Pick your 2014 starting catcher and contract

[saskjayfan]

Yankees should have kept him...

 

The question is how much will the Yankees spend on acquiring a free agent catcher....It' s not just a matter of the jays wanting ruiz or McCann, but it's their ability to sign one of them.

[bendera3]

True, but I kinda viewed that post as the Phillies won't overpay to keep him so they will allow him to see what his market value is.

[G-Snarls]

The question is how much will the Yankees spend on acquiring a free agent catcher....It' s not just a matter of the jays wanting ruiz or McCann, but it's their ability to sign one of them.

 

Right you are

 

And the Yankees are just as desperate at catcher as we are. Their s***** starting catcher is suspended.

[ace3113]

You didn't follow that post back correctly? I think, anyhow I wouldn't be offering up Stroman/Jimenez and one of Hutch/Nolin or Drabek for Lucroy, you could save all that value and sign a FA behind the dish.

 

Oh, I agree completely with not wanting to pay a steep price for anything other than a top-of-the-rotation type of starter. I just meant we need rotation upgrades, not simply depth which he seem to have a lot of. My preferred targets (if we have the money to do it) are Garza and Tanaka. They wouldn't cost us anything but money and would slot in nicely anywhere from 1-3 in our rotation.

 

If we signed them then maybe we can offload some excess pitching for prospects that we could them trade for a guy like Lucroy perhaps.

[saskjayfan]

Right you are

 

And the Yankees are just as desperate at catcher as we are. Their s***** starting catcher is suspended.

 

I really supported JPA. His attitude never bothered me. I thought he would progress and show more patience at the plate, improve his OBP and average just slightly which combined with his power would make him a decent catcher even given his defensive liabilities. He's done the opposite...regressed and his unwillingness to adjust in situational at bats was frustrating beyond belief. I'm worried we won't be able to sign one of the top catchers and this is a definite need. One average catcher and one solid starting pitcher and I would call it a decent offseason. McCann is the obvious choice, but I think the jays will be priced out on this acquisition.

[kgm1]

Improving the defense is priority #1 and the catcher position is the most glaring of those holes . I was firmly behind JPA improving this year but that didn't happen so we need to move on . Obviously McCann is the far superior option here . Power left handed bat that is decent defensively but i really don't expect that . I like Suzuki or Chooch . both would be great .

 

Top of rotation pitching is priority #2 but there just aren't a lot of guys that fill that bill and they will have tons of suitors . Not one has wanted to come here since AJ so we may have to pray the current group rebounds . I like Jorge De La Rosa as a guy we might be able to get .

Edited September 10, 2013 by kgm1

[reedjohnsonfan]

One of the pro's of A.J. Pierzynski is he would probably tell everyone to f***off if they whined lol

 

I actually think Pierzynski would be a great option. No he's not spectacular behind the plate but he's clearly much better than JPA. Use Thole or get Molina to catch Dickey and you have a pretty decent catching tandem. This is assuming McCann and Ruiz get way overpaid, which they will IMO. The biggest problem is SP so a serviceable catcher is still a huge upgrade over JPA, doesn't have to be the best options on the FA market.

[Laika]

I actually think Pierzynski would be a great option. No he's not spectacular behind the plate but he's clearly much better than JPA. Use Thole or get Molina to catch Dickey and you have a pretty decent catching tandem. This is assuming McCann and Ruiz get way overpaid, which they will IMO. The biggest problem is SP so a serviceable catcher is still a huge upgrade over JPA, doesn't have to be the best options on the FA market.

 

I also wouldn't mind Pierzynski.

 

He doesn't walk, he doesn't play good D, he'll be 37 years old, and he doesn't have big time power... but he's consistent, he has a hit tool, he brings experience, and most importantly, he should be pretty cheap and available on a one year deal.

[G-Snarls]

Arencibia

 

I wish we knew there was zero chance of this

[G-Snarls]

Arencibia

 

Speaking of below average tool sets...

[Chappy]

Pretty much anyone would be an improvement. Hopefully this is addressed in the winter otherwise any other efforts to improve the team may very well be pointless.

[kgm1]

Pretty much anyone would be an improvement. Hopefully this is addressed in the winter otherwise any other efforts to improve the team may very well be pointless.

 

As bad as some think AA is HE knows this is the biggest hole both defensively and offensively . JPA should have been optioned down soon after the allstar break . This will be AA,s first priority and I expect him to overpay to get Ruiz . Hell Everyone would love McCann but I'm realistic as to who we can get .

[Chappy]

As bad as some think AA is HE knows this is the biggest hole both defensively and offensively . JPA should have been optioned down soon after the allstar break . This will be AA,s first priority and I expect him to overpay to get Ruiz . Hell Everyone would love McCann but I'm realistic as to who we can get .

 

I would like to think he will address the catching situation and quite frankly expect it to happen if he is serious about this team contending. If not then his days are numbered.

[G-Snarls]

As bad as some think AA is HE knows this is the biggest hole both defensively and offensively . JPA should have been optioned down soon after the allstar break . This will be AA,s first priority and I expect him to overpay to get Ruiz . Hell Everyone would love McCann but I'm realistic as to who we can get .

 

I hope (and believe) that you're right. AA thought JP was going to get better and he hasn't.

 

Fortunately, there seem to be 4-5 free agent catchers who we be upgrades and still cost less than McCann will

[bendera3]

I hope (and believe) that you're right. AA thought JP was going to get better and he hasn't.

 

Fortunately, there seem to be 4-5 free agent catchers who we be upgrades and still cost less than McCann will

 

I also think that AA said that JP was his guy as a way to keep his trade value up during the off season. If I remember correctly, it originally was JP that was going to the Mets, not d'Arnaud. It wouldn't surprise me if AA has tried to trade JP throughout the year, it just so happens that he has seemingly gotten worse throughout the year.