Russel Martin plans to catch RA Dickey

[G-Snarls]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/jays-martin-expects-to-catch-dickeys-knuckler/

[G-Snarls]

Suddenly neither Thole nor Navarro seem like appropriate backups. I'd prefer Navarro so we have a good bench bat maybe but he's too much money for that.

[flafson]

Well, good luck to him.

What i'm scared of, then he will start the year bad and then everyone will say Martin had a bad year cause he had to deal with RA's balls.

[jays4life19]

They better let Russell Martin catch Dickey. He's like the third-best player on the team, having him sit every five days would be stupid. There's no evidence Thole is anything special with the knuckleball either, Martin's pitch-framing skills would probably especially come in handy with Dickey.

 

Do you feel like it would be harder to frame a knuckleball since you don't really know where it's going and have to grab it at the last second?

[NorthOf49]

Well, good luck to him.

What i'm scared of, then he will start the year bad and then everyone will say Martin had a bad year cause he had to deal with RA's balls.

Should they sit Bautista regularly because they're scared if he plays too often his temper will get the best of him and sink the team? No. Let the best players play.

 

Do you feel like it would be harder to frame a knuckleball since you don't really know where it's going and have to grab it at the last second?

I think the fact that the Blue Jays have only let Thole catch Dickey has caused the whole catching the knuckleball thing to be overblown. Plenty of catchers in history have adjusted to it just fine. Russell Martin is an elite athlete behind the plate, he'd probably adjust pretty quickly if given the whole spring.

[Governator]

Just because he plans to, doesn't mean he should. From risking injuries to wearing him out there is good reason for him not to. It's been 6 years since he's caught > 140 games and he can still provide a useful DH bat on Dickey days.

[jays4life19]

Should they sit Bautista regularly because they're scared if he plays too often his temper will get the best of him and sink the team? No. Let the best players play.

 

 

I think the fact that the Blue Jays have only let Thole catch Dickey has caused the whole catching the knuckleball thing to be overblown. Plenty of catchers in history have adjusted to it just fine. Russell Martin is an elite athlete behind the plate, he'd probably adjust pretty quickly if given the whole spring.

 

I agree with this.

[TDotttt2005]

It has been overblown. In '91 the Jays acquired Candiotti, and there wasn't any drama over who would catch him. Borders and Myers were our catchers, and so they caught Candiotti's knuckleball. Done and Done. I hate that we have to waste a roster spot just to have someone to catch what amounts to our 3rd starter.

 

I still hope Dickey is traded.

[jays4life19]

I just read the article....lol

 

Martin acknowledges it's not really a pitch you try and frame.

 

“The receiving component of it kind of goes out the window, your thoughts are, ‘Just catch the ball.’ Really, there’s no framing the pitch, or making it look good, it’s a cross-mix of a first baseman’s glove and a catcher’s glove, it’s a bit bigger, and you just try to centre the ball in a good part of the glove.” - Martin.

[AdamGreenwood]

They better let Russell Martin catch Dickey. He's like the third-best player on the team, having him sit every five days would be stupid. There's no evidence Thole is anything special with the knuckleball either, Martin's pitch-framing skills would probably especially come in handy with Dickey.

 

"having him sit every five days would be stupid"

 

Ummm...you know he's a catcher right?

[Angrioter]

DFA Thole, Trade Navarro, AJ Jimenez + s*** backup

[Governator]

Pretty certain Thole will stay on the roster for insurance unless Dickey is traded. He did manage a .250/.320 bat playing every 5th day and he is a capable knuckleball catcher. If you're expectations are that Martin is going to come in here and catch 150 games you're going to be sadly mistaken and I'd rather our backup be one who can stop the knuckleball.

[NorthOf49]

"having him sit every five days would be stupid"

 

Ummm...you know he's a catcher right?

Yes? He won't catch for any least 30 games no matter what, but I'd rather they create a more personalized rest schedule than "every five games." Have him sit when he actually expresses that he's wearing down.

[NorthOf49]

You'd also open the team up to employing a better backup catcher than Thole... having Thole locked into the roster all season is annoying. Flexibility is good, folks.

[Brownie19]

Yes? He won't catch for any least 30 games no matter what, but I'd rather they create a more personalized rest schedule than "every five games." Have him sit when he actually expresses that he's wearing down.

 

Martin is going to need rest regardless. Wouldn't we assume Martin would develop a stronger bond/relationship if he only had 4 guys to work with instead of 5? Wouldn't his framing skills and game calling skills be best utilized catching the traditional pitchers? And thus wouldn't it be best to have Thole catch Dickey once every 5 days?

 

The catch 22 is that in the playoffs (ie, the goal here) you'd want Martin catching every game. He'd have to catch Dickey A LOT to do that (to be comfortable enough) and thus he'd have to get his "rest" when the traditional pitchers are on the mound, thus decreasing his value as a pitch framer and game caller (not much game calling with Dickey out there).

[HERPDERP]

I can't believe y'all are seriously considering letting Martin catch Dickey.

 

Granted, Arencibia is nothing compared to Martin, but this is a knuckleball we're talking about. When was the last time Martin caught a knuckler? Probably never.

 

He'll only have 2 months to work on a knuckler. That's also with learning the entire pitching staff and other responsibilities.

 

I do not have confidence that Martin will be able to catch the knuckler effectively. You need more time to learn it.

 

And you guys want to dump Thole? RA's personal catcher for the last 3-4 seasons?

 

Then we'd watch the Yankees scoop up Thole and then ask for Aaron Sanchez when we suddenly realize we could use him when Martin fails.

 

I don't care about the deadweight of Thole on this roster. It's a sunk cost.

 

Y'all pretend that getting rid of Thole will not have an impact on Dickey. It will, and it will be disastrous.

[jays4life19]

I can't believe y'all are seriously considering letting Martin catch Dickey.

 

Granted, Arencibia is nothing compared to Martin, but this is a knuckleball we're talking about. When was the last time Martin caught a knuckler? Probably never.

 

He'll only have 2 months to work on a knuckler. That's also with learning the entire pitching staff and other responsibilities.

 

I do not have confidence that Martin will be able to catch the knuckler effectively. You need more time to learn it.

 

And you guys want to dump Thole? RA's personal catcher for the last 3-4 seasons?

 

Then we'd watch the Yankees scoop up Thole and then ask for Aaron Sanchez when we suddenly realize we could use him when Martin fails.

 

I don't care about the deadweight of Thole on this roster. It's a sunk cost.

 

Y'all pretend that getting rid of Thole will not have an impact on Dickey. It will, and it will be disastrous.

 

He has. As stated in the first paragraph in the article. Granted it's not much. I don't see any reason why he can't.

[intentional wok]

Yeah. Thole learned and I don't think he exactly had to go through a doctorate program for it.

[BTS]

I like how we have this narrative that Josh Thole has some rare ability to catch a knuckleball that can't be replaced.

[L54]

I'd be interested to hear from those who want to keep Thole as to what intangibles Thole has that make him a better option than Martin.

 

Martin is a professional athlete. He will be able to make the adjustments necessary to catch Dickey. I'm sure this was brought up when he signed.

 

Stash Thole in AAA. Since his only value seems to be the ability to catch a knuckleball I see no reason why he wouldn't clear waivers.

[L54]

I'm curious which 2 players you have ranked ahead of Martin.

 

Josh Donaldson and Jose Bautista.

[GD]

Jason Veritek caught Tim Wakefield

[L54]

I like how we have this narrative that Josh Thole has some rare ability to catch a knuckleball that can't be replaced.

 

Exactly this.

[NorthOf49]

I'm curious which 2 players you have ranked ahead of Martin.

Donaldson and Bautista. Even after factoring in framing I'd have him behind those two.

[CrackerJack]

Give Martin the chance to catch Dickey. (lol at Thole being the only dude who can do it.)

 

I like Navarro ... well I like his bat ... and prefer him as the backup over Thole ... but (for a team with perhaps not much left in the budget) they don't want to spend 5M on Martin's backup and so hopefully we can get a decent bullpen piece for Dioner ... but if we're not being offered anything of value in a trade (before the season starts) then Thole shouldn't break camp with the big club.

[KingKat]

Whether or not he’s able to do so successfully will determine just how feasible GM Alex Anthopoulos’s plans are of retaining incumbent starter Dioner Navarro to serve as Martin’s backup, bumping Josh Thole to triple-A Buffalo.

 

Anyone know where Shi is getting this? This is the first I've heard of thess "plans".

[Frenchsoup]

I can't believe y'all are seriously considering letting Martin catch Dickey.

 

Granted, Arencibia is nothing compared to Martin, but this is a knuckleball we're talking about. When was the last time Martin caught a knuckler? Probably never.

 

He'll only have 2 months to work on a knuckler. That's also with learning the entire pitching staff and other responsibilities.

 

I do not have confidence that Martin will be able to catch the knuckler effectively. You need more time to learn it.

 

And you guys want to dump Thole? RA's personal catcher for the last 3-4 seasons?

 

Then we'd watch the Yankees scoop up Thole and then ask for Aaron Sanchez when we suddenly realize we could use him when Martin fails.

 

I don't care about the deadweight of Thole on this roster. It's a sunk cost.

 

Y'all pretend that getting rid of Thole will not have an impact on Dickey. It will, and it will be disastrous.

 

Kratz looked pretty good at catching it last year no?

 

Also the Jays are paying Thole what 1.25 mill next year, no one would ever claim him.

[The Cats Ass]

We gave f***ing JPA a chance to catch Dickey, we better give Martin the same chance.

[G-Snarls]

Anyone know where Shi is getting this? This is the first I've heard of thess "plans".

 

And does Thole even have an option left?

[KingKat]

And does Thole even have an option left?

 

Yeah I wondered about that too. Hell of a thing to just drop into his article without further explanation.