21 possible backup catchers
Inspired (and expensive) choices |
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Toby Hall |
LAD | 31 | Has hit lefties to tune of .292/.333/.500 over course of career. Most talented and expensive option. Only costs money now. |
Ryan Doumit |
PIT | 25 | Switch-hitter, can handle both sides of plate, shows plus power, career ~.360 CS rate, possible successor to AJ. |
Jeff Mathis |
LAA |
23 | Has hit in the minors, especially against lefties, but hasn’t shown much in brief time in majors. Threw out only 20 percent of runners in limited experience |
A step down |
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Yorvit Torrealba |
COL |
28 | Career line of .281/.346/.502 against lefties, throws out at least 33 percent of runners. Balky shoulder keeps him from being full-timer. |
Josh Paul |
TB | 31 |
Remember him? Career .272/.340/.418 line against lefties, ~25 percent CS rate |
Robby Hammock |
ARI |
29 | Career .280/.333/.471 hitter against lefties, coming off shoulder surgery, ~30 percent CS rate |
Humberto Cota |
PIT | 27 | Never panned out in Pittsburgh, in his fullest season hit .294/.315/.482 against lefties, no threat against righties. ~30 percent CS rate |
Interchangeable |
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Matt Treanor |
FLA | 31 | Mr. Misty May gets on-base despite not being able to hit for power. .268/.348/.366 against lefties, threw out 16 of 34 runners last year. |
J.D. Closser |
MIL | 27 | Hit better in minors than majors thanks in part to altitude; high-20s CS rate; no real track record against lefties |
Mike Rivera |
MIL | 30 | No real track record against lefties, lucky to get 25 percent of runners thrown out |
Jeff Clement |
SEA |
23 | Possible future replacement, mentioned because his name has popped up. Lefty, can’t hit lefties. I have no concept of his throwing arm. |
Miguel Ojeda |
TEX |
30 | Signed to back up Laird, but might become available if Piazza signs. Hits lefties better, decent throwing arm. |
Wiki Gonzalez |
WAS | 31 | Career .278/.355/.439 against lefties, holds his own throwing runners out. Getting old. |
Mystery men |
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Paul Phillips |
KC | 29 | Career minor-leaguer, but has hit in limited big-league experience. Hit lefties better than righties in minors, threw out 4 of 9 at major-league level |
Guillermo Quiroz |
SEA | 24 |
Came out of nowhere to post .304 .359 .428 line in Triple-A, no idea if it’s real, stuck behind Johjima and Rivera in Seattle. |
Rob Bowen |
SD | 25 | Switch-hitter, weird minor-league track record, appears to be better against righties, no throwing arm |
Brandon Harper |
WAS |
30 | Took his sweet time getting to majors, but hit well when he did. 0-for-9 throwing out runners last year |
Almost as depressing as Alomar |
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Chad Moeller |
MIL |
35 |
Not a lot of success against lefties, 25-30 percent CS rate |
Sal Fasano |
NYY |
35 |
Chicago native; career .228/.305/.449 against lefties, kick-ass mustache, look for fork sticking out of back |
Adam Melhuse |
OAK | 35 | Switch-hitter, decent at throwing out runners, no real track record against lefties, but has shown at least some power. Pretty old, too. |
Mike Rose |
STL |
30 |
Career minor-leaguer, nothing to report here. Only on list because he’s better than Alomar/Widger |