Catchers

[msstate7]

AJ WAR = -0.8 (25 games)
Flowers WAR = -0.3 (22 games)
Bethancourt WAR = 0.3 (20 games)

Did we give up too early? I would've enjoyed watching bethancourt catch every day this year even if he failed.

[smootness]

I think we gave up too early (in reality, about 2 years ago). That said, there was something about him the organization just didn't believe in or like, so I'm not all that upset about it.

[The Chosen One]

In hindsight giving Mac a contract was something I wish we did. I know we had Gattis as a cheap option but Mac was such a great catcher. Framed pitches as well as Lucroy.

[Russ2dollas]

Yes we did

But I think flowers is going to be a good sign.

Sss applies. And catcher defensive metrics...

[msstate7]

Also, bethancourt is slugging at .578. AJ is at .264. Flowers at .338.

[msstate7]

Looking at dWAR...

AJ = -0.4
Flowers = -0.4
Bethancourt = 0.1

[nsacpi]

Catcher is our biggest organizational weakness. It is the one position that I would be willing to overpay some this off-season, whether it be overpay in a trade or FA acquisition. Any other trade I would want to "win" in terms of expected surplus value.

[The Chosen One]

Man there was a time we had Mac and Salty and then drafted Flowers and Bethancourt. What happened to our catcher depth.

[nsacpi]

Man there was a time we had Mac and Salty and then drafted Flowers and Bethancourt. What happened to our catcher depth.

Losing Laird was something too massive to overcome.

[cajunrevenge]

I am expecting a trade for Lucroy at some point. He is known to be very good at handling young pitchers.

[Braves1976]

I am expecting a trade for Lucroy at some point. He is known to be very good at handling young pitchers.

I like Lucroy but he'll demand a lot in a trade at the deadline and in a lost year all we'll get back is his option year 2017 before he becomes a free agent. I am not wanting to give up a lot for having him just for 2017. I'd rather sign Ramos to a multi-year deal via free agency than do that. We have money we need to spend somewhere anyhow.

[CyYoung31]

Man there was a time we had Mac and Salty and then drafted Flowers and Bethancourt. What happened to our catcher depth.

There was also a time when we had 4 different All-Star catchers over a 20+ year period (Olson, Lopez, Estrada, McCann), and would have been 5 had Gattis not gotten injured right before the end of balloting in 2014.

It looked like with Gattis and Bethancourt coming up that we were just going to be strong at that position forever. Ironic that it is such a weakness now.

[bravos4evr]

It's not just us, league wide catcher has really fallen off. between 2010 and 2012 18 catchers averaged 1.5 WAR a year and 15 averaged over a 100 wRC+, since then, (2013-2015) only 13 have averaged over 1.5 WAR a year and only 11 have a wRC+ over 100. and this season ( true it is early still) only 10 have a wRC+ over 100 (with at least 90 PA's) Many of these guys are older too ( Mac, Molina, Ianetta, Salty,Weiters and Lucroy are all 30 or older) MLB needs an influx of good young catchers or it might end up back in the 80's where it seemed like there were 5 good hitting catchers and everyone else had to make do with Bruce Benedict types

[rawwr]

It's not just us, league wide catcher has really fallen off. between 2010 and 2012 18 catchers averaged 1.5 WAR a year and 15 averaged over a 100 wRC+, since then, (2013-2015) only 13 have averaged over 1.5 WAR a year and only 11 have a wRC+ over 100. and this season ( true it is early still) only 10 have a wRC+ over 100 (with at least 90 PA's) Many of these guys are older too ( Mac, Molina, Ianetta, Salty,Weiters and Lucroy are all 30 or older) MLB needs an influx of good young catchers or it might end up back in the 80's where it seemed like there were 5 good hitting catchers and everyone else had to make do with Bruce Benedict types

I have a suspicion that a lot of this dropoff is due to the recent emphasis on pitch-framing when valuing catchers. I believe (although I might be mistaken), that the defensive component of fWAR does not take pitch framing ability into account. Assuming that's true, it could lead to a number of catchers being sought out for a skill that doesn't show up in the more common metrics we usually cite to compare players.

[Carp]

No.

Way to short of a sample size for CB. He has exactly 1 walk in 40 at bats. And a 1/10 BB/K ratio. That isn't going to cut it. He'll plummet back down before too long.

[msstate7]

Do we have any legitimate catching prospect in our farm right now? Also, who was the catcher we traded to the Cubs a few years back?

[blueagleace1]

Do we have any legitimate catching prospect in our farm right now? Also, who was the catcher we traded to the Cubs a few years back?

I believe you're referring to Victor Caratini

[Braves1976]

I believe you're referring to Victor Caratini

Yes, Victor can hit but he's not much of a catcher defensively. A lot of passed balls last time I saw him in AA.

[blueagleace1]

Yes, Victor can hit but he's not much of a catcher defensively. A lot of passed balls last time I saw him in AA.

Yes that's why he was traded, Braves also had him try 3B before the trade as well. I was just answering his question.

[Braves1976]

Yes that's why he was traded, Braves also had him try 3B before the trade as well. I was just answering his question.

I know, I was just saying along with agreeing with you on who he is thinking about.