Chris Dickerson

[kpresidente]

I do see him as an offensive upgrade over Ross. Hanigan is currently hitting .310 at Louisville, which is much better than our best hitting catcher, Valentin at .247. There will be a dropoff when Hanigan reaches the major leagues, but I wouldn't think he will hit less than .270. Ross will certainly hit you a number of HRs, but he doesn't hit well enough the rest of the time to be starting over Hanigan.

I guess it comes down to whether you want a .270/.350/.350 line or a .230/.310/.450 line.

[mth123]

I guess it comes down to whether you want a .270/.350/.350 line or a .230/.310/.450 line.

I want the one who can actually catch the ball. Not sure if its Hanigan. Pretty sure its not Ross.

[AmarilloRed]

I guess it comes down to whether you want a .270/.350/.350 line or a .230/.310/.450 line.

As long as Hanigan plays good defense and can hit for a high average, I would see him as an offensive upgrade over Ross. Catcher is not a position where it is as important for you to be a slugger. You count it as a bonus if the player is, but it is more important that your catcher can hit, play good defense, and handle a pitching staff.

[kpresidente]

I want the one who can actually catch the ball. Not sure if its Hanigan. Pretty sure its not Ross.

50% of playing catcher is calling the game. 30% is managing the relays, 20% is throwing out baserunners, and maybe 10% is receiving/blocking pitches.

Knowing who are the good defensive catchers is, unfortunately, not accessible to the average fan. There's very little in the way of stats showing how a guy manages his staff, and the TV feeds don't give a good enough angle to judge the defensive calls.

You can look at his CS%, but half of that is on the pitcher. You can look at PB, but they don't matter that much in the long run.

I know Ross has a reputation as a pretty good defensive catcher, so I'll go along with that.

[kpresidente]

As long as Hanigan plays good defense and can hit for a high average, I would see him as an offensive upgrade over Ross. Catcher is not a position where it is as important for you to be a slugger. You count it as a bonus if the player is, but it is more important that your catcher can hit, play good defense, and handle a pitching staff.

I'll go by RC.

[dougdirt]

I'll go by RC.

Thats offense only and at catcher, there is so much more to the position than offense.

[kpresidente]

Thats offense only and at catcher, there is so much more to the position than offense.

Yes, I know. I played catcher from the time I was 6 until I was 25. But we were focusing on offense.

[Danny Serafini]

50% of playing catcher is calling the game. 30% is managing the relays, 20% is throwing out baserunners, and maybe 10% is receiving/blocking pitches.

So that's what they mean when someone says he has to give 110%.

[kpresidente]

So that's what they mean when someone says he has to give 110%.

HA! Well then, just drop the part about blocking pitches all the way down to zero. Blocking pitches isn't a realistic part of the major-league game. There's a certain point where it becomes humanly impossible. If a 90-95 MPH fastball is in the dirt and off the plate, you're just not going to block it. Nobody can move that fast. Maybe if you were expecting it, but even then, it's unrealistic. The only pitches that get blocked in the bigs are the ones that are right down the middle. The catcher only has to drop to his knees. And those are just as easy to scoop unless its junk (but don't tell the kids that). Anything off the plate means you're going to kick your leg out and rotate about 25 degrees toward 1st or 3rd base. If you don't rotate, the ball will bounce away from you and the runners will get their bases anyway. There just isn't enough time to react.

[mth123]

50% of playing catcher is calling the game. 30% is managing the relays, 20% is throwing out baserunners, and maybe 10% is receiving/blocking pitches.

Knowing who are the good defensive catchers is, unfortunately, not accessible to the average fan. There's very little in the way of stats showing how a guy manages his staff, and the TV feeds don't give a good enough angle to judge the defensive calls.

You can look at his CS%, but half of that is on the pitcher. You can look at PB, but they don't matter that much in the long run.

I know Ross has a reputation as a pretty good defensive catcher, so I'll go along with that.

Managing a staff and managing relays is part of what I was talking about when I say "catching the ball." It does also include receiving, which a catcher does on every single play and is not a minor part of a catcher's job. IMO 75% of a catcher's worth is in that entire area, about 15% is hitting, the rest is fairly minor (including the "vastly over rated because its the only thing with a stat" throwing out baserunners) and comprises the final 10%.

For the record, throwing out runners was much more important in the stolen base era. In today's game, it seems like a misguided criteria in evaluating a catcher.

Oh and BTW, I think Ross is terrible. Actually, now that Ken Griffey Jr. is in the AL, he may be the single worst defender in the National League at any position.

[Kingspoint]

Not sure what you guys are talking about, but I'm assuming it's related to Dickerson.

Glad to see Dickerson continuing to smash the ball.

I didn't know if it was just going to be for a couple of weeks after Bruce was recalled and then he'd come back to earth, but then he kept it up for a whole month. He kept it up for another 10 days before they had their All-Star break. When he came back from that, he kept it up. Then he got hurt and he came back from that and he kept it up.

He's now nearing the end of 10 weeks of maintaining this hitting prowess that certainly no one saw coming. The REDS have handled it great by not taking him out of the environment that's been so good to him.

The key to Dickerson was to see if he could maintain it over the course of 2 or 3 months. So far, so good. When this test is over at the end of August, he'll be ready as he could ever be for the next test in September.

If he could get 75 at-bats with Cincinnati in September, that's more than anyone ever gets in Spring Training for the REDS, and it will come against teams fighting for a playoff spot in Chicago, Milwaukie, St. Louis, etc.

BTW, while DH'ing tonight, he was pinch-hit for....odd for a guy who's as hot as he is.

[OnBaseMachine]

BTW, while DH'ing tonight, he was pinch-hit for....odd for a guy who's as hot as he is.

I noticed that too. I'm hoping it means he's getting called up...

[kpresidente]

Oh and BTW, I think Ross is terrible. Actually, now that Ken Griffey Jr. is in the AL, he may be the single worst defender in the National League at any position.

Don't tell that to Prince Fielder.

[kpresidente]

Oh and BTW, I think Ross is terrible. Actually, now that Ken Griffey Jr. is in the AL, he may be the single worst defender in the National League at any position.

Here's what Lindy's says about David Ross:
David Ross hit .203 last season, but still contributed with good power and excellent defense, hitting 17 home runs and throwing out 41 percent of base stealers. Ross is also regarded as a fine handler of pitchers.

[mth123]

Here's what Lindy's says about David Ross:
David Ross hit .203 last season, but still contributed with good power and excellent defense, hitting 17 home runs and throwing out 41 percent of base stealers. Ross is also regarded as a fine handler of pitchers.

I don't consider Lindy's or any of those preseason magazines (fantasy or otherwise) a credible source on these types of topics. Most comments about a catcher's defense are uninformed opinions that some one assumed based on the only stat available - the CS%. I just don't give that one much weight.