February 12, 200719 yr With today being the 26th anniversary of the White Sox acquisition of Marc Hill, I got to thinking: Is Toby Hall the typical backup catcher? I can see him getting more playing time than the typical reserve backstop. I love the guy and think he is a great player but AJ Pierzynski lagged defensively a year ago and may be starting to show some wear and tear from his extended action behind the plate over the last few years. On paper, this is the best catching tandem the Sox have had since ... LaValliere and Karkovice? Hill was a solid backup to Fisk but he came to the Sox with nowhere near the resume that Hall has or LaValliere had. I wouldn't be surprised if Hall got 250-300 at bats. I wouldn't blame Ozzie if he used Hall as a late-inning defensive replacement. It will be interesting to see how this all pans out. www.whitesoxalmanac.com
February 12, 200719 yr Well, I doubt Ozzie would ever replace the catcher for fear of an injury. But, I absolutely love this signing. It just works in so many different ways. I hope he even gets a chance to DH once in a while against tough lefties.
February 12, 200719 yr Toby Hall was a fabulous pick-up. He'll receive between 300-400 at bats this season, you watch.
February 12, 200719 yr QUOTE(StatManDu @ Feb 12, 2007 -> 09:29 AM) With today being the 26th anniversary of the White Sox acquisition of Marc Hill, I got to thinking: Is Toby Hall the typical backup catcher? I can see him getting more playing time than the typical reserve backstop. I love the guy and think he is a great player but AJ Pierzynski lagged defensively a year ago and may be starting to show some wear and tear from his extended action behind the plate over the last few years. On paper, this is the best catching tandem the Sox have had since ... LaValliere and Karkovice? Hill was a solid backup to Fisk but he came to the Sox with nowhere near the resume that Hall has or LaValliere had. I wouldn't be surprised if Hall got 250-300 at bats. I wouldn't blame Ozzie if he used Hall as a late-inning defensive replacement. It will be interesting to see how this all pans out. www.whitesoxalmanac.com Hall should get a good deal of playing time. AJ is still the starter and will handle the load but he clearly tired down the stretch last year. I think Hall will play against the vast majority of Left handed starters and will even come in late in games on ocassion (if we have big leads) to give Aj a bit of a rest. I also think people vastly underrate Hall's defensive abilities. He's got a pretty good arm behind the plate.
February 12, 200719 yr i like the signing as well. Hall is a gamer and can provide depth for us at a couple of postions.
February 12, 200719 yr QUOTE(soxfan3530 @ Feb 12, 2007 -> 02:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> i like the signing as well. Hall is a gamer and can provide depth for us at a couple of postions. He's played a total of six innings outside of catcher in his career. He won't provide depth unless the White Sox get into another one of those games where like last year in Oakland where Jermaine Dye was the short stop.
February 12, 200719 yr QUOTE(redandwhite @ Feb 12, 2007 -> 02:32 PM) He's played a total of six innings outside of catcher in his career. He won't provide depth unless the White Sox get into another one of those games where like last year in Oakland where Jermaine Dye was the short stop. Didn't Widger play 3rd, too? I think he meant as a DH, though. I can't really see him getting into a game at 1B.
February 12, 200719 yr QUOTE(Milkman delivers @ Feb 12, 2007 -> 02:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Didn't Widger play 3rd, too? I think he meant as a DH, though. I can't really see him getting into a game at 1B. I think Widger did play third in that game. Wow. Ha. True, he could DH from time to time.
February 12, 200719 yr QUOTE(redandwhite @ Feb 12, 2007 -> 11:42 AM) I think Widger did play third in that game. Wow. Ha. True, he could DH from time to time. In Oakland, after Crede was playing SS and got ejected we ended up going with Dye at SS and Widger at 3rd IIRC.
February 12, 200719 yr If you substituted Hall into a game late, who would be our emergency third string catcher? Without someone, Ozzie may have his hands tied.
February 12, 200719 yr Author QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Feb 12, 2007 -> 01:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> In Oakland, after Crede was playing SS and got ejected we ended up going with Dye at SS and Widger at 3rd IIRC. I was at a game at US Cellular Field early in the 2005 season where Chris Widger was warming up in the bullpen ... as a pitcher!
February 12, 200719 yr QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Feb 12, 2007 -> 02:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> In Oakland, after Crede was playing SS and got ejected we ended up going with Dye at SS and Widger at 3rd IIRC. Correct.
February 12, 200719 yr QUOTE(BamaDoc @ Feb 12, 2007 -> 01:54 PM) If you substituted Hall into a game late, who would be our emergency third string catcher? Without someone, Ozzie may have his hands tied. The emergency catcher is Rob Mackowiak and Toby Hall likely will not be comming in late unless the Sox are up by like 8+ runs. I think the Toby Hall signing was the only one this offseason that most all Sox fans approved of.
February 12, 200719 yr QUOTE(StatManDu @ Feb 12, 2007 -> 02:55 PM) I was at a game at US Cellular Field early in the 2005 season where Chris Widger was warming up in the bullpen ... as a pitcher! Yeah that was when Viz got lit up after he was out there for a few innings because we had no one left. I remember that one game late in the 05 season where Pablo was gonna warm up to pitch... in the world series.
February 12, 200719 yr I loveddd the Toby Hall signing. got to watch him alot here in tampa bay, live.
February 12, 200719 yr I love this move. Hall is a solid backup catcher, and as stated above, AJ seemed to slow down at the end of the year, hopefully this will keep him fresh throughout.
February 13, 200719 yr QUOTE(StatManDu @ Feb 12, 2007 -> 05:29 PM) With today being the 26th anniversary of the White Sox acquisition of Marc Hill, I got to thinking: Is Toby Hall the typical backup catcher? I can see him getting more playing time than the typical reserve backstop. I love the guy and think he is a great player but AJ Pierzynski lagged defensively a year ago and may be starting to show some wear and tear from his extended action behind the plate over the last few years. On paper, this is the best catching tandem the Sox have had since ... LaValliere and Karkovice? Hill was a solid backup to Fisk but he came to the Sox with nowhere near the resume that Hall has or LaValliere had. I wouldn't be surprised if Hall got 250-300 at bats. I wouldn't blame Ozzie if he used Hall as a late-inning defensive replacement. It will be interesting to see how this all pans out. www.whitesoxalmanac.com I think you are forgetting Duane Josephson and Ed Hermann
February 13, 200719 yr Hall can hit left-handed pitching KW acquired him to rest AJ (who I believe logged a career high in playing time last year) when the Sox face leftys. AJ can't hit the leftys. The Sox face a lot of left-handed pitching. Hall can also DH in place of Thome. Acquiring Hall was maybe the best move KW made for 2007.
February 13, 200719 yr Author QUOTE(elrockinMT @ Feb 12, 2007 -> 08:45 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I think you are forgetting Duane Josephson and Ed Hermann That's a goodie ... The Fisk-Karko tandem of 1990 an 1991 wasn't bad either.
February 13, 200719 yr QUOTE(StatManDu @ Feb 13, 2007 -> 06:04 AM) That's a goodie ... The Fisk-Karko tandem of 1990 an 1991 wasn't bad either. You are correct! But, I do think Perzynski and Hall will do a real good job.
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