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Thread: Which catcher to keep ?

  1. #1
    2009: Fail Ltlabner's Avatar
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    Which catcher to keep ?

    I think all three catchers bring something to the table and have their own strengths and weaknesses. All the statistics used are from ESPN and are lifetime numbers only. Stats are current as of yesterday.

    LaRue: $3.9m/yr with 7 yrs experience. Defensivley, he's got a FPCT of .990, 67PB and 230 SBA against him. PB as a percentage of games is 10.5%. His CS% is .395. He's commited 40 errors on 638 games. Errors as a percentage of games is 6.3%.

    Valentine: $1.15m/yr with 7 yrs experience. Defensivley he's got a FPCT of .992, 19 PB and 134 SBA against him. PB as a percentage of games is 6%. His CS% is .330. He's commited 15 errors in 315 games. Errors as a percentage of games is 4.8%.

    Ross: $500K/yr with 4 yrs experiene. Defensivley. he's got a FPCT of .989 , 12PB and 66SBA against him. PB as a percentage of games is 7%. His CS% is .371. He's commited 11 errors in 168 games. Errors as a percentage of games is 6.5%.

    From a defensive standpoint, Valentine has the best FPCT, lowest PB as percentage of games played, and errors as a percentage of games played. However, he has the lowest CS% while LaRue is highest. With the exception of PB as a percentage of games (LaRue highest) all the numbers are pretty much in the same range.

    Offensive numbers:

    LaRue: .242BA, .325OBP, .419SLG and .744OPS. In 2103 AB he's hit 79HR and 509H. He struck out 612 times or 29% of AB's.

    Ross: .225BA, .296OBP, .429SLG and 1.008OPS. In 471AB he's hit 23HR and 106H. He struck out 146times or 31% of AB's.

    Valentine: .241BA, .302BP, .394SLG and .696OPS. In 1022AB he's hit 32 HR and 246H. He struck out 187 times or 18% of AB's.

    Offensively, Ross has the higest OPS and SLG, however he's K'd 31% of his ABs. LaRue K's 29% of the time which isn't much better. Javi only K's 18% of the time. LaRue has hit the most HR and hits, but Javi isn't far behind him in hits.

    LaRue's biggest black-mark is his price tag. He brings experence to the table, however, there are plenty of other vets on the team. Then again, he has power but does that offset his high PB rate? Ross is cheep but K's alot. He has a great OPS and has hit 9 fewer HR in 551 less AB's than Javi so he's got some power. His errors as a percent of games is as high as LaRue. Javi is realitivley low cost at $1.15m/yr has 7 years of experience (same as LaRue) so he can bring the "experience" to the table for what that is worth. What he lacks in power he makes up in hits and OPB. Defensivley he is strong, with the exception of his throwing arm.

    I'll take a look at the combinations of LaRue/Valentine, LaRue/Ross and Valentine/Ross but this post is already too long.

    Food for thought and hopefully serrrious debate.


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  3. #2
    Probably not Patrick Bateman's Avatar
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    Re: Which catcher to keep ?

    I have no problem dealing LaRue since he should have a fair bit of value to a team in need of a catcher. If we could get 1-2 good arms for him I may have to do it. The pitching would be have way more value to us.

  4. #3
    Member redsfanmia's Avatar
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    Re: Which catcher to keep ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Austin Kearns
    I have no problem dealing LaRue since he should have a fair bit of value to a team in need of a catcher. If we could get 1-2 good arms for him I may have to do it. The pitching would be have way more value to us.
    I wonder just what LaRue's value actually is? I think its not as high as most redszoners think.
    When I see the 2016 Reds, I see a 100 loss team and no direction.

  5. #4
    The Lineups stink. KronoRed's Avatar
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    Re: Which catcher to keep ?

    LaRue and Ross
    Go Gators!

  6. #5
    The Lineups stink. KronoRed's Avatar
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    Re: Which catcher to keep ?

    Quote Originally Posted by redsfanmia
    I wonder just what LaRue's value actually is? I think its not as high as most redszoners think.
    He's untradeable while he's struggling
    Go Gators!

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    Re: Which catcher to keep ?

    I would like to package LaRue and Freel for a couple pitchers (starter and reliever). The Rockies would be a nice trading partner. Aaron Cook and Jeff Francis would be nice starters to target. I think that Valentin and Ross would make be a nice R/L catching tandem.
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  8. #7
    Probably not Patrick Bateman's Avatar
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    Re: Which catcher to keep ?

    Quote Originally Posted by KronoRed
    He's untradeable while he's struggling
    He can surely be traded for value. 1 bad month does not override a career of success.

  9. #8
    Member pedro's Avatar
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    Re: Which catcher to keep ?

    Larue's, or any of the Reds catchers trade value IMO is pretty dependent on whether a contending team ends up with serious catching problems at the deadline.
    School's out. What did you expect?

  10. #9
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    Re: Which catcher to keep ?

    I like Ross/Valentine. They will keep Ross around to catch all of Arroyos' wins.

    Valentine and LaRue are interchangeable, imo, cept for the price tag. I'd take Javy's bat over LaRue's any day.
    "When the Russians conquer America, they will recruit concentration camp guards from among Cardinals fans."

  11. #10
    Member Marc D's Avatar
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    Re: Which catcher to keep ?

    Assuming a willing trading partner I trade LaRue.

    He has the highest trade value and the other 2 give you a platoon of comparable production for significantly less $$.

  12. #11
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    Re: Which catcher to keep ?

    Keep Ross/Valntine and the Reds will have to package LaRue with a prospect to get us a decent arm for the bullpen..

  13. #12
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    Re: Which catcher to keep ?

    OK, how's this trade with the Rockies:

    Reds trade C Jason LaRue to the Rockies for SP Aaron Cook

    then, what do you think of this one with the Cubbies:

    Reds trade SP Josh Hall/SP Robert Manuel to the Cubs for Scott Williamson
    "Pam, I am public speaking...stop public interrupting me."
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    "His capa was detated from his head!"
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  14. #13
    2009: Fail Ltlabner's Avatar
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    Re: Which catcher to keep ?

    Because of Ross's overall lack of playing time it's somewhat difficult to make usefull comparisons of the combinations of LaRue/Valentine, LaRue/Ross and Valentine/Ross.

    Of the three options, LaRue/Ross would provide the most number of total hits (615), highers OPS (1.752) and SLG (.848) percentages. That combo would also hit the most number of HR (102). Unfortunatley, it also provides the highest number of strike outs (758), pass balls (79), and errors as a percentage of games played (12.8%).

    None of these numbers reflect my opinions of what I'd like to see happen but hopefully are food for good debate.

  15. #14
    Member tripleaaaron's Avatar
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    Re: Which catcher to keep ?

    Def. trade Larue, although his value is not that high, Ross and Valentine are the better option anyway. Ross is the best defensive option we have at that position, and as i have said before that is what we need in order to continue to improve our rotation or just to keep them performing as they currently are. and then we can keep valentine for matchups/ LH off the bench. In a hitter friendly ballpark we need all the "pitcher friendly" opportunities we can get (worded funny but, couldn't quite put the words on paper). What I'm trying to say is that anything we can do to keep the pitchers heads on the level will improve our chances to win, more so than a slightly above average hitting catcher (if Larue even is). Ross, even though younger has also shown a great maturity and understanding of the game. (ie bunt on Sunday, would Larue have done that?) Trade Larue for bullpen help, or prospects that could get us bullpen help, or just as a matter to get his 3.9 mil off the budget for possible acquisition of bullpen help. It will help the team in the long run no matter, Defense wins championships and the Catcher position is perhaps the most important defensive position if for the only reason that it has the most direct effect on pitchers performance, and on a team with no true aces, we need all the help we can get.

  16. #15
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    Re: Which catcher to keep ?

    How about LaRue to the Rockies for RHP Jason Jennings?

    I doubt very much the Rockies would part with either Cook or Francis.
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