Here's the thing, what exactly does this team need to make it worth dealing Mes? If he's properly valued, than he's valued as a top 10 prospect. Teams usually don't deal prospects for prospects, so they probably won't get an arm for the next couple of years when the rotation guys start leaving town. If not that, you know what this team's biggest need would be if Mes was dealt? I'd say a decent catcher who can catch 40% or so of the team's innings while holding promise that he could produce in his 250 or so PAs and be the man in the near future when the team's 33 y/o starter requires sliding into a reduced role or leaves town completely. Anything else they'd get for him would have an even lesser role than playing 40% of the time behind the plate.
Dealing Mes really makes no sense for this year or the future IMO.
All my posts are my opinion - just like yours are. If I forget to state it and you're too dense to see the obvious, look here!
For Mes to hit 500 PAs for his career this season he'll need just about 300 PAs. To reach that, he'll need to rack up 47 percent of the PA's.
That means he'll need to catch more than his two guys.
I have read most of this thread and I definitely believe this issue warrants extensive discussion. One point that I did not see being made that I think is important, is that for most top prospects, if they aren't going to be the starter, than I do believe they should be getting PAs in AAA.
Catcher is a different beast, though. Most starters get 60-75% of the playing time leaving 25-40% of the PAs for their backup. This is significantly higher than other positions. Therefore, Mes will get more of a chance to develop as a backup C, than he would as a backup SS or 1B.
I believe that I would want Mes to start two times out of each rotation to both give him a chance to develop and to keep Hanigan fresh. I also believe that for at least the first few months, it makes sense to switch up who the catchers get to catch so that each catcher gets to catch each starter at least twice.
I think a lot of posters here are selling Mes short if they think Olivo is a better backup C than Mes at this point. The development of Devin Mesoraco will be a big storyline for the 2013 Reds.
Right, and maybe knowing the player as they do, they have decided he's a major league ready starter at catcher that happens to be stuck behind Hanigan. Maybe that call you referred to from the AAA coaching staff that he's too good for that level has already happened. What should they do if that's the case?
My view, then, would be to send him down for a briefer stay.
AAA serves a developmental purpose -- but, it could also be used to jump start his bat. Let him play every day for 6 weeks, and hopefully get it going.
I consider last year a pretty disastrous stretch for Mes. He didn't play that well, he didn't get a lot of chances. I don't want to see that happen again.
So if the Reds feel he is really on the cusp, then I would tell him he's going down to catch every day for a brief time, and when he gets back he will get a big chance.
And when he comes back up, i'd play him at least fifty percent of the time, if not more.
Nice throwing by Mes in today's spring game against the Los Angeles Angels of Los Angeles, or whatever they are called.
Mes now with a nice single.
He's looking pretty confident today. Still don't want him on the bench most of the time, but Mes looks good out there.
Last edited by Kc61; 03-05-2013 at 04:02 PM.
bigredmechanism (03-06-2013)
Mark Sheldon - Mesoraco demonstrating defensive improvement
http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/news/...k_cin&c_id=cinDuring the game, Mesoraco answered the question himself. In the first inning, with Josh Hamilton batting, Mesoraco fired a pickoff throw to second base that nailed Howie Kendrick for the third out. In the third inning, Mesoraco caught Mike Trout attempting to steal second base, also for the third out.
"He's getting better," Baker said before the game. "He's working, not only defensively. He's getting better throwing, he's getting better receiving, he's getting better hitting. When we started last year, there's a lot a catcher has to think about.
"Sometimes, you get overwhelmed with all the things you're supposed to do as a catcher, especially as a young catcher. You just want to see progress, that's all."
Mesoraco caught Bailey his last outing and is catching Leake today. Looks as though that might be the routine at start of season as it was at end of last season.
Then the Reds need to make sure that Bailey and Leake AREN'T back to back in the rotation. You simply can't sit him three or four days in a row (off days) all year long.
This whole "you catch your guys" thing is so stupid it hurts. Let both guys catch everyone. Every week they alternate who they catch. It isn't difficult. Through the rotation once it goes H-M-H-M-H, the next time through, it goes M-H-M-H-M and so on. If you MUST stick to the 60/40 split, then make that happen. With 162 games, it is actually impossible to be 60/40, but you can be awfully close. Mix it up.
Raisor (03-22-2013)
I disagree completely on this one. It's the catcher that suggests the pitches to the pitcher. The ability to have that communication is vital to successful pitchers.
By having the same catcher, they learn each other's little quirks like knowing when to block a curveball in the dirt. I think it helps continuity and creates a routine. Every pitcher I heard speak emphasizes the importance of a routine when starting. Changing the catcher could disrupt this and lead to mistakes like passed balls or pitch select disagreements.
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