Free Agent Menu: Catchers
Mike McClary
Posted on November 1, 2008
If you haven’t heard, the Tigers need a catcher. With all due respect to Dusty Ryan, I don’t think the Tigers’ Win Now-ish pitching staff can achieve its full potential — not that we’d necessarily know it if we saw it — with a rookie catcher.
Scott Boras got things buzzing this week with his push for Jason Varitek to sign with the Tigers this offseason. Who knows if the Tigers will replace 36-year-old Pudge Rodriguez with the 36-year-old Varitek, but one thing’s for sure: the Tigers have quite a selection of backstops from which to choose.
The problem? The average age of the dozen catchers that filed for free agency on Nov. 1 is 34.9. That’s years.
I’ll admit that Varitek might not be the answer but take a look at the following list and you tell me which of these catchers you’d want as your 2009 starter.
And “None of the Above” is not an acceptable answer.
*2008 salary not available
- Brad Ausmus, 39, Astros | 2008 Salary: $2,000,000
81 games, .218 avg., 3 home runs, 24 RBI, .303 OBP, .296 SLG, .600 OPS
- Henry Blanco, 37, Cubs | 2008 Salary: $3,175,000
58 G, .292, 3 HR, 12 RBI, .325 OBP, .392 SLG, .717 OPS
- Toby Hall, 33, White Sox | 2008 Salary: $1,750,000
41 G, .260, 2 HR, 7 RBI, .304 OBP, .331 SLG, .634 OPS
- Jason LaRue, 34, Cardinals | 2008 Salary: $850,000
61 G, .213, 4 HR, 21 RBI, .296 OBP, .348 SLG, .643 OPS
- Paul LoDuca, 36, Marlins | 2007 Salary: $6,250,000*
67 G, .243, 0 HR, 15 RBI, .321 OBP, .295 SLG, .616 OPS
- Adam Melhuse, 36, Rockies | 2008 Salary: $750,000
15 G, .167, 0 HR, 2 RBI, .219 OBP, .200 SLG, .419 OPS
- Chad Moeller, 33, Yankees | 2006 Salary: $700,000*
41 G, .231, 1 HR, 9 RBI, .311 OBP, .330 SLG, .640 OPS
- David Ross, 31 | 2008 Salary: $2,525,000
60 G, .225, 3 HR, 13 RBI, .369 OBP, .352 SLG, .721
- Ivan Rodriguez, 36, Yankees | 2008 Salary: $12,379,883
115 G, .276, 7 HR, 35 RBI, .319 OBP, .394 SLG, .714 OPS
- Javier Valentin, 33 | 2007 Salary: $1,250,000*
94 G, .256, 4 HR, 18 RBI, .326 OBP, .411 SLG, .737 OPS
- Jason Varitek, 36, Red Sox | 2008 Salary: $10,442,030
131 G, .220, 13 HR, 43 RBI, .313 OBP, .359 SLG, .672 OPS
- Vance Wilson, 35, Tigers | 2008 Salary: $950,000
2006 Stats: 56 G, .283, 5 HR, 18 RBI, .304 OBP, .441 SLG, .745 OPS
Um, are you sure I can’t pick NOTA? My vote is for Vance Wilson. He’ll come at a reasonable price, which is key, since we have so many holes to fill, has good experience to mentor Dusty Ryan, and I heard he’s rehabbing much better than last year.
I have to disagree with the vote for Vance Wilson. The guy hasn’t hit MLB pitching for over two years, I just don’t see him doing anything worthwhile on the field in 2009. When he had his best season as a pro in 2006 he was still only a back up, I think that’s where he belongs.
On a related note, this list is depressing.
Looks like whoever it is will be a “defensive specialist.” Which is good, since that’s probably what they need, anyway.
See my comment from Mike’s post on the Pudge trade (July 30, 2008)…
http://www.dailyfungo.com/2008/07/30/trading-pudge-a-no-brainer/#comment-50581