Who will have the better career -- Mesoraco or Grandal?

[Plus Plus]

When Mesoraco starts playing 5 times a week, he is going to be better than Grandal is. Until then, Grandal will probably be better because is starting nearly every game.

I agree here.

Mesoraco has a BABIP of .228 this season and .217 for his career, despite line drive percentages of 16.5% and 16.2%, respectively. I think the quick and dirty math for xBABIP is LD%+100, so his xBABIP would be around .265 and .262, which would add quite a bit to his current slash line of .209/.288/.348, taking it up to maybe .250/.325/.400 (if almost all of the new hits were singles, which I would doubt given Mesoraco's pedigree).

This, plus the fact that this season Mesoraco has improved his plate discipline from last season and is now almost in line with his 2011 minor league year- BB% of 9.6, K% of 17.5 against his 2011 minors totals of 10.4% and 16.6% respectively, I think that the "bad luck" argument is a very valid one here.

Bad luck, when coupled with a rationalization for not playing more (he catches "his guys," catchers don't pinch hit, etc), is not a recipe for getting a chance to prove that bad luck is a reason for lackluster numbers at the plate.

[RollyInRaleigh]

Hit a ball very hard to right last night. Right at the right fielder. Was a nice swing.

[Plus Plus]

Hit a ball very hard to right last night. Right at the right fielder. Was a nice swing.

His swing in the 8th looked great as well, but the CF was played over towards the LCF gap. Tough luck twice last night.

[jojo]

Mes vs Grandal is an interesting conversation especially given the trade was a clear indication of how the Reds were thinking.

I guess, I'd side with the camp that thinks Mes will ultimately be the better catcher but Grandal is having an incredible year when looking at his performances in AAA and the majors this year.

There is legitimate reason for people to be excited about Grandal. The Reds may have been a victim of their own success concerning those two because they could only keep one.

[mth123]

Mes vs Grandal is an interesting conversation especially given the trade was a clear indication of how the Reds were thinking.

I guess, I'd side with the camp that thinks Mes will ultimately be the better catcher but Grandal is having an incredible year when looking at his performances in AAA and the majors this year.

There is legitimate reason for people to be excited about Grandal. The Reds may have been a victim of their own success concerning those two because they could only keep one.

How is it clear who the Reds prefer? Maybe the Pads insisted on Grandal in order to deal Latos.

[hebroncougar]

How is it clear who the Reds prefer? Maybe the Pads insisted on Grandal in order to deal Latos.

Because they dealt Grandal. It's pretty clear who the Reds preferred. Rumor was the Rays want Mes, and the Reds wouldn't deal him.

[mth123]

Because they dealt Grandal. It's pretty clear who the Reds preferred. Rumor was the Rays want Mes, and the Reds wouldn't deal him.

Its just as possible that the Reds dealt Grandal because he is who the pads preferred. Maybe the Reds bit the bullet because they really wanted Latos. Its possible the Reds preferred Mes (me too), but this is all supposition yet gets stated as fact.

[Cooper]

Grandel's AAA performance looks great at first glance -but that .330 average in the PCL is about .270 in the IL.

I have nothing to base it on but observation (that sucks, i know), Grandel does not look like a catcher - he's taller the Mes and often those taller guys get hurt. I think he ends up playing 1st base.

Mes- ain't got no luck and aint got no playing time to get started.
There age 23 stats are essentially the same when you factor in everything.
The Reds picked the right guy.

[cincinnati chili]

The Reds obviously bet on Mesoraco

Is anyone from the Reds on record as saying that this is the case?

How do we know that the Padres didn't insist on Grandal?

I voted for Grandal, but it's way too early to give up on Mesoroco.

[jojo]

How is it clear who the Reds prefer? Maybe the Pads insisted on Grandal in order to deal Latos.

It seems like a much less likely possibility, but I guess anything is possible.

[Vottomatic]

Welsh was really praising Hanigan during one of the broadcasts on Saturday. Paraphrasing, saying how underrated he is.

I've always agreed with that.

Bingo!

[defender]

Baker should get credit here. Mes gets to learn to be a major league catcher without having to worry about losing/earning playing time each AB. People hold it against Baker for not choosing the best possible second hitter, but want him to play the inferior catcher even more.

[fearofpopvol1]

Is anyone from the Reds on record as saying that this is the case?

How do we know that the Padres didn't insist on Grandal?

I voted for Grandal, but it's way too early to give up on Mesoroco.

Well, the Reds didn't trade Mez, right? So they're betting on him to some extent. They could have traded Mez to someone if they had wanted to fill the SP need.

[mth123]

Well, the Reds didn't trade Mez, right? So they're betting on him to some extent. They could have traded Mez to someone if they had wanted to fill the SP need.

Or, maybe they didn't get an offer they liked. They got Latos for Grandal. That's motivation or dealing him even if they liked him better.

[fearofpopvol1]

Or, maybe they didn't get an offer they liked. They got Latos for Grandal. That's motivation or dealing him even if they liked him better.

But they're still betting on Mez. There were reports the Rays wanted Mez and I'm sure other teams would have too after his year in AAA last year. If they had traded Mez instead of Grandal, they would have bet on Grandal.

Really, we're debating semantics here.