Kelly Shoppach

[Zenny]

Kelly Shoppach

 

Born: March 29, 1980; Fort Worth, Texas

Height: 5' 11"

Weight: 210

Bats: Right; Throws: Right

Acquired: Drafted in 2nd round, 2001 out of Baylor University

 

Shopp is an amazing defensive catcher and game-caller. Scouts are amazed by his skills behind the and especially by his strong arm and natural throwing ability. He's also a hard-worker and is constantly studying himself and opponents to improve his hitting and the pitching staff he has to handle.

 

On the offensive side, Shoppach walks a good deal and that should translate into a big-league OBP .100 points higher than his BA. He also has good power to all fields and should hit 20-25 homeruns at the big league level with a .450-.525 SLG% every year. He does have the tendency to strikeout, but it doesn't hamper his ability to make contact or drive the ball.

 

Estimated annual big league stats: .275/.400/.500/.900; 35 doubles, 25 homers, 85 RBI.

 

ETA: September call-up 2004, ready to start in 2005

 

Current stats at AAA Pawtucket: .242/.333/.419/.752; .38 (25/65) BB/K ratio; 9 2B, 8 HR, 33 RBI, 30 R.

 

Shopp had been awful up until mid-May, but his bat woke up and he began to take more pitches and adjust to the more advanced pitching. He has done several interviews where he stated that it is the first time in his career that he's actually had to make adjustments, but he is successfully doing so. He's hitting well over .300 in June and shows no signs of slowing down. His walk rate has tripled since the beginning of the season and he should finish somewhere near the estimated big-league stats above.

 

Shopp is the reason that Jason Varitek is expendible. He does everything Varitek does, will provide superior defense right from the get-go and has better long-term offensive upside. Not to mention the fact that he will cost 3% of what Varitek will make next season. It is time to make way for the future of this franchise and Kelly Shoppach should be a huge part of it.

[roary]

This is my addition, a picture:

http://soxprospects.com/players/images/kellyshoppach.jpg

[Zenny]

Thanks, I forgot about that part.

[Zenny]

Shopp went 1-4 with a R, 2B and 2 K's tonight.

 

Daily Season Line Update: .242/.332/.421/.753; .37 (25/67) BB/K; 10 2B, 8 HR, 33 RBI, 31 R.

[Zenny]

Royal Rooters' Interview with Shoppach:

 

RSN: Kelly, in a recent conversation with Baseball America’s Jim Callis, he told us he sees several similarities between Jason Varitek and yourself. Knowing that expectations for you are high, and that Tek’s contract is up after this season, do you feel a lot of pressure coming into 2004?

 

KS: I don’t look at it that way. Pressure is only what you make of it, and I just like to go out and play hard every day. The rest will take care of itself.

 

RSN: Kelly, what about your thoughts on Red Sox Nation?

 

KS: I grew up in Texas as a Rangers fan, but the game doesn’t mean as much down there. Texas is all about football -- New England is baseball.

 

RSN: What did you do this offseason?

 

KS: After the season ended I played in the Arizona Fall League. It was a great experience.

 

RSN: That would have put you in Arizona when the Sox were battling the Yankees in October. Where were you for game seven?

 

KS: I actually got home about midway through the game -- Pedro was still in. What I remember thinking at the end was that I couldn’t believe it -- I didn’t want to believe it. It was happening again.

 

RSN: Kelly, you’re going to get a chance to catch Frank Castillo in Pawtucket this summer. What can you learn from someone like him; a guy with 11 MLB seasons under his belt?

 

KS: A lot. You don’t spend as many years in the big leagues as he has without knowing how to pitch. I caught Frankie in spring training this past month, and it’s already been a great learning experience.

 

I'm very excited about his future in this franchise.

[dirtdogman5]

Quick question, where do you find their stats for their latest game?

[Zenny]

Originally posted by dirtdogman5@Jun 17 2004, 12:19 PM

Quick question, where do you find their stats for their latest game?

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform...oard.aspx?date=

 

After the game is done, they post the box score and a log of the game, out by out.

[Zenny]

Shoppach had a nice game for himself tonight; 2-3, 2B, HR, R, RBI.

 

Daily Season Line Update: .249/.339/.446/.785; .37 (25/67) BB/K ratio; 11 2B, 9 HR, 34 RBI, 32 R

 

I guarantee that his OPS will be just about or above .900 by the end of the season and he will be more than worthy of taking over next season's starting catching role.

[Zenny]

I'm going to be at Monday night's PawSox game and I will be intently watching Kelly Shoppach behind and at the plate. He's been on fire since mid-May, hopefully he'll be able to keep it up (very likely).

[Zenny]

Season line through Sunday: .245/.336/.450/.786; .37 (26/71) BB/K ratio; 11 2B, 10 HR, 36 RBI, 34 R

 

He's hitting a lot of homeruns, but he had three whiffs on Saturday night. No big deal.

[Zenny]

Well, I got to watch Shopp in person today. He wasn't all that great, but he was solid. He played flawless defense throughout the game, but he wasn't overly tested.

 

He closed the second inning with a swinging whiff. On strike two, he let go of the bat and it went flying into the crowd. It was pretty funny.

 

In the fourth, he walked.

 

He ended the fifth-inning with a fly-out to center-field.

 

In the seventh, he hit a hot shot to the shortstop's right. He did a good job just to get the ball knocked down, but he should've caught it. It turned into a weird double-play ball.

 

Every single time he was up there, he always seemed to work the count. Even when he gets out, it always seemed to be at least 6 pitches into the at-bat.

 

Season Line: .241/.335/.443/.778; .38 (27/72) BB/K; 11 2B, 10 HR, 36 RBI, 35 R

[Zenny]

Shoppach went 0-2 with a BB, HBP and K. He's finding ways to get on base, but he hasn't done so with the bat in the past two games. Season line: .239/.338/.439/.777; .38 (28/73) BB/K ratio; 11 2B, 10 HR, 36 RBI, 35 R

[Zenny]

Similar box score to last night: 0-2, 2 BB, K. He's getting on base a lot, but he's hitless in his last three games.

 

Season Line: .237/.340/.435/.775; .41 (30/74) BB/K ratio; 11 2B, 10 HR, 36 RBI, 35 R

[Zenny]

The OBP 100 points higher than the BA and the SLG% 200 points higher than the BA are very encouraging. That is usually a sign of a good all-around hitter, even when the average is struggling. He needs to get a little work in to cut down the K's and get that average up and things should be good for Shopp. That should come before the AAA All-Star Game in July. He's going to have a monster second-half, hopefully all of it with the Sox.

 

I hate to say it to all the 'Tek fans out there, but the more Shopp walks and the better defense he plays, the less and less likely that Varitek returns, especially given his contractual demands and how he hasn't backed it up with performance.

[Zenny]

Shopp got a well-deserved day of rest today. Jamie Brown responded by pitching an awful game with Andy Dominique doing the receiving. Brown had a sub-3.00 ERA prior to tonight's outing, with much of that due to Shoppach's ability to call games. Tonight, he gave up 7 runs in only 3 or 4 innings. This kid calls a good game, believe me.

 

Shopp needed the day off. He always seems to respond very well after getting a break or when given the opportunity to DH.

[Tek04]

I dont see him in the redsox organzation very long...we are trading him sometime this season...we dont need another catcher as long as we resign varitek

[Zenny]

Originally posted by Tek04@Jun 26 2004, 12:55 PM

I dont see him in the redsox organzation very long...we are trading him sometime this season...we dont need another catcher as long as we resign varitek

Well, the sticking point is Varitek. He's a Boras client and his contractual demands are rediculous, something like $10 million per season. I guarantee that Sox won't go over $6 million per for a catcher. If Varitek had every intention of returning, he would've re-signed already; he can override his agent. But, you know what? He hasn't done that, which says to me that he has every intention of getting top dollar on the market with no hometown discount for the Red Sox. I think he's as good as gone and you can take that to the bank, just like Varitek will.

 

I wouldn't be so sure about Shoppach being traded. The Sox don't want Garcia and I don't see them making any huge deals that would require a top prospect. Any trade this season is probably going to involve guys in A-ball, AA at the most. Guys like Chris Smith, Jose Vaquedano, Chad Spann; the younger guys.

[Zenny]

Well, Shopp went 1-4 with 2 K's tonight against the pretty good Richmond Braves pitching staff.

 

Season Line: .237/.339/.431/.771; .39 (30/76) BB/K ratio; 11 2B, 10 HR, 36 RBI, 35 R

[Zenny]

Shopp went 1-4 today, no whiffs, no walks.

 

Season Line: .237/.337/.428/.765; .39 (30/76) BB/K ratio; 11 2B, 10 HR, 36 RBI, 35 R

[Zenny]

Shoppach went 2-5 with a double, 2 RBI and a K. One of those hits, a single, came off Mets' top prospect Royce Ring, a major-league ready, hard throwing lefty. That is always a promising sign.

 

I still believe going from AA to AAA is harder than going from AAA to the bigs, in terms of the quality of the overall pitching. If a player is good at AA, he's going to get the bump to AAA, thus leveling the field of play. But, if a player is good at AAA, there isn't always a spot for him on the big league club, a huge example of that being Brian Daubach. The player still continues to pitch or hit well. There are a lot of big-league quality players at the AAA level, which leads me back to my original conclusion and provides some insight in to why Shoppach is struggling a bit. Feel free to question me on that. I love a good debate.

 

I still fully expect Shoppach's OPS to be around or above .900 by the time the season is done. He will always have that funny habit of accidentally letting go of the bat and it goes flying into the stands.

 

Season line: .241/.339/.432/.771; .39 (30/77) BB/K ratio; 12 2B, 10 HR, 38 RBI, 35 R

[elsrbueno]

Good to hear Kelly Shoppach's doing OK.

 

How does he handle pitchers?

[Zenny]

Originally posted by elsrbueno@Jun 30 2004, 09:02 AM

How does he handle pitchers?

Fantastic. They all love the game he calls. That also may have contributed to his offensive struggles early on. He may have been spending too much time working with the pitching staff and not focusing on his offense. He's definitely coming around, though.

[elsrbueno]

Zenny,

You seem to be VERY high on Shoppach. Will there be ANY dropoff from V-Tek this year, and Shoppach next year?

 

Do you see any reason to hold onto V-Tek? (possibly as a mentor to Shopp?)

[Zenny]

I'm high on Shoppach and with good reason.

 

Next season, Shoppach will already play better defense than Varitek is now. Scouts say that he has the best arm and release point they have seen in a long time from a catcher. He also works hard with the pitching staff and has good defensive capabilites.

 

Granted, a rookie can't be expected to come in and immediately have rediculous offensive seasons. Next season, I see a .260/.350/.450/.800 with 15 or so homeruns. That is fantastic for a rookie catcher and is what Varitek is pretty much on pace for with the way he's playing. Eventually, Shoppach should hit .280/.375/.525/.900 with 25 homeruns when he enters his prime.

 

Bringing back Varitek for the sake of bringing back Varitek just seems crazy at this point. He wants too much money and that whole "mentor" thing is overrated. Shoppach will likely receive a September call-up to work with Varitek anyway and he already spent a good deal of time with him in Spring Training this season. Next season, Mirabelli can fill in the few blanks on the defensive end and Papa Jack will be there to help with his hitting.

[Zenny]

A fantastic article about Kelly Shoppach from Baseball America's Daily Dish:

 

PAWTUCKET, R.I.--Kelly Shoppach is a throwback. He runs everything out, doesn't believe in showing up an opponent, and given a choice would play his entire career with one team. Those are qualities akin to an earlier era, but Shoppach wears them as proudly as he does his 2004 Pawtucket Red Sox uniform.

 

"It's how I was raised," he said. "It's the only way I know how to play."

 

A second-round pick out of Baylor in 2001 after an All-America season, Shoppach has been his club's player of the year in each of his two professional seasons, at Sarasota and Portland. He is considered the heir apparent to the Red Sox catching job--if he isn't traded first.

 

"It's special if you can play your whole career with one team," Shoppach opined, though that belief has come under duress as of late. Mentioned in trade rumors, most recently involving Carlos Beltran, he understands that is a part of the game he has little control over.

 

"I'd love a chance to be loyal to the organization," he said, "but they need to be loyal to me, too. I've known since the day I signed that trades are a part of the business, but hopefully I can spend my entire career in a Red Sox uniform."

 

With Jason Varitek eligible for free agency after the 2004 season, Shoppach is a valuable commodity beyond his trade value. While other organizations covet him, the Red Sox realize he would be a capable replacement should Varitek sign elsewhere.

 

"He projects as a plus-power hitter," manager Buddy Bailey said. "Defensively he's already major league ready. He has the ability to block balls and control a running game. His arm strength and release are both above-average."

 

Farm director Ben Cherington echoes Bailey.

 

"He brings a good package to the table," Cherington said. "He has a chance to be a quality performer at a premium position at the major league level."

 

Cherington also likes the attitude Shoppach carries onto the field. "He cares more about winning than personal accomplishments," he added. "He can have a good day, but if the team loses he isn't happy."

 

Shoppach commands the respect of his pitching staff, an attribute he understands the importance of. "Defense is the most important job for a catcher," he said. "And that includes their relationship with pitchers."

 

Teammate Frank Castillo, a 12-year major league veteran, is a believer. "He's calling some good games," Castillo said. "The guys on the staff trust him."

 

Offense is where Shoppach's game is a work in progress. He was hitting just .241-10-38 in 220 at-bats, with 77 strikeouts. "He's still experiencing some growing pains," Bailey said. "He has tremendous power to all fields, but his professional ABs aren't very high for someone playing at this level."

 

His power was on display earlier this season, when Shoppach hit one of the longest home runs ever at Louisville Slugger Field. His blast traveled an estimated 460 feet, and showed the kind of home run stroke that may someday bring the Fenway faithful to their feet.

 

While his power and defense are notable, Shoppach's old-school approach sets him apart.

 

"Hustle and hard work never go into a slump," he said. "I believe in going all out, all the time." This includes running to first base on a walk, a trait that brings good-natured ribbing from his teammates. "Sure we get on him about that," lefthander Phil Seibel said, "but we know that's how Shop plays, and we all appreciate that his effort is never less than a hundred percent."

 

These are labels that fit this hardnosed product of Texas. Bailey refers to him as "a gentleman," and there is no better way to describe his approach than "throwback." Assessing his future, there's one more label that's fitting: Kelly Shoppach is a "keeper." He hopes the Boston organization feels the same way.

 

It is official. I will become a fan of whatever team Kelly Shoppach plays for next season, even if it isn't the Red Sox. I hope to God Theo gives this kid every chance to be this team's starting catcher.

 

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/minors/2004dish.html

[Zenny]

Shopp went 0-3 with an RBI today. I mostly attribute the rustiness to Buddy Bailey sitting Shoppach for two straight games because of Ellis Burks and Bill Mueller rehabbing and George Lombard being called up. He's still making good contact, though and is drastically reducing the number of strikeouts over the past month or so.

[Zenny]

Yesterday, Shopp went 1-4 with a solo HR and 2 K's. Today, he went 2-4 with a walk-off homerun in Pawtucket's 3-2 win. That's right, dingers in consecutive games.

 

Season Line: .242/.335/.450/.785; .38 (30/79) BB/K ratio; 12 2B, 12 HR, 41 RBI, 37 R

[Zenny]

Shopp had an o'fer today; 0-4, BB, K.

 

Season Line: .238/.332/.443/.775; .39 (31/80) BB/K ratio; 12 2B, 12 HR, 41 RBI, 37 R

[Zenny]

Just found this on the MLB.com website:

 

Kelly Shoppach, C

Shoppach, the Sox's first pick in the 2001 draft, will spend the year with Pawtucket as he prepares to possibly replace Jason Varitek in Boston. The Baylor product came back strong from a shoulder injury, with no signs of trouble once he returned behind the plate late last April. He's got a very good idea of what to do behind the plate, with a quick release and a firm grasp of game-calling. He's no slouch at bat, either, with raw power and the willingness to hit deep in the count. His leadership skills and take-charge nature leave little doubt about his ability to handle the responsibility of catching in a market like Boston. That means the organization will likely have little difficulty in letting Varitek go following the 2004 season.

[Zenny]

Shoppach had a big game in the night-cap of the PawSox's doubleheader going 3-3 with two doubles and a single. You know how everyone is waiting for him to "really start hitting"? Homeruns in back to back games and then this 3-3 performance. I think he's coming around and that OPS is only 3 points under .800 and it is definitely on its way up.

 

Season Line: .248/.339/.458/.797; .39 (31/80) BB/K ratio; 14 2B, 12 HR, 41 RBI, 38 R