Catching Wright?

[dustcover]

Here's an interesting situation regarding the catcher's position. With both Hannigan and Swihart out for 15 days, the Sox naturally reached out to Pawtucket to bring up Sandy Leon as backup catcher. So who gets the enviable task of corralling Wright's knuckle ball over his next 3 or 4 starts?

[User Name]

Leon should be able to handle it.

[Slasher9]

Dig up mirabelli

[bosoxmal]

Flip a coin. Probably Leon, so as to give Vazqez a day off. Who caught him in Pawtucket? And I assume they would rather not see this young man get his neck come un-glued.

[illinoisredsox]

The way Wright's knuckler has been butterflying, catching him must be like catching 2 games. Best if it's Leon.

[SoxHop]

Good luck to whoever is the only thing I can say. Luckily passed balls don't count for a run.

[southpaw777]

I think Leon has caught him in AAA

My guess is he will take over

[cp176]

I think Leon has caught him in AAA

My guess is he will take over

 

Leon is more than capable of getting the job done. he is another one who if he could only hit...

[bosoxmal]

I guess Leon is more expendable than Vazquez. The last thing we need is for this young catcher to wind up with sore neck, arms, legs, whathaveyou and join the others on the DL. I think Wright has to make some adjustments.

[Maxbialystock]

Good thread. Difficult situation for Farrell, but I agree Leon is probably going to catch Wright, something he should be delighted to do because it gets him back in Boston. If he knows about Mirabelli, he just might see a career in catching Wright, as difficult and frustrating as that now appears to be.

[Kimmi]

I guess Leon is more expendable than Vazquez. The last thing we need is for this young catcher to wind up with sore neck, arms, legs, whathaveyou and join the others on the DL. I think Wright has to make some adjustments.

 

Leon is known as a defensive catcher, so he should be able to handle the job. That said, a knuckleball is a completely different animal. My bet is that he will be the one catching Wright though.

 

It's 'funny' how we went from having catching as a position of strength to being thin at that position in the blink of an eye.

[Spudboy]

Leon is known as a defensive catcher, so he should be able to handle the job. That said, a knuckleball is a completely different animal. My bet is that he will be the one catching Wright though.

 

It's 'funny' how we went from having catching as a position of strength to being thin at that position in the blink of an eye.

 

You aint a rooster poopin neither.

 

The same could now be said for Outfield depth as well. Castillo sucking/under performing, Holt hurt, Swihart hurt. It's young now baby! I hope that I don't have to see Castillo in left. He just cant hit well enough.

 

Then what? Lammar? Brentz? Merrero? Oye!

[a700hitter]

Leon is known as a defensive catcher, so he should be able to handle the job. That said, a knuckleball is a completely different animal. My bet is that he will be the one catching Wright though.

 

It's 'funny' how we went from having catching as a position of strength to being thin at that position in the blink of an eye.

Yep. It happened quickly.

[Emp9]

We still have our starting catcher (so the depth worked out). The day we don't I'll start to worry.

 

I predict Leon will catch Wright so well that he'll force his way as Wright's personal catcher for the next decade.

[Bellhorn04]

This means Clay can go back in the rotation. He had a 2.48 ERA pitching to Leon last year.

[dustcover]

We still have our starting catcher (so the depth worked out). The day we don't I'll start to worry.

I predict Leon will catch Wright so well that he'll force his way as Wright's personal catcher for the next decade.

Apparently not. I believe it was announced that Christian would be catching Wright on Friday, and Leon catching Rodriguez on Saturday.

[bosoxmal]

Should be interesting. Especially if he's so much better than Hanigan that will finally shake this nice guy out of his job. Ryan does turn 36 pretty soon!

[Dojji]

Some perspective on the subject of Steven Wright

 

1st in the AL in ERA

T-1st in Complete Games

2nd in ERA+

5th in innings pitched

3rd in H/9

T-9th in WHIP

Just outside the top 10 in bWAR

 

Food for thought. I have never, ever seen a pitcher who was completely off the radar explode onto the scene and emerge as aggressively as this to put up best-in-baseball type numbers. Wright is our ace, we started out joking about it but no one is joking anymore, he's the best pitcher we have and one of the best that anyone has.

[iortiz]

Definitely no one saw that coming, not even himself LOL!. It's very refreshing to watch him pitch after a year of very very bad pitching. Hopefully he can keep this level.

[Maxbialystock]

Vazquez a surprise choice but a good one. No earned runs, and the unearned one was from HanRam's errant throw and not a PB.

[dustcover]

Some perspective on the subject of Steven Wright

 

1st in the AL in ERA

T-1st in Complete Games

2nd in ERA+

5th in innings pitched

3rd in H/9

T-9th in WHIP

Just outside the top 10 in bWAR

 

Food for thought. I have never, ever seen a pitcher who was completely off the radar explode onto the scene and emerge as aggressively as this to put up best-in-baseball type numbers. Wright is our ace, we started out joking about it but no one is joking anymore, he's the best pitcher we have and one of the best that anyone has.

 

Referencing off-the-radar brings back memories of 1981 when the 20-year-old Fernando Valenzuela took Los Angeles (and Major League Baseball) by storm, winning his first 8 decisions and leading the Dodgers to the World Series. That year, Valenzuela became the only player in MLB history to win the Rookie of the Year award and the Cy Young Award in the same season; he was also awarded the Silver Slugger Award. With his youthful charm, devastating screwball, "Ruthian physique", and a connection with Los Angeles' large Latino community, Valenzuela touched off an early '80s craze dubbed "Fernandomania".

 

[moonslav59]

Vazquez a surprise choice but a good one. No earned runs, and the unearned one was from HanRam's errant throw and not a PB.

 

I asked this question before- maybe on another thread- but hadn't Vazquez and/or Swihart caught Wright in the minors? If so, how successful were they then?

[moonslav59]

I've always like Wright, and I was saddened that he never really got an extended chance before this, due mainly to injury and being blocked.

 

I was a big fan of Wakefield as well and the knuckleball in general. I used to pitch knucklers in softball.

 

Wright has perfected the art, but as we know, it is a pitch that is hard to throw really well over an extended time. As with many fastball, curveball and slider pitchers, one can "have it" one day and "lose it" the next. Let's hope Wright stays in this groove.

 

The pass balls are frustrating, but I choose to think of it this way: if a pitcher is throwing a ball that is hard to catch, imagine how hard it is to hit!

 

I remember arguing with softy the clown, who called for Wake's premature retirement after the Aaron Boone HR about it not being Wake's fault he throws a ball that is not onlu unhitable, but uncatchable as well. Imagine having a guy who throws a fastball so fast, the catcher can't see it and misses catching it often. Would we call the pitcher a bum?

[Nick]

I like the way Wright mixes in curve and fast balls (always located at the knees).....he's been impressive.

 

Also last night with runner on third and one out....I felt he had as a good chance of striking out the batter as any flame thrower....sure enough he struck out the batter....

 

I've never been a big fan of knuckle ball pitchers but Wright is growing on me...lol

[iortiz]

Referencing off-the-radar brings back memories of 1981 when the 20-year-old Fernando Valenzuela took Los Angeles (and Major League Baseball) by storm, winning his first 8 decisions and leading the Dodgers to the World Series. That year, Valenzuela became the only player in MLB history to win the Rookie of the Year award and the Cy Young Award in the same season; he was also awarded the Silver Slugger Award. With his youthful charm, devastating screwball, "Ruthian physique", and a connection with Los Angeles' large Latino community, Valenzuela touched off an early '80s craze dubbed "Fernandomania".

 

 

Great memory and post my friend. Here in Mexico all the streets were empties when he pitched. He was a phenomenon in a sport which arguably was not even at our top 3 at the time. Valenzuela is in the same top tier where only Hugo Sanchez and Julio Cesar Chavez are of all times in Mexico's sports history.

Edited June 11, 2016 by iortiz

[Spudboy]

Yeah the Valenzuela story was pretty cool.

 

Of course the Dodgers aren't off the hook for what they had done to Mexicans prior.

[bosoxmal]

I guess Hanigan doesn't have to worry about his back up job. I didn't realize Leon was this bad. He has been put into the good field, no hit category. I don't think so!

[Dojji]

Sandy Leon hits like a pitcher. That's the big reason he hasn't broken into the big leagues yet.

[Emp9]

I have to admit, Wright striking out a batter for the 3rd out and having two runs score due to it being a passed ball/wild pitch is one of the most frustrating things I've ever had to endure as a fan. If I had to complain about something, there it is. After that, everything else regarding Wright this season has been pure gold.

[Dalas21000]

We need someone that can catch Wright...Theres no point in having a knuckleball pitcher if you dnt have a catcher behind him....