Catcher battle

[djoctagone]

point made on brewers.com that i didn't even consider until i read it: when you trade your starting catcher (martin maldonado) for another catcher, you likely don't intend for that acquisition to be playing in the minors, or even playing as a backup with the big league club.

[bork]

Susac is also out a few days with neck stiffness so that puts him even further behind.

[monty57]

point made on brewers.com that i didn't even consider until i read it: when you trade your starting catcher (martin maldonado) for another catcher, you likely don't intend for that acquisition to be playing in the minors, or even playing as a backup with the big league club.

 

Might be true if we were competing, but not really true in a rebuild. We likely traded Maldonado for Bandy in order to gain a younger guy with higher upside and more team control. Whether he starts in the MLB this year or next year was probably a secondary focus at the time of the trade.

[djoctagone]

many predicted this, because it was the only move that assured keeping three catchers on the 40-man roster: barring injury, manny pina makes the 25-man roster.

[djoctagone]

i'm trying to remember when the brewers last tried to more evenly split catching duties . . . 2003 with keith osik and eddie "he hit the pole! he hit the pole!" perez?

 

craig counsell hints that 2017 catching duties will be split more evenly.

[pacopete4]

They will only be split until one guy starts smacking the ball around the park and then the decision will be pretty easy for Counsell.

[djoctagone]

different management back then, but if i recall correctly, for the most part, eddie perez caught for the same three starters and keith osik for the other two. i sincerely doubt that counsell will be taking the approach of designated catcher for certain starters.

[CheezWizHed]

If you are splitting catcher's playing time, tying them to certain SPs is the normal way to do it. Doesn't have to be 100%, but it makes sense to allow a pitcher to get comfortable with one instead of swapping them around all the time.

[brewmann04]

Manny has had a good offseason so far deserves a spot.

[adambr2]

What Brewer pitcher was it that just seemed to have the worst chemistry and communication with Lucroy? Randy Wolf? They seemed to need mound visits every inning.

[brewcrewdue80]

So not trying to hijack the Will Smith thread. Some talk was to why arent these catchers taking reps at 1b? Having 3 catchers make the roster. Think of it positively, which of Bandy/Susac starts at AAA, will do so with catching Hader, Woodruff, Jungmann, maybe Lopez and Im sure Im forgetting some. But he'll get reps with them. Say one of them take a personal liking to having him catch his starts, that may produce earlier success when they reach the ML team. Its not like the Brewers are stuck with 3 catchers til their contracts end. Trading 1 of the 3 by this deadline and replacing with the 3rd, at a time youd think Hader or Woodruff would be called up. The winner between the 3 may just be who starts in AAA andgets reps with the future, vs the rebuilders.

[adambr2]

Yeah, there's no reason to go with 3 right now. Just not enough versatility there. Even if you could stick one of them at 1st in a pinch, that's not even really useful enough with then likely being behind Thames, Shaw, and maybe even Aguilar there.

 

Susac will head to AAA if healthy and be up soon enough if he produces there.

[Baldkin]

What Brewer pitcher was it that just seemed to have the worst chemistry and communication with Lucroy? Randy Wolf? They seemed to need mound visits every inning.

 

Peralta was always bad. Wolf was bad as well.

[monty57]

So not trying to hijack the Will Smith thread. Some talk was to why arent these catchers taking reps at 1b? Having 3 catchers make the roster. Think of it positively, which of Bandy/Susac starts at AAA, will do so with catching Hader, Woodruff, Jungmann, maybe Lopez and Im sure Im forgetting some. But he'll get reps with them. Say one of them take a personal liking to having him catch his starts, that may produce earlier success when they reach the ML team. Its not like the Brewers are stuck with 3 catchers til their contracts end. Trading 1 of the 3 by this deadline and replacing with the 3rd, at a time youd think Hader or Woodruff would be called up. The winner between the 3 may just be who starts in AAA andgets reps with the future, vs the rebuilders.

 

Even if the catcher isn't called up later, I like having a solid catcher at AAA working with the young, talented pitching prospects.

[djoctagone]

anyone recall the last time in-season the brewers carried four catchers on the 40-man roster?

[Ennder]

What Brewer pitcher was it that just seemed to have the worst chemistry and communication with Lucroy? Randy Wolf? They seemed to need mound visits every inning.

 

Peralta was always bad. Wolf was bad as well.

 

 

I know this is an old comment but it simply is not a true comment. Randy Wolf was a pretty average pitcher. He had a positive WAR every year of his career until his final 2 seasons with the Marlins. His career ERA was 4.24 which is certainly not amazing but it isn't bad either. His first 2 seasons with the Brewers he was a definite positive to the team. He pitched poorly in 2012 and had TJ at the end of the year which is probably the main cause of his poor performance.

[Austin Tatious]

I think he just meant communicating with Lucroy.

[djoctagone]

anyone recall the last time in-season the brewers carried four catchers on the 40-man roster?

i think it was 2011.

 

to start the 2011 season, the brewers had martin maldonado optioned, jonathan lucroy on the 15-day disabled list, and opened the season with wil nieves and george kottaras on the 25-man roster.

 

on 21 april 2011, kottaras was outrighted to the minor leagues, bringing it back to three catchers on the 40-man.

 

but on 17 may 2011, mike rivera had his contract purchased by the brewers, to make it four catchers again on the 40-man, before being outrighted 10 days later (if i recall correctly, he was brought up for one day, and then was designated for assignment right after the game, and later outrighted).

 

nieves was outrighted in june, and the brewers brought kottaras back again . . . but at that point, they were down to three catchers on the 40-man.

[djoctagone]

when was the last time the brewers had two catchers on the disabled list, if ever?

[djoctagone]

Anyone know where Vogt is at with his injury? I would think he's a few weeks away, but we sure could use him right now.

brewers.com update from 30 july projects possibly late august. if that's the case, there won't be many minor league games left for him to appear in on rehab.

[LouisEly]

Remember, knee injuries are really tough on catchers.

[djoctagone]

no surprise with andrew susac recalled today. seeing that he's caught brandon woodruff with colorado springs, one has to wonder if he'll be the starter tonight.

[Boomer5]

Our minor league catchers....good gracious.

 

http://media.giphy.com/media/sY4SjlTUgRUmQ/giphy.gif

[adambr2]

Interesting to see what Susac can bring. I think he was kind of the favorite coming into this year and was certainly my front runner but after the injury he has been pretty brutal.

[newrivervalley]

Susac behind Posey must have been tough. Let's see what he can do.