I say forget Toby Hall and find the best-throwing catcher out there no matter who it is and bring him North. If it's Donny Lucy. Good. Paul Phillips. Bring him back. Francisco Hernandez. Do it. Cole Armstrong. Bring him on.

 

I would also put forth that if Ozzie gets a good throwing catcher he use him in late-inning situations much like an outfielder because. The stolen base rate against the Sox -- granted much of it has to do the pitchers -- is embarrassing.

 

Here are the free agent catchers (gleaned from MLBrumors.com)

Brad Ausmus (40)

Paul Bako (37)

Rod Barajas (33) - $2.5MM club option for '09 with a $0.5MM buyout

Josh Bard (31)

Michael Barrett (32)

Henry Blanco (37) - $3MM mutual option for '09 with a $0.3MM buyout

Johnny Estrada (33)

Toby Hall (33) - $2.25MM club option for '09 with a $0.15MM buyout

Jason LaRue (35)

Paul Lo Duca (37)

Miguel Olivo (30) - $2.7MM mutual option for '09 with a $0.1MM buyout

Ivan Rodriguez (37)

David Ross (32)

Javier Valentin (33)

Jason Varitek (37)

Gregg Zaun (38)

 

 

Edited October 21, 200817 yr by StatManDu

I say forget Toby Hall and find the best-throwing catcher out there no matter who it is and bring him North. If it's Donny Lucy. Good. Paul Phillips. Bring him back. Francisco Hernandez. Do it. Cole Armstrong. Bring him on.

 

I would also put forth that if Ozzie gets a good throwing catcher he use him in late-inning situations much like an outfielder because. The stolen base rate against the Sox -- granted much of it has to do the pitchers -- is embarrassing.

 

Here are the free agent catchers (gleaned from MLBrumors.com)

Brad Ausmus (40)

Paul Bako (37)

Rod Barajas (33) - $2.5MM club option for '09 with a $0.5MM buyout

Josh Bard (31)

Michael Barrett (32)

Henry Blanco (37) - $3MM mutual option for '09 with a $0.3MM buyout

Johnny Estrada (33)

Toby Hall (33) - $2.25MM club option for '09 with a $0.15MM buyout

Jason LaRue (35)

Paul Lo Duca (37)

Miguel Olivo (30) - $2.7MM mutual option for '09 with a $0.1MM buyout

Ivan Rodriguez (37)

David Ross (32)

Javier Valentin (33)

Jason Varitek (37)

Gregg Zaun (38)

well thats him, but will we get him? no

How good is Josh Bard behind the plate defensively FWIW?

 

Had a couple of decent offensive season in San Diego before this year.

Bring back Miggy. I dont think anyone's ever questioned his arm and he can actually hit a little too

Bring back Miggy. I dont think anyone's ever questioned his arm and he can actually hit a little too

and he can run faster than half the team

Some of these guys are old.

 

 

 

Hey this guy is dead. Well cross him off the list than.

I started this same thread a week or two ago.

 

Philips is now a free agent, BTW. Lucy was outrighted to Charlotte, and we'll see how he recovers from the knee. Armstrong is hitting well in winter ball, but is lefthanded at the plate.

 

If Lucy's healthy, he's my choice. Forget Hall's option. If Lucy isn't healthy, well, I just don't know.

 

Here's a real slugger we could use as a backup!

i wonder what the red sox r guna do with varitek. bring him back just bcuz hes the captain?

I hear there is a catcher down in the Carolina Leagues looking for a job. I believe his name is Davis....Crash Davis.

 

 

I say forget Toby Hall and find the best-throwing catcher out there no matter who it is and bring him North. If it's Donny Lucy. Good. Paul Phillips. Bring him back. Francisco Hernandez. Do it. Cole Armstrong. Bring him on.

 

I would also put forth that if Ozzie gets a good throwing catcher he use him in late-inning situations much like an outfielder because. The stolen base rate against the Sox -- granted much of it has to do the pitchers -- is embarrassing.

 

Michael Barrett (32)

 

Yeah...that'd happen.

The best option is probably Hank White.

Otherwise, work Bard out and see how his health has progressed since his surgery. When healthy the guy was spraying the ball all over Petco, and was fairly steady behind the plate

The best option is probably Hank White.

Otherwise, work Bard out and see how his health has progressed since his surgery. When healthy the guy was spraying the ball all over Petco, and was fairly steady behind the plate

that would be great but i seriously doubt the cubs would let him go

I thought that this would be a thread about great backup catchers in White Sox history.

Josh Bard has thrown out around 12% of potential base stealers in the past 3 years.

Josh Bard has thrown out around 12% of potential base stealers in the past 3 years.

So... we'll call it an improvement. Nah, good stat.

A healthy Lucy would be a huge defensive improvement over Hall or AJ. He has an injury-shortened season this year (threw out 4 of 9 attempted base stealers), but in 2007 he threw out 39%, 45% after his first couple weeks. He's also got some speed.

 

His bat was always the question, but Hall has spent 2 seasons being a substandard hitter anyway.

 

The real question now is his health. If anyone has any info on his injury rehab and expected return, I'd love to see it.

 

A healthy Lucy would be a huge defensive improvement over Hall or AJ. He has an injury-shortened season this year (threw out 4 of 9 attempted base stealers), but in 2007 he threw out 39%, 45% after his first couple weeks. He's also got some speed.

 

His bat was always the question, but Hall has spent 2 seasons being a substandard hitter anyway.

 

The real question now is his health. If anyone has any info on his injury rehab and expected return, I'd love to see it.

I just can't picture him healthy after the knee injury this year. It seems much more reasonable that he will be a backup candidate mid 2009 or 2010 for the start of the season. I don't know what to make of his injury (positive or negative) that we haven't heard anything about his rehab. But the way he was playing before injury, he was looking like the perfect cheap backup. Good D, can hit a little and can even pinch run for AJ in a big situation.

I thought that this would be a thread about great backup catchers in White Sox history.

lol like brook fordyce?

 

get olivo if they dont pick up the option.

or trade for laird as bearsox suggested

lol like brook fordyce?

That reminds of when i was younger i went to a White Sox clinic and got Chad Kreuter's autograph. My adolescent mind thought that was just the coolest thing. Nice Guy, though

lol like brook fordyce?

 

get olivo if they dont pick up the option.

or trade for laird as bearsox suggested

Olivo's is a mutual option and he already said he's not going to return to KC. The guy wants to be a starter, he wasn't happy with the 49/51 split they had in KC last year, something tells me he won't take too kindly to an 80/20 split (technically it was an 82/18 split last season) with Pierzynski.

What are Estrada's percentages of throwing out basestealers? I would think he might be good. He can hit a bit.

This isn't meant as a slam at AJ, who arguably tied for the single best play in our season (holding onto the ball; Thome's bomb the other), but is anybody concerned about his throwing ability, or doesn't it matter in the AL?

Can he throw out anybody? Again, is it no big deal in the league of the DH? Or are you concerned his ability to throw people out has diminished greatly?

I say forget Toby Hall and find the best-throwing catcher out there no matter who it is and bring him North. If it's Donny Lucy. Good. Paul Phillips. Bring him back. Francisco Hernandez. Do it. Cole Armstrong. Bring him on.

 

I would also put forth that if Ozzie gets a good throwing catcher he use him in late-inning situations much like an outfielder because. The stolen base rate against the Sox -- granted much of it has to do the pitchers -- is embarrassing.

 

Here are the free agent catchers (gleaned from MLBrumors.com)

Brad Ausmus (40)

Paul Bako (37)

Rod Barajas (33) - $2.5MM club option for '09 with a $0.5MM buyout

Josh Bard (31)

Michael Barrett (32)

Henry Blanco (37) - $3MM mutual option for '09 with a $0.3MM buyout

Johnny Estrada (33)

Toby Hall (33) - $2.25MM club option for '09 with a $0.15MM buyout

Jason LaRue (35)

Paul Lo Duca (37)

Miguel Olivo (30) - $2.7MM mutual option for '09 with a $0.1MM buyout

Ivan Rodriguez (37)

David Ross (32)

Javier Valentin (33)

Jason Varitek (37)

Gregg Zaun (38)

 

I've got to say that this is a reactionary response to a particular aspect of the Sox. We had a guy that fit your bill named Miguel Olivo. Other than the fact he wasn't a very good hitter and the pitchers (Buerhle, for example) didn't like the way he called a game, he was perfect. In fact, he's been so perfect that he has filled that role for several teams since the Sox sacrificed him in the Garcia deal.

 

Edit to add: I should've read the whole thread.

That reminds of when i was younger i went to a White Sox clinic and got Chad Kreuter's autograph. My adolescent mind thought that was just the coolest thing. Nice Guy, though

 

Sure, he's a nice guy... just don't try and steal his hat