White Sox System Breakdown: Catchers

Entering 2010, the backstops were a position of great strength and depth in the White Sox minor league system. A year later, it's iffy at best. The trio of Tyler Flowers, Miguel Gonzalez and Josh Phegley were all ranked in the top 11 of our 2010 preseason rankings and they all dropped after disappointing seasons for a variety of reasons. Is there still hope at the position?

 

After doing this piece I can't decide which one I like best. Rogers put Blanke as the projected starter in 2014 and he's the only one that didn't have a bad 2010, but Flowers still has power and walks. I think you can make an argument for all four.

We're in a much better position than we were just a couple years ago when we had absolutely no depth at the position. If I had to guess, I'd say that we probably end up including Flowers in a trade this season unless he starts tearing the cover off the ball.

If Flowers can take a step back to where he was a year ago, this becomes a real strength for us. There is some real potential at the lower levels.

Flowers will have to hit to have any trade value whatsoever. My guess would be that Flowers plays out the year in Charlotte and acts as the 3rd catcher in case of injury, becomes the backup next year, playing a bit more progressively throughout the year (assuming he's performing at all), and then taking over the full-time job in 2013 or with the Sox finding a different catcher in the offseason and simply getting rid of Flowers.

We're in a much better position than we were just a couple years ago when we had absolutely no depth at the position. If I had to guess, I'd say that we probably end up including Flowers in a trade this season unless he starts tearing the cover off the ball.

 

Very small sample size of 15 at bats but he seems to be concentrating a bit more. Still Kíng way too much with 4K´s in 15 at bats which is about 26.5%.

Edited March 14, 201115 yr by SpainSOXfan09

Very small sample size of 15 at bats but he seems to be concentrating a bit more. Still Kíng way too much with 4K´s in 15 at bats which is about 26.5%.

If Flowers could K 25% of the time over a full season, that's 150 K's in a major league season. He'd probably effectively be a right handed, catching, Adam Dunn at that level.

 

His problem is that he's on pace to be a 250 k player, and that guy hits under .200.

 

The difference between 35% and 25% is the difference between being a big league starter and being a career minor leaguer for a guy like him.

If Flowers could K 25% of the time over a full season, that's 150 K's in a major league season. He'd probably effectively be a right handed, catching, Adam Dunn at that level.

 

His problem is that he's on pace to be a 250 k player, and that guy hits under .200.

 

The difference between 35% and 25% is the difference between being a big league starter and being a career minor leaguer for a guy like him.

 

I´ve never really seen or read at what % he K´s on most. Is it straight powr pitches or does he get fooled a lot by off speed and breaking stuff?

If Flowers could K 25% of the time over a full season, that's 150 K's in a major league season. He'd probably effectively be a right handed, catching, Adam Dunn at that level.

 

His problem is that he's on pace to be a 250 k player, and that guy hits under .200.

 

The difference between 35% and 25% is the difference between being a big league starter and being a career minor leaguer for a guy like him.

 

If he could be Rod Barajas as this point, you'd probably take it. A right handed Adam Dunn is a bit of a stretch.

Edited March 15, 201115 yr by witesoxfan

If he could be Rod Barajas as this point, you'd probably take it. A right handed Adam Dunn is a bit of a stretch.

If Tyler Flowers were to get 470 at bats and strike out 70 times, he's hitting 35+ HR, not the 20 that Barajas hits.

 

The problem with Flowers is that if you give him 470 AB's, he's likely to have 170+ strikeouts, not 70.

If Tyler Flowers were to get 470 at bats and strike out 70 times, he's hitting 35+ HR, not the 20 that Barajas hits.

 

The problem with Flowers is that if you give him 470 AB's, he's likely to have 170+ strikeouts, not 70.

 

The most favorable comparison one can make with Flowers based on peripherals is to Mike Napoli, but that's his absolute best case scenario at this point. If we are taking peripherals out of the equation - which was mainly what I was implying - then comparing Flowers to Barajas makes more sense. He'll draw more walks than Barajas, but he might not hit above .200.

 

Perhaps some combination of Napoli and Barajas. Perhaps Ron Karkovice's 1993 season with 15-20 more walks. .225/.325/.425. He's a big time boom or bust player due to the fact that he is a big time true outcome player (BB, K, HR), and his fluctuations in BABIP will have a more pronounced effect on his overall splits.

The most favorable comparison one can make with Flowers based on peripherals is to Mike Napoli, but that's his absolute best case scenario at this point. If we are taking peripherals out of the equation - which was mainly what I was implying - then comparing Flowers to Barajas makes more sense. He'll draw more walks than Barajas, but he might not hit above .200.

 

Perhaps some combination of Napoli and Barajas. Perhaps Ron Karkovice's 1993 season with 15-20 more walks. .225/.325/.425. He's a big time boom or bust player due to the fact that he is a big time true outcome player (BB, K, HR), and his fluctuations in BABIP will have a more pronounced effect on his overall splits.

I still like the comparison to Mark Reynolds. If he keeps his strikeouts under 200 he starts becoming a valuable player. 220-ish strikeouts and suddenly he's hitting under the mendoza line.