targeting other teams minor leaguers

[lollipopcurve]

Or Texas may want more time to see Salty before being comfortable moving Teagarden

Yep. Personally, I think they need to put Salty at first since they have no one there. If not this year, then definitely next year when Teagarden should be ready.

[princeton]

I like a lot of guys. Limiting the list to guys who may be obtainable because of an established guy in front of them and who play spots where the Reds are really thin in the system.

Taylor Teagarden - C - Texas #4 (Saltalamacchia)
Chris Nelson - SS - Colorado #7 (Tulowitzki)
Justin Maxwell - CF- Washington #8 (Milledge)
John Jaso - C- Tampa Bay #13 (Navarro)
Wilson Ramos - C - Minnesota #3 (Mauer)
Delwyn Young - OF - LA Dodgers #9 (Kemp, Ethier, Pierre)

you're hired. Get to work.

[Highlifeman21]

No surprise here that we should be targeting catching prospects leaguewide, since we lack any ourselves....

[dougdirt]

No surprise here that we should be targeting catching prospects leaguewide, since we lack any ourselves....

We actually have two decent guys. Craig Tatum and Devin Mesoraco. League wide there is a lack of catching prospects, or even catchers for that matter.

[Highlifeman21]

We actually have two decent guys. Craig Tatum and Devin Mesoraco. League wide there is a lack of catching prospects, or even catchers for that matter.

Like I said, lack of prospects, so we should be trying to trade from any surplus we have, in hopes to pry a catching prospect from another team.

[dougdirt]

Like I said, lack of prospects, so we should be trying to trade from any surplus we have, in hopes to pry a catching prospect from another team.

The odds of landing a catching prospect any better than the ones we have probably aren't good.

[lollipopcurve]

Like I said, lack of prospects, so we should be trying to trade from any surplus we have, in hopes to pry a catching prospect from another team.

Mesoraco's a legit prospect. He may not develop, but he's a legit prospect. The urgent need to find a young catcher has to do with Mesoraco's age, not his potential.

[mth123]

Mesoraco's a legit prospect. He may not develop, but he's a legit prospect. The urgent need to find a young catcher has to do with Mesoraco's age, not his potential.

The real problem is that the Reds need a catcher for 2008. But if we assume that 2008 is a year that we're stuck with Ross and Javy, then 2009 there is nothing. I think Tatum should get a long look and Hanigan too. Hanigan is a baseclogging journeyman with no power, but he isn't an automatic out and he is a decent defender.

Mesoraco is probably 5 years away even if he works out.

[dougdirt]

we don't NEED a prospect to take over the catching spot anytime soon. There is a thing called free agency.

[mth123]

we don't NEED a prospect to take over the catching spot anytime soon. There is a thing called free agency.

Except decent catchers don't hit free agency and likely you'd end up with more expensive versions of the junk we have. If a good one does come-up, the cost is through the moon. I'll take my chances with a young guy who may be in a bad situation. May not be able to get the three particular guys that I listed though without feeling a little pain.

[dougdirt]

Except decent catchers don't hit free agency and likely you'd end up with more expensive versions of the junk we have. If a good one does come-up, the cost is through the moon. I'll take my chances with a young guy who may be in a bad situation. May not be able to get the three particular guys that I listed though without feeling a little pain.

Decent catchers? There are maybe 6 or 7 decent catchers in all of baseball. Fact of the matter is, most teams have a horrible hitting catchers, so if you are on the same playing field as 80% of the rest of baseball, then you aren't too bad off.

There were 28 catchers in baseball last year with over 290 at bats. 22 of them had an OPS below .775 and only 4 of them were over .800. 18 of the 28 (64%) were below .740. Heck, 10 of 28 (35%) had an OPS below .700. Catcher is a position where basically, only the lucky few have a guy who can hit worth a crap and the rest of the league is just hoping that their guy plays good defense.

In free agency, you can find guys who can play good defense and can't hit worth a crap at the catcher position.

[Highlifeman21]

So, here's a question for everyone.....

If you can only choose one, would you prefer a Mike Piazza type that is all stick, no D and can't call a good game and is average at best behind the dish, or....

would you prefer a .700-.750 OPS catcher that is above-average to well-above-average defensively and can call a good game and throw a runner or two out here and there?

Each has their respective value....

Mark me down for Tony Pena, who couldn't hit his weight (or so it seemed), but could call a good game and could throw runners out.

[Bip Roberts]

Ill take the defensive catcher every day of the week. I dont like the idea of letting your worst defender touching the ball that much.

[mth123]

So, here's a question for everyone.....

If you can only choose one, would you prefer a Mike Piazza type that is all stick, no D and can't call a good game and is average at best behind the dish, or....

would you prefer a .700-.750 OPS catcher that is above-average to well-above-average defensively and can call a good game and throw a runner or two out here and there?

Each has their respective value....

Mark me down for Tony Pena, who couldn't hit his weight (or so it seemed), but could call a good game and could throw runners out.

I'll take an average defender that can OPS .750. I don't think the current tandem can meet those standards on offense or defense, though Ross is pretty good at throwing runners out while trying to steal. Both Ross and Javy are on the wrong side of 30 and only go downhill from here.

[mth123]

Decent catchers? There are maybe 6 or 7 decent catchers in all of baseball. Fact of the matter is, most teams have a horrible hitting catchers, so if you are on the same playing field as 80% of the rest of baseball, then you aren't too bad off.

There were 28 catchers in baseball last year with over 290 at bats. 22 of them had an OPS below .775 and only 4 of them were over .800. 18 of the 28 (64%) were below .740. Heck, 10 of 28 (35%) had an OPS below .700. Catcher is a position where basically, only the lucky few have a guy who can hit worth a crap and the rest of the league is just hoping that their guy plays good defense.

In free agency, you can find guys who can play good defense and can't hit worth a crap at the catcher position.

Sounds like you are making my case for me. If decent catchers are such a scarce commodity, then it should not be unreasonable to target a rising minor leaguer who may have no place in his current organization. Seems like a scarce commodity like that, who has his cheap and improving years ahead of him, would be worth giving up something for.