John Flaherty Announces His Retirement!

[CalvnHobs6]

John Flaherty, the presumed frontrunner to win the job as Tim Wakefield's personal catcher, just retired. Flaherty, in a statement, said, "It is with mixed emotions that I am announcing my retirement from Major League Baseball today ... I started my career with the Red Sox and proceeded to live out my boyhood dreams. Thank you to all of my teammates, coaches, managers and fans for making the ride so much fun."

From boston.com's extra bases.

 

This is a bizarre turn of events, opinions? I think it's now Huckaby's job to lose.

[26 Reasons to Hate Us]

Wow...didn't see that coming. Shouldn't hurt the soxs much though. He was a terrible hitter. Who else is competing with Huckaby now?

[CalvnHobs6]

Wow...didn't see that coming. Shouldn't hurt the soxs much though. He was a terrible hitter. Who else is competing with Huckaby now?

Just Josh Bard.

[jsinger121]

well we know a700hitter will be happy now

[kreinbihl34]

I don't like either Bard or Huckaby as a catcher. People just think that its just Wakefield's catcher, but also what if V-teck needs a break. I don't like the two to even play 20% of the games and with the added other games they would start, that means they would start in around 40 games... thats why need to find a back up catcher fast.

[Beckett95]

I don't like either Bard or Huckaby as a catcher. People just think that its just Wakefield's catcher, but also what if V-teck needs a break. I don't like the two to even play 20% of the games and with the added other games they would start, that means they would start in around 40 games... thats why need to find a back up catcher fast.

 

Also, what if Varitek gets injured? Id rather Bard for the job but they might want to think about getting some one.

[26 Reasons to Hate Us]

It is still early...I am sure they will bring someone in...

[mosox]

Flaherty = embedded yankee.

Losing Mirabelli was something I never felt good about. I'm afraid Wake will struggle with the catcher situation this year.

[26 Reasons to Hate Us]

Losing Mirabelli was something I never felt good about. I'm afraid Wake will struggle with the catcher situation this year.

 

Why would Wake struggle? Will the new catcher not know how to call a knuckle-ball?:dunno:

[KeepTheFaith1229]

Flaherty couldn't catch the knuckle for his life. Three PBs in the first inning Sunday. I saw a catcher by the name of Dusty Brown at ST, and he looked outstanding. Just thought I'd throw that out.

[Cityofchampions33]

Dusty still hasn't moved out of AAA and is now with the Blue Rocks.

[Varitek33]

Flaherty = embedded yankee.

Losing Mirabelli was something I never felt good about. I'm afraid Wake will struggle with the catcher situation this year.

 

I have that fear also........

[riverside sluggers]

Josh Bard becomes the new favorite

 

Ken Huckaby will not resume playing for another 10 days due to re-habbbing of his knee.

[Anuj09]

I think Bard will be a good back up and he does have some offense, he hit a hr a couple of days ago

[riverside sluggers]

About Flaherty, he is now the 5th Yankee of 2005 to retire

[mtbykr]

Why would Wake struggle? Will the new catcher not know how to call a knuckle-ball?:dunno:

 

 

Well Wake was something like 11-4 with belli last year and 0-4 without him (tek catching)! I was really upset when they got rid of belli, and to top it off they dumped shopach to. We went from last year having a great #2 and a great prospect, to depending on john flarhety (sp?). Doesn't look to good right now, although i don't know much about Bard

[mtbykr]

One more point: I don't think it's about catching the knuckleball (although it helps) i think it's the faith that wake has in his catcher to stop the ball, thus allowing him to throw whatever he wants whenever he wants!

[ORS]

Well Wake was something like 11-4 with belli last year and 0-4 without him (tek catching)! I was really upset when they got rid of belli, and to top it off they dumped shopach to. We went from last year having a great #2 and a great prospect, to depending on john flarhety (sp?). Doesn't look to good right now, although i don't know much about Bard

I think that 4 game performance is entirely unrelated to who was behind the plate. Look at Wake's game-logs and you will see that the 4-games prior to Mirabelli's injury Wake wasn't exactly red-hot. Varitek just caught him during a cold-stretch, which was compounded by the fact that 3 of the teams he caught him for were top-10 run scoring teams, and that is all that happened. This, IMO, is good news. Flaherty is gone, Huckaby is hurt, so Bard gets the job for the next couple of weeks. And, I think the most important thing is familiarity, which is exactly what will happen over the next few weeks as Bard catches Wake in his ST appearances and during practice.

[empirestrikesback26]

Great guy.

[a700hitter]

well we know a700hitter will be happy now

I am very happy. Good riddance to that former Yankee, former D-Ray a-hole.

[mtbykr]

Belli coming back to boston?

 

http://redsox.bostonherald.com/redSox/view.bg?articleid=130265

 

 

Dougy could catch on

 

The Red Sox are believed to be on the lookout for a veteran backup catcher and may have set their sights on reacquiring Doug Mirabelli, according to a National League scout.

The Sox traded Mirabelli to the San Diego Padres for second baseman Loretta on Dec. 7. With John Flaherty opting to retire last week and Ken Huckaby sidelined all spring with an inflamed left knee, Josh Bard is the only viable candidate right now to back up Jason Varitek.