Christian Vazquez

[Kimmi]

I gotta go with Kimmi--both are good and a 3-2 split on games, either way, is fine with me. The real point is that it's rare to have two decent catchers with Swihart at Pawtucket.

 

Indeed, we are fortunate to be able to platoon the two and presumably keep them both well rested.

 

It's been a couple of weeks, but last I checked, Swihart was hitting under the Mendoza line.

[SCM33]

Leon is a great backup catcher.. I have no issues at all with the catcher position right now, there isn't a lot of good hitting catchers out there period.

 

You're talking crazy, man. Leon has been just fine the last 2 years.

 

You guys have gone soft. What ever happened to the old TalkSox days when it was much less PG?

 

He blows. Hes acceptable as a backup, as long as you get enough production from the starting catcher. Since he IS the starting catcher......woof.

[mvp 78]

Sawft

[Bellhorn04]

You guys have gone soft. What ever happened to the old TalkSox days when it was much less PG?

 

He blows. Hes acceptable as a backup, as long as you get enough production from the starting catcher. Since he IS the starting catcher......woof.

 

Vazquez and Leon have played almost equally now. If Vazquez continues to shine he'll establish himself as the regular starter.

[moonslav59]

Leon could certainly revert to his sub .600 days, but I'm thinking he's just about as likely to be in the .675 to .725 range for the next 2-3 years. That would place him close to the middle of the pack with starting catchers. He's probably going to remain a plus on defense for those 2-3 years, so there's a good chance he will be close to average at least until Vaz and/or Swi mature.

 

I'm not one to put much stock in sample sizes like 397 PAs, but since 2016, there are 32 catchers with over 350 PAs. Leon places 12th in catcher WAR at 2.7. That's pretty impressive, when you figure most catchers in front of him have over 640 PAs.

 

He places 9th out of 32 in catcher OPS at .787.

 

Cherry-picking sample sizes? Busted!

 

Let's go to 2015-2017 and the 38 catchers with over 500 PAs:22nd in catcher OPS at .703. He's ranked 23rd in catcher WAR at 2.2. 525 PAs is certainly "back-up" numbers, but I don't get the need to disparage Sandy.

 

He's doing a fine job as our starter, platoon or back-up. It may not continue, but the decent sample size is growing as he makes his way through his prime years.

 

 

[notin]

I don't expect much offense from either, but, hey, someone has to hit ninth...

[Spudboy]

Indeed, we are fortunate to be able to platoon the two and presumably keep them both well rested.

 

It's been a couple of weeks, but last I checked, Swihart was hitting under the Mendoza line.

 

He is injured.

[moonslav59]

I don't expect much offense from either, but, hey, someone has to hit ninth...

 

I don't either, but I think we could improve on last year's OPS due to Hanigan and Holaday no longer being on the roster.

 

(Our catcher OPS last year was .665.)

[Jasonbay44]

You guys have gone soft. What ever happened to the old TalkSox days when it was much less PG?

 

He blows. Hes acceptable as a backup, as long as you get enough production from the starting catcher. Since he IS the starting catcher......woof.

He is splitting time, he's a backup catcher. I just don't see Sandy Leon being the backup catcher as a make or break issue. He's good enough, he plays good defense, and all almost all catchers suck offensively anyway.

 

This site isn't PG at all, I want Pablo Sandoval to f*** himself and go ruin some other teams playoff chances.

[cp176]

both of our catchers are great backup guys. lol

[Bellhorn04]

There are very few star catchers in baseball.

[cp176]

There are very few star catchers in baseball.

 

We have two catchers that appear to do what they are paid to do - which is to catch (and all of the stuff that goes along with it). Being able to do their primary job adequately (which isn't to hit), makes them both assets. I don't see much difference between the two. I wish that either one of them could be a dependable hitter as well going forward but whatever as long as they do their job they can share the position for all I care.

[Emp9]

both of our catchers are great backup guys. lol

 

Ha!

[moonslav59]

There are very few star catchers in baseball.

 

Exactly!

 

As of today, the 15th best team catcher OPS is .699.

 

The middle tier (11-20) goes down to .678. That's average these days.

 

Leon and Vaz are not "back-up quality". They are both worthy of starter labels.

[cp176]

Exactly!

 

As of today, the 15th best team catcher OPS is .699.

 

The middle tier (11-20) goes down to .678. That's average these days.

 

Leon and Vaz are not "back-up quality". They are both worthy of starter labels.

 

ok ok - I'm sorry. I just want Fisk back. There was someone that came after him too that I liked almost as much.

[mvp 78]

ok ok - I'm sorry. I just want Fisk back. There was someone that came after him too that I liked almost as much.

 

Rich Gedman!

[Spudboy]

Rich Gedman!

 

Gedman was pretty good from what I remember.

 

My favorite Sox Battery was Monty and Josephson. They looked and acted like catchers.

[mvp 78]

Gedman was pretty good from what I remember.

 

My favorite Sox Battery was Monty and Josephson. They looked and acted like catchers.

 

He was great 84-86. He dropped off really quick though after he fractured his cheekbone in the 86 offseason and he was never really the same again.

[Spudboy]

He was great 84-86. He dropped off really quick though after he fractured his cheekbone in the 86 offseason and he was never really the same again.

 

I mostly remember his Walter Reniac (SP ) swing.

[a700hitter]

He was great 84-86. He dropped off really quick though after he fractured his cheekbone in the 86 offseason and he was never really the same again.

Is that what happened to him, because he did go off a cliff. He had been a good offensive catcher and then it ended suddenly. When he lost it, he would look helpless with that one handed helicopter swing.

[cp176]

Rich Gedman!

 

i was just being a wise ass - i was actually referring to Varitek but for the people who didn't see Fisk catch with Boston, they might not have appreciated my attempt at comparative humor. Outside of Fisk, Gedman looked damn good. I loved him. But, what do I know - i grew up with the likes of Russ Nixon, Bob Tillman, Mike Ryan, and jerry Moses. When an aging beaten up Elston Howard came on board, I was never so happy. For the record, Fisk always tops my list.

[mvp 78]

i mostly remember his walter reniac (sp ) swing.

 

 

goat

[Spudboy]

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goat

 

I was just remembering that he was creditied for helping some guys refine their swings and that Gedman was said to be one of those who benifited from him.

[mvp 78]

Dewey had his renaissance under Hriniak.

[S5Dewey]

Is that what happened to him, because he did go off a cliff. He had been a good offensive catcher and then it ended suddenly. When he lost it, he would look helpless with that one handed helicopter swing.

 

My memory of his decline centers around his inability to hit a down-and-away curve ball in the 1986 playoffs against the Mets. The Mets pitchers owned him. 10 K's in 30 AB's.

[moonslav59]

He is injured.

 

Blake has 2 RBIs last night.

[royf19]

Gedman was pretty good from what I remember.

 

My favorite Sox Battery was Monty and Josephson. They looked and acted like catchers.

 

Gedman, who should have blocked Stanley's sinker, had three decent years as a starter from ages 24 to 26 then sucked. I hated his swing.

 

Bob Montgomery was my favorite backup. I remember Duane Josephson. Forgot -- or didn't realize that Montgomery was the backup to him in 1971.

[royf19]

Is that what happened to him, because he did go off a cliff. He had been a good offensive catcher and then it ended suddenly. When he lost it, he would look helpless with that one handed helicopter swing.

 

Oh god, I HATED that swing. I didn't like it with Evans either, but he managed to have great years with it. Of course, I remember reading that with Evans, it wasn't so much the swing. It was the fact that he used to change his swing from at-bat to at-bat when he was struggling. Hriniak finally got him to stick with one approach.

[Spudboy]

Blake has 2 RBIs last night.

 

And your point is?

 

He has been injured much of this season.

[cp176]

Was it a Pomeranz thing or a Vazquez thing or just me last night with the parade of trips to the mound? I didn't like it. I don't like over catching any more than I like over coaching. I think one of the reasons I like Leon is that it looks simpler to me. He puts a sign down and it just seems like the pitcher tends to throw the ball. Plus the fact that I see 0 difference in their overall abilities or future potential going forward. I don't need flashy just competent behind the plate.