Bethancourt

I'd like to keep him. Still think he projects more as a strong backup catcher than a starter on a championship club. But he's got some upside. The market for catchers is pretty thin. I wouldn't trade him unless we get one of those too-good-to-refuse offers.
 
nsacpi said:
I'd like to keep him. Still think he projects more as a strong backup catcher than a starter on a championship club. But he's got some upside. The market for catchers is pretty thin. I wouldn't trade him unless we get one of those too-good-to-refuse offers.
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I may his biggest supporter and he drives me mad, but I'd rather keep him
 
Does pitch selection generally come with age? Seems Bethancourt's biggest problem is swinging at every pitch
 
Amazing how quickly we, as a group change our opinions of players. Last week everyone had given up on him... A good week and we are all wanting to keep him.

I know I am overgeneralizing. I realize his good performance brings comments from those who like him, and a bad week brings out those who don't. I am talking about the tenor of the board. not individual posters.

I feel about him the same as I do about Jace. I see potential, and don't think it is time to give up on them. They are young and will keep getting better.
 
Braves have invested heavily in young pitching. They need a veteran catcher with a reputation of helping develop pitching more than anything right now, a guy who calls a good game, frames pitches well and notices mechanics with some idea of what needs to be done to correct bad mechanics. If that guy comes with an ability to throw out runners, get on base, drive in runs so be it. But, everything should be behind the developmental aspect. Once some of the investment in young pitching begins to bear fruit, then I think you can afford to back off that and start looking for a more rounded Catcher.

That's not Bethancourt right now. He's certainly not the driver that you wanted to hand the keys to your new Mercedes to. He may one day be, but not today.

And, it's not just him. Ivan Rodriguez in his prime wouldn't be the right guy either because he was much more interested in flashing his arm from his knees in throwing out runners than he was what was going on with the pitcher. I saw him many times get into a shake off contest with a young pitcher who didn't want to throw a fast ball out and away when Rodriguez wanted only that because he wanted to throw the runner out.
 
Horsehide Harry said:
Braves have invested heavily in young pitching. They need a veteran catcher with a reputation of helping develop pitching more than anything right now, a guy who calls a good game, frames pitches well and notices mechanics with some idea of what needs to be done to correct bad mechanics. If that guy comes with an ability to throw out runners, get on base, drive in runs so be it. But, everything should be behind the developmental aspect. Once some of the investment in young pitching begins to bear fruit, then I think you can afford to back off that and start looking for a more rounded Catcher.

That's not Bethancourt right now. He's certainly not the driver that you wanted to hand the keys to your new Mercedes to. He may one day be, but not today.

And, it's not just him. Ivan Rodriguez in his prime wouldn't be the right guy either because he was much more interested in flashing his arm from his knees in throwing out runners than he was what was going on with the pitcher. I saw him many times get into a shake off contest with a young pitcher who didn't want to throw a fast ball out and away when Rodriguez wanted only that because he wanted to throw the runner out.
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I think we will go with a veteran guy next year as primary catcher. There a five in the FA market who could fill the bill: AJ, Avila, Iannetta, Navarro and Wieters.

However, we should also keep Bethancourt and let him develop. There is some upside there. Again if we get an outstanding offer for him, we trade him like anyone else. But I wouldn't look to move him.

Btw our rotation next year isn't going to be mostly young inexperienced pitchers. I think we'll sign a veteran FA. Miller, Minor and Teheran will probably have three of the other spots and they've all had 3 or more full major league seasons.
 
nsacpi said:
I think we will go with a veteran guy next year as primary catcher. There a five in the FA market who could fill the bill: AJ, Avila, Iannetta, Navarro and Wieters.

However, we should also keep Bethancourt and let him develop. There is some upside there. Again if we get an outstanding offer for him, we trade him like anyone else. But I wouldn't look to move him.

Btw our rotation next year isn't going to be mostly young inexperienced pitchers. I think we'll sign a veteran FA. Miller, Minor and Teheran will probably have three of the other spots and they've all had 3 or more full major league seasons.
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We are pretty close here I think. I haven't looked at any defensive metrics for catchers and am not sure how valuable they would be anyway, but I do know I don't want AJ back and I think Wieters will be over-priced.

I will say that I will believe Minor is coming back for $4.5M when I see it. Unless they are seeing him hit 91, 92 with his fastball already, it looks to me like way to big a risk to take for limited return and the odds on shoulder surgery aren't as good as TJ. I also think Miller and/or Teheran could be traded (should) and FA pitching could be brought in (should).
 
Scott Boras has shown a willingness to go with a pillow contract for clients who hit free agency at a time when their value is depressed. I think that could happen with Wieters. The question is whether we will be open to something like that.
 
If CB is required in a trade to bring back a long term solution at a position of need, send him packing. Otherwise, he is too valuable as a lottery ticket.

Which of the FA catchers is considered the best defensively?
 
Enscheff said:
If CB is required in a trade to bring back a long term solution at a position of need, send him packing. Otherwise, he is too valuable as a lottery ticket.

Which of the FA catchers is considered the best defensively?
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Wieters before TJ. Now probably Iannetta.
 
nsacpi said:
Wieters before TJ. Now probably Iannetta.
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Which is the best at handling pitchers, framing, calling games, etc.? Obviously, you don't want a catcher where every single turns into an automatic double, but I think a pitching-mentor catcher is a necessity since even if you have three veteran starters, it's likely that you have 2 or more SP with little experience, then a bullpen full of those type arms.
 
nsacpi said:
I think we will go with a veteran guy next year as primary catcher. There a five in the FA market who could fill the bill: AJ, Avila, Iannetta, Navarro and Wieters.

However, we should also keep Bethancourt and let him develop. There is some upside there. Again if we get an outstanding offer for him, we trade him like anyone else. But I wouldn't look to move him.

Btw our rotation next year isn't going to be mostly young inexperienced pitchers. I think we'll sign a veteran FA. Miller, Minor and Teheran will probably have three of the other spots and they've all had 3 or more full major league seasons.
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I'm skeptical that Mike Minor will ever pitch again with the injury he had, much less be penciled into the starting rotation. The Braves will still have Matt Wisler and Mike Foltynewicz in the rotation that need a strong defensive catcher to aid in their development.
 
There were some hints about a month ago that they plan to bring Minor back. He's been throwing, maybe even off the mound, recently.
 
nsacpi said:
There were some hints about a month ago that they plan to bring Minor back. He's been throwing, maybe even off the mound, recently.
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It's the nature of his injury. If he returns to form after this injury, he has beaten long odds.
 
If there's a team out there that values Bethancourt as a long-term option to start at catcher, I think the Braves will and should trade him. If the league just values him as a backup, I would hold on to him. I think he'll be traded.
 
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