November 1, 2008

Free Agent Menu: Catchers

By Mike McClary in Featured, Hot Stove | 4 comments

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.
Catcher.jpg

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

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4 Comment(s)

  1. Jennifer | Nov 1, 2008 | Reply

    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.

  2. Blake | Nov 2, 2008 | Reply

    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.

  3. Jim Craddock | Nov 4, 2008 | Reply

    Looks like whoever it is will be a “defensive specialist.” Which is good, since that’s probably what they need, anyway.

  4. Spartan Nate | Nov 5, 2008 | Reply

    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

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