What to do at catcher?

[MNSoxChief102]

Don't get me wrong... I'm as big of a V-Tek honk as you can get. I was happy we signed him in the off-season and I hope he plays well this year.

 

But sooner or later we're going to have to address the position in a big way, and I don't see anyone capable of being an everyday contributor in our system right now. So what guys are out there that we can get that will actually solve the problem?

 

Personally, I'd hope that the Twins somehow decide to not pay Joe Mauer and he hits the open market. Then I'd throw a ton of cash his way and enjoy the results. But I doubt that's ever going to happen, given the fan love for Mauer up here in Minnesota.

[BSN07]

Don't get me wrong... I'm as big of a V-Tek honk as you can get. I was happy we signed him in the off-season and I hope he plays well this year.

 

But sooner or later we're going to have to address the position in a big way, and I don't see anyone capable of being an everyday contributor in our system right now. So what guys are out there that we can get that will actually solve the problem?

 

Personally, I'd hope that the Twins somehow decide to not pay Joe Mauer and he hits the open market. Then I'd throw a ton of cash his way and enjoy the results. But I doubt that's ever going to happen, given the fan love for Mauer up here in Minnesota.

 

Esposito and Wagner have upside but there both 2+ years out. If the Sox make any TDL deals(Penny for example), i would guess they would try and bring back a Catching prospect with promise. Either that or they will trade for one eventually.

 

Nice thought about Mauer. But I'm sure the Yankees will have same idea. So we know how that will end up. Plus his back issues have some warranted concerns. Will he be able to catch the entire length of his contract. Or will he need time at 1B/DH like Posada?

[CrespoBlows]

Mauer won't stick behind the dish.

 

The Red Sox should offer Bowden for Teagarden.

[Dojji]

One thing the Red Sox should absolutely, definitely not do is offer a polished 22 year old innings burner for Taylor Teagarden and his inconsistent track record above AA. The downside of a trade like that is far too great.

 

Bowden might not dominate this league but from the way things stand right now he's got a much better shot than Teagarden ever will.

 

We're probably going to have to deal with the fact that we'll have some average catching in Boston for awhile.

[CrespoBlows]

One thing the Red Sox should absolutely, definitely not do is offer a polished 22 year old innings burner for Taylor Teagarden and his inconsistent track record above AA. The downside of a trade like that is far too great.

 

Bowden might not dominate this league but from the way things stand right now he's got a much better shot than Teagarden ever will.

 

We're probably going to have to deal with the fact that we'll have some average catching in Boston for awhile.

 

Inconsistent, maybe, but Teagarden career minor league OPS stands at .899, with an insanely high OBP. He cranked out 6 HR's in a brief cameo in the majors, and plays very good defense behind the dish.

 

The Red Sox have a surplus of young pitching, and really not much to speak about in terms of young catching. Even if Bowden is the better bet, which is debatable, the Red Sox should still take the risk, because Teagarden could be an impact bat at a very crucial position for a long time.

[Dojji]

Most of that OPS is at the A+ level or below. His OPS at the AA level or above is below .800.

 

Also, while I have no problem in principle with strikeouts, Teagarden takes them to an art form -- each year at level AA or higher he has struck out more than once every 3 at bats. That doesn't give you a great number of plate appearances to use your tools and do something productive.

[Spudboy]

You guys know way more about this stuff than I do. Can someone explain why Mauer won't be attainable?

Are the Twins in position to pay him big bucks-long term? Will the Yankees have the need and willingness to outbid the Sox? How much is he worth and how much do you believe the Sox will be willing to spend?

I'd appreciate input because I have sort have been counting on Mauer being here since last season.

Thanks.

[BSN07]

You guys know way more about this stuff than I do. Can someone explain why Mauer won't be attainable?

Are the Twins in position to pay him big bucks-long term? Will the Yankees have the need and willingness to outbid the Sox? How much is he worth and how much do you believe the Sox will be willing to spend?

I'd appreciate input because I have sort have been counting on Mauer being here since last season.

Thanks.

 

Mauer becomes a FA in 2010. Posada's deal is up in 2010. Enough said. Feel free to connect the dots:D

[Dojji]

You guys know way more about this stuff than I do. Can someone explain why Mauer won't be attainable?

Are the Twins in position to pay him big bucks-long term? Will the Yankees have the need and willingness to outbid the Sox? How much is he worth and how much do you believe the Sox will be willing to spend?

I'd appreciate input because I have sort have been counting on Mauer being here since last season.

Thanks.

 

If the Twins are willing to pay for one player it'll be Joe Mauer.

 

And BSN07 covered the other side of your quesition.

 

The chances Mauer comes here are vanishingly remote.

[Spudboy]

Thanks for the edification.

[Dojji]

We might be able to work a deal for Victor Martinez. That seems to me like the best move to pick up a catcher that can hit. He'll be a FA the year Varitek's current deal expires and the Yankees will have Mauer on the brain.

[Tragedy]

I think we need to make a deal involving one of the young guys. I think Masterson could be the guy to go in a trade for a guy like Taylor Teagarden.

[BSN07]

I think we need to make a deal involving one of the young guys. I think Masterson could be the guy to go in a trade for a guy like Taylor Teagarden.

 

:what: That is a horrible trade. Maybe if Masterson showed no promise to be a good SP and was likely to be a career RP.

[Mr Crunchy]

Teks got a 2 year deal right?

Catching is the best route into the majors if you can hit a little bit, nobody seems to be able to do both with a lot of success anymore...

If we can keep tek under 125 games he will be ok for next year too but after that we got nothing.

[Dojji]

:what: That is a horrible trade. Maybe if Masterson showed no promise to be a good SP and was likely to be a career RP.

 

Indeed. I'd rather trust Kottaras' minor league numbers to show up in the bigs at some point than go to a guy as offensively flawed as Teagarden.

[MNSoxChief102]

I think we need to make a deal involving one of the young guys. I think Masterson could be the guy to go in a trade for a guy like Taylor Teagarden.

 

That's terrible... I like Teagarden but Masty has the ability to be a solid guy for us in a number of roles for a long time. Players like that don't grow on trees.

[La mujer bonita]

Teks got a 2 year deal right?

 

He signed a one-year guaranteed deal for $5 mil with a 2010 club option for $5 mil and a player option for $3 mil.

[La mujer bonita]

That's terrible... I like Teagarden but Masty has the ability to be a solid guy for us in a number of roles for a long time. Players like that don't grow on trees.

 

If the team is going to get a quality catcher in a trade, it is going to have to give up a quality pitcher. Both are very scarce these days, and while the Sox seem to have an abundance of young quality arms IMO they have no one in the system who appears he is going to be Tek-worthy by the end of 2010. Any team that does is going to want something high value in return, and you can't blame them.

[Dojji]

Even if true Teagarden doesn't look like he's going to be that guy. So far he has more Kevin Cash in him than Mike Napoli.

 

Teagarden did his best work in the California League alongside such luminaries as Jon Still and Bubba Bell. Take out that sample and he's pretty average.

[TheKilo]

Doesn't Teagarden have a rep of being a pretty good defensive catcher though?

 

Good defensive catcher with a good OBP is all this team would really need..

[ORS]

Even if true Teagarden doesn't look like he's going to be that guy. So far he has more Kevin Cash in him than Mike Napoli.

 

Teagarden did his best work in the California League alongside such luminaries as Jon Still and Bubba Bell. Take out that sample and he's pretty average.

His .886 in 2007 in the Texas League is average, for a catcher? His .277 BABIP at both levels combined in 2008 is average? His small sample at the only level that really matters is average?

 

Hardly. BTW, how's the Kenji Johjima watch going?

 

If they can pry him away from Texas with a prospect from the position of organizational depth, then they should. Especially if the long-term value of Masterson is in the 'pen to the team.

[MNSoxChief102]

If the team is going to get a quality catcher in a trade' date=' it is going to have to give up a quality pitcher. Both are very scarce these days, and while the Sox seem to have an abundance of young quality arms IMO they have no one in the system who appears he is going to be Tek-worthy by the end of 2010. Any team that does is going to want something high value in return, and you can't blame them.[/quote']

 

I don't disagree with you there, but IMO Teagarden is not a guy that I would be willing to do that with, for all the reasons cited. A couple of mid-level guys would be a better deal I think.

[Dojji]

His .886 in 2007 in the Texas League is average' date=' for a catcher?[/quote']

 

I'm not going to trade for a guy at the big league level for what he did in short season ball.

 

His small sample at the only level that really matters is average?

 

You know the answer to that question just as well as I do.

Hardly. BTW, how's the Kenji Johjima watch going?

 

Oh, he's hitting about as well as, say, Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

 

If they can pry him away from Texas with a prospect from the position of organizational depth, then they should. Especially if the long-term value of Masterson is in the 'pen to the team.

 

If you're dealing good young players away you'd better be getting a sure thing back. Teagarden is not that.

[BSN07]

What's Clement looking like this season? He's a guy I know with big upside. Is he Teagarden like? Or would he be worth legit player(Masterson), or a top prospect?

 

Is there any prospect Catcher out the worth any of the Sox top talent outside of Wieters?

[Dojji]

Clement is probably going to fill the Seattle organization's hole at first base, let me leave it at that.

[BSN07]

Clement is probably going to fill the Seattle organization's hole at first base' date=' let me leave it at that.[/quote']

 

That good behind the dish huh?

[Dojji]

Based on the numbers I can see? Yep. Of course Seattle is not the best prospect development machine in the world.

[ORS]

If you're dealing good young players away you'd better be getting a sure thing back. Teagarden is not that.

No, he's not a sure thing. Speaking of which, what exactly is one "sure" of with Masterson? League average SP? Alert the press. Above average RP who might need to avoid good LHH? Shiver me timbers.

 

Look, I think Masterson is better than that, but there's no surety of this belief. What's more, he's expendable. They have one of the best 'pens in the league without him in it. They can compete this year without Masterson in the BP. They have more than enough starters to fill the 5 rotation spots once Matsuzaka returns (and they need to find a way to get Buchholz in there - then Smoltz is around the corner). It's wasteful to have an expendable player replace the mop-up guy, Hunter Jones, in the bullpen when you could "expend" him for a guy who, while no sure thing, has shown siginificant potential for being an above average offensive catcher while being excellent defensively, especially when you have no catchers coming through the pipeline at the moment and your starter is one month away from pulling his annual corpse impersonation.

 

I don't care if trading Masterson for Teagarden is 1 for 1 in terms of trade value. If that's what they want, and I'm not saying it is, you do the deal. You do it if it's Bowden too. You don't need both to move forward, but you need options at catcher. You are better, IMO, with Teagarden in the mix and one of them than you are with both of them, for the simple reason that both of them aren't likely to get enough opportunity to be significant contributors given the current roster. Moving on to subsequent years, it will be easier to replace an above average RP or 5th SP than it will be to find a catcher.

[Mr Crunchy]

Steve Lomasney says hello,

another cant miss catcher who I dont think made it to Pawtucket.

Id rather pay for a sure thing than guess on a minor leaguer, the problem of course is availability.

[Dojji]

There's always Ryan Doumit.