

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Bengie was definitely premier.  270+ BA clutch hitting and excellent behind the plate.

 

Letting Bengie sign with the Blue Jays for 2 years 3 million was a huge mistake.  It lead to Mathis and Jose Molina.  Aside from part time Napoli we haven't had a catcher that could hit since.

 

Pemier?  Because of batting average?

 

Bengie Molina had an OPS+ over 100 once in his entire Angels career.  He was 88 or below, 4 times...   for his career he was a 86 OPS+

 

Ianetta's two season's 98, and 106 would have better offensive season's than all but one of Bengie's.

 

But yeah, he hit .270, so he was premier,

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Bengie's brother has always been a better defensive catcher, but the last couple years at the plate, Yadier's had seasons that Bengie could only dream about.

 

Very true.   He was a weak spot in the lineup for his early years but it was fine because of his defense and his handling of the pitching staff.

 

He learned so much working on his approach at the plate with Albert Pujols and gradually became an elite hitter.

 

Bengie, btw,  is now an assistant batting coach with the Cards.   Brothers reunited.

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If I recall correctly, Posey wasn't drafted as a catcher at least.

 

He was a pitcher...I think?

 

He pitched in high school, but he signed with the Giants after being drafted out of Florida State as a catcher. He became a catcher full time at FSU. I have no idea whether he was drafted as a pitcher before that but did not sign.

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Of all the mysteries this is the biggest for me. If I were MS I would demand to have a guy that I could develop and transcend all my years of baseball knowledge and experience.

First of all, how many premier catchers are there in major league baseball?

 

Second, the Angels had a catcher that Scioscia felt could "transcend all of his years of baseball knowledge and experience."  His name was Mathis!

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