#BlueJays and C Jarrod Saltalamacchia nearing an agreement, per source:

[closetjaysfan]

might give extra incentive to Jimenez

[gruber92]

Reese McGuire will have a great spring and create some head scratching. He projects to be a backup catcher regardless, so f*** giving him playing time in the minors next year. He's the best backup we have as of right now.

[KingKat]

Reese McGuire will have a great spring and create some head scratching. He projects to be a backup catcher regardless, so f*** giving him playing time in the minors next year. He's the best backup we have as of right now.

 

McGuire's only 21. At that age, he could realistically be still be playing College Ball. You can't just assume that all his development is done and that he can't improve his projection.

[THANOS]

McGuire's only 21. At that age, he could realistically be still be playing College Ball. You can't just assume that all his development is done and that he can't improve his projection.

 

Especially because his bat doesn't even have to be amazing to be solid catcher in the MLB, it just has to become decent.

[burlingtonbandit]

On the bright side, it makes me more comfortable to hear that it's a minor league signing. Hey maybe they can get Russ to teach him how to be a better framer, it's unlikely but it has happened before.

 

When has that happened before?

 

You need to revamp the coaching staff if Russ is the only one who can help him with his receiving skills.

[Spanky99]

might give extra incentive to Jimenez

 

lol... to do what exactly, he is what he is. A back-up catcher.

[The Cats Ass]

McGuire's only 21. At that age, he could realistically be still be playing College Ball. You can't just assume that all his development is done and that he can't improve his projection.

 

I'd send him to AA or AAA and leave him there for the year. Which ever team has the better hitting coach. Bring him up next year(2018) so that way he might be able to learn some things from Martin.

[Orgfiller]

When has that happened before?

 

You need to revamp the coaching staff if Russ is the only one who can help him with his receiving skills.

 

I was thinking Chris Iannetta, though he went back to being terrible the season after so...

[KingKat]

I'd send him to AA or AAA and leave him there for the year.

 

I'm convinced that the team will do the same. They are filling out the 40 with other names. Assuming he doesn't have a bad season, McGuire would make sense if they need a longer term replacement for Martin but bringing him up for spot duty would be a waste.

Edited January 25, 2017 by KingKat

[Angrioter]

Especially because his bat doesn't even have to be amazing to be solid catcher in the MLB, it just has to become decent.

 

 

2015 Jason Castro 79 wRC+, 1.5 fWAR

2010 Yadier Molina 84 wRC+, 2.3 fWAR

2015 Salvador Perez 86 wRC+, 1.5 fWAR

2015 J.T. Realmuto 88 wRC+, 2.0 fWAR

[Brownie19]

Stat scouting here - but is J.T. Realmuto a reasonable comparison to Reese McGuire?

[Spanky99]

Stat scouting here - but is J.T. Realmuto a reasonable comparison to Reese McGuire?

 

Realmuto has a better bat and can run... I don't think so, similar numbers in the MILB though.

[TheHurl]

Stat scouting here - but is J.T. Realmuto a reasonable comparison to Reese McGuire?

 

Not nearly as athletic, but both had similar pop times (really good) and get great reviews on their blocking. Looks like Reese also might have similar poor framing skills though. Would be good to see him repeat AA like Realmuto did and work on the receiving and bat a bit. Realmuto with even average framing skills would be a lot to ask for a comp. A taller Tucker Barnhart is my Reese BCS comp.

[Angrioter]

Stat scouting here - but is J.T. Realmuto a reasonable comparison to Reese McGuire?

 

Nah

 

Realmuto is Jason Kendall type

[TholesWeirdEye]

Well at least they signed someone to compete for the backup job. Gotta love those switch hitting catchers...

[Brownie19]

Nah

 

Realmuto is Jason Kendall type

 

I assume you mean because he can run well and steal some bases, but Kendall's bat was significantly better than Realmuto's...Jason Kendall may finish with more WAR over his career than Yadi....let that one sink in.

 

Realmuto didn't hit a lot in the minors and appears to be that rare case of a player who hits better in the majors than he did in the minors (errr maybe last year will be a career year offensively). I don't think there's anyway to look at Reese and predict a similar outcome unfortunately.

[fatcowxlive]

Minor league signings are always good!

 

Also like the incentive, cheap and gives him reason to try his best to get back to the majors (as if getting back to the MLB isn't big enough incentive)

[Nafro]

I assume you mean because he can run well and steal some bases, but Kendall's bat was significantly better than Realmuto's...Jason Kendall may finish with more WAR over his career than Yadi....let that one sink in.

 

Realmuto didn't hit a lot in the minors and appears to be that rare case of a player who hits better in the majors than he did in the minors (errr maybe last year will be a career year offensively). I don't think there's anyway to look at Reese and predict a similar outcome unfortunately.

 

You can and you will!

[Terminator]

So from 2011 to 2015 Salty was a pretty useful player in terms of WAR. Didn't really have one bad season. But his framing is bad right? So it cancels all that out and he's pretty much replacement?

[JaysFan4Ever]

He's far from the best candidate, but he's also not a bad idea to have in the event Martin goes down for a bit. According to what I've read on Rotoworld, if it's accurate, it's a minor's deal, with a non guaranteed salary of $1.25, with the $250K incentives. Like many have said, he'd have to earn his way on the team, since he has at least two guys ahead of him in A.J. Jimenez, Juan Graterol, already on the roster, and Mike Ohlman, Alex Monsalve, Reese McGuire all receiving nonroster invites, though the latter two are a bit young, and Reese McGuire bat hasn't really come around, so maybe sometime in the minors will be better for him.

 

Worst case Salty doesn't make the team, heads to the minors for sometime, then gets released per some clause in the contract that allows him to request his release if he's not on the 25 man roster by a certain date, or they just decide to cut him. I think they might hold onto him as long as they can since he'll get a prorated major's amount of that $1.125, and it's nonguaranteed, so if they release him if he's on the 25 man roster, they don't have to pay him a penny after that. Maybe he'll try harder to prove himself and earn that money, and maybe Martin can help. I'd rather have a more defensive minded backup, but if he winds up with it, with AJ being outrighted to AAA, Graterol getting optioned, and the others returned to minor's camp, he'll probably be given some kind of leash where if he blows it defensively and offensively, and someone in the minors is doing better, he's gone, outrighted, and someone else is up.

 

It's kind of a win-win situation for the Jays since it's a minor's contract, gives a little more depth, competition, and if he doesn't work out, oh well, he's a non factor like he would be if he wasn't here. If he manages to turn it around and can be at least average, and help out at the big league level, then it's a win.

 

One more catcher for depth, and competition. If he makes the club, he gets a non guaranteed amount of money, so it's no big deal either way. He makes the team, he has to earn it. If he blows it, someone else might be able to get a shot.

[Frenchsoup]

I really don't see how this guy helps the organization at all.

[TholesWeirdEye]

The real question is, what does Zaun think of this?

 

[KingKat]

I really don't see how this guy helps the organization at all.

 

I just see him as a cheap plan B for Jimenez. Presumably the main reason he's here is that he's cheap. This should give the team the financial flexibility to make another signing.

[Frenchsoup]

It's just settling for a crappy catcher imo.

[BTS]

It's just settling for a crappy catcher imo.

 

It's a minor league deal. He'll compete with Jimenez, McGuire, and Graterol for the backup job as things stand. It's not like there's better available on the FA market.

[Dr. Dinger]

It's a minor league deal. He'll compete with Jimenez, McGuire, and Graterol for the backup job as things stand. It's not like there's better available on the FA market.

 

There are like 5 good catchers in baseball. I'm not sure why so many people around here are up in arms about our backup catcher.

[Frenchsoup]

It's a minor league deal. He'll compete with Jimenez, McGuire, and Graterol for the backup job as things stand. It's not like there's better available on the FA market.

 

Salty's the only catcher I wouldn't have signed, but good luck to him. This has Cherrington stamped all over it.

[Spanky99]

It's just settling for a crappy catcher imo.

 

Minor League Contract... with an invite, bro.

[Spanky99]

He's far from the best candidate, but he's also not a bad idea to have in the event Martin goes down for a bit. According to what I've read on Rotoworld, if it's accurate, it's a minor's deal, with a non guaranteed salary of $1.25, with the $250K incentives. Like many have said, he'd have to earn his way on the team, since he has at least two guys ahead of him in A.J. Jimenez, Juan Graterol, already on the roster, and Mike Ohlman, Alex Monsalve, Reese McGuire all receiving nonroster invites, though the latter two are a bit young, and Reese McGuire bat hasn't really come around, so maybe sometime in the minors will be better for him.

 

Worst case Salty doesn't make the team, heads to the minors for sometime, then gets released per some clause in the contract that allows him to request his release if he's not on the 25 man roster by a certain date, or they just decide to cut him. I think they might hold onto him as long as they can since he'll get a prorated major's amount of that $1.125, and it's nonguaranteed, so if they release him if he's on the 25 man roster, they don't have to pay him a penny after that. Maybe he'll try harder to prove himself and earn that money, and maybe Martin can help. I'd rather have a more defensive minded backup, but if he winds up with it, with AJ being outrighted to AAA, Graterol getting optioned, and the others returned to minor's camp, he'll probably be given some kind of leash where if he blows it defensively and offensively, and someone in the minors is doing better, he's gone, outrighted, and someone else is up.

 

It's kind of a win-win situation for the Jays since it's a minor's contract, gives a little more depth, competition, and if he doesn't work out, oh well, he's a non factor like he would be if he wasn't here. If he manages to turn it around and can be at least average, and help out at the big league level, then it's a win.

 

One more catcher for depth, and competition. If he makes the club, he gets a non guaranteed amount of money, so it's no big deal either way. He makes the team, he has to earn it. If he blows it, someone else might be able to get a shot.

 

Wall of text to say, hope s*** works out.

[Rusty_Savage]

It's just settling for a crappy catcher imo.

 

Yeah cause we should have traded for Posey to back up