Next Season's Catcher

by vegascubsfan on Jun 14, 2007 11:58 AM CDT

As if the Barrett situation hasn't been discussed to death yet. You have to assume that Barrett gets traded this summer or he walks this offseason. So who replaces him?

It appears the Koyie Hill and Henry Blanco aren't full-timers. Next year's free agents are Posada, Pudge, Lo Duca, and Kendall.

Posada will probably finish his career as a Yankee, and Pudge has an option that Detroit would likely exercise.

That leaves us with Lo Duca and Kendall. Or, we could trade for someone. I would love to get Salty from Atlanta, but he will not come cheap.

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Not Kendall!!

Mentioned somewhere that he's a Hendry favorite.

Used to get on base a bit (albeit with no power) and hit for good avg., but that's gone to pot.

Is he a good defensive catcher?? i tend to remember, not.

No idea right now but it's clear Barrett won't be back with Cubs in '08 unless he has a MONSTER 2nd half including vastly improving his defense.

by writerinwrigley on Jun 14, 2007 12:05 PM CDT reply actions

Agreed on Kendall

Have you looked at his numbers? He appears to have fallen off the same cliff as JJ. In over 200 AB's, .210/.249/.238. That's right a .238 slugging average.

by rlpete on Jun 14, 2007 12:08 PM CDT up reply actions

Lo Duca

I wouldn't mind seeing Lo Duca in a cubbie blue uni

by Sammy Steroids on Jun 14, 2007 12:13 PM CDT reply actions

Posada

According to the New York Daily News, Posada is thinking about testing the free agent market. Saying and doing are two different things, but I wouldn't mind seeing him come in for a couple years and see if Wilken can round up a catcher to groom to replace him.

by eamuscatuli1881 on Jun 14, 2007 12:24 PM CDT reply actions

Yeah

Posada is likely trying to drive up his price.

by vegascubsfan on Jun 14, 2007 12:28 PM CDT up reply actions

I would be willing to bet

that Saltalamacchia would cost us Rich Hill. Which basically means, that isn't gonna happen.

by eamuscatuli1881 on Jun 14, 2007 12:25 PM CDT reply actions

Salty for Sarmy

I'd love to see the Cubs trade Jeff Samardzija for Jarrod Saltalamacchia, because I can only imagine the potential for disastrously mispelled articles about the trade. Also, Samardzija will soon be known as another college football star who failed to make it in the big leagues, and I'd rather read about another team gnashing their teeth over that fact and not the Cubbies.

by TMOX on Jun 14, 2007 1:37 PM CDT up reply actions

Schuerholz

isn't going to be so stupid as to take Spellcheck straight up for JSalt, you're right.

Faith Plus One - Contributing Editor -http://www.inaleagueofherown.com

by Faith plus 1 on Jun 14, 2007 2:40 PM CDT up reply actions

But I bet

it is the longest in name length 1 for 1 trade in baseball history.

by rlpete on Jun 14, 2007 4:59 PM CDT up reply actions

It's too bad

the catching position should have been addressed 1-2 years ago, when it was apparant you had a guy who was weak behind the plate. Now, you either have to just let Barrett go as a FA, or you trade him for minimal value in return.

What they should have done was sign Pudge years ago, but that's water under the bridge now.

"I don't like them fellas that drive in two runs but let in three" Casey Stengel

by MPH73 on Jun 14, 2007 12:26 PM CDT reply actions

Soto

I dont have aclue of what this kid is doing. Is he any better than Hill or Blanco?

What about the Mccann kid in Atlanta isnt he a catcher?

Put Santo in the damn hall already!

by Dcubbienole on Jun 14, 2007 12:40 PM CDT reply actions

He's doing pretty well for the Iowa Cubs

I'm unsure why Koyie Hill was brought up instead of Soto.

by vegascubsfan on Jun 14, 2007 1:08 PM CDT up reply actions

Because Soto needs playing time...

...to develop, and Barrett is/was still the starting catcher. So you bring up Koyie Hill, who isn't going to develop, and let him ride pine if he has to.

FREE CARMEN PIGNATIELLO!

by cwyers on Jun 14, 2007 1:14 PM CDT up reply actions

This is Sotos third season in AAA...

that is more than enough development time. Although he has hit MUCH better this season than the last 2 so it is encouraging. Supposedly his defense is above average.

by CA Cub Fan on Jun 14, 2007 2:22 PM CDT up reply actions

If Soto keeps hitting the way he has been...

I'd strongly consider using Soto as your inexpensive starting catcher, with Blanco as his backup.
Does anybody know if Jake Fox has been playing any catcher at AA, or has it been conceded that he can't play catcher in the bigs?

by mportsch on Jun 14, 2007 1:14 PM CDT up reply actions

1B and now RF...

but little if any action at C this year for Fox.

by SouthernCub on Jun 14, 2007 3:31 PM CDT up reply actions

Guillermo Quiroz

You know, this guy was considered the top catching prospect a couple years ago, but he's been unable to latch onto a job in the majors; I'm not sure if he's a head case or what, but he's hitting well for the Rangers AAA affiliate this year. Hendry likes to deal with Texas, so maybe we can snag him on the cheap and give it a shot. Also, Miguel Montero is making Chris Snyder expendable in Arizona, so that's another possibility.

Every one of those FA catchers is problematic, and most importantly, Jason Kendall has no business being in the majors anymore other than the contract Oakland can't bear to eat. Check his OPS' since 2004 or dig even deeper with the more advanced stats at Baseball Prospectus - it's like a really bad car crash.

by TMOX on Jun 14, 2007 1:31 PM CDT reply actions

I doubt that Arizona will move Snyder mid-season

but he might be an off-season option depending on Montero. Seems a lot more likely than some of the other names I've seen.

by rlpete on Jun 14, 2007 5:02 PM CDT up reply actions

Weiters

Isn't that why we drafted him?

Josh Kroeger. Remember the name. Stay tuned for the fame.

by tharr on Jun 14, 2007 4:15 PM CDT reply actions

Did anyone notice

that in Lou's post game today he called Barrett his back-up catcher? (not by name but said he only have 4 players on the bench and one of them was the back-up catcher, refering to Barrett). Hmmm...very interesting. I'd like to grab McCann from Atlanta before the deadline.

"A hot dog at the ballgame beats roast beef at the Ritz every time." ~Humphrey Bogart

by Jettero2112 on Jun 14, 2007 6:04 PM CDT reply actions

Uh...

...Hill started. Barrett, ergo, was today's backup. If you pinch-hit with Barrett, and something happens to Hill, you go to the emergency catcher. In this context, I wouldn't read too much into this.

FREE CARMEN PIGNATIELLO!

by cwyers on Jun 14, 2007 6:09 PM CDT up reply actions

dont get your hopes up

because there is no way in hell we are going to get mccann from atlanta. i dont know why you would think any different. atlanta is not going to trade their catcher who has future star written all over him and is in his mid 20's. why would any team do that? they have made it clear that they plan on keeping mccann and salty. salty has been playing first base on the occassion and have read where schuerholz said none of those two are going anywhere. i dont know why anyone thinks we could ever pry away mccann from the braves but its NOT even a realistic option in any way.

by bennyha on Jun 14, 2007 8:16 PM CDT up reply actions