#8 Best Catcher?

by louslovechild on Jan 6, 2008 10:01 PM CST

I found a site talking about the Top 24 catchers in baseball. (Fantasy speaking)

http://www.rotoauthority.com/2008/01/top-24-catchers.html

Soto comes up at #8. Did we really go from Kendall, who isn't listed, to the #8 best catcher in baseball? If this is the case, this team is better than even I thought. If we are no longer giving at bats away after the 7 hitter, this year may be better than imagained.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation, Bleed Cubbie Blue, or Al Yellon, editor-in-chief. FanPost opinions are, however, valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Taken with a grain of salt...

I can agree that Soto is a huge upgrade over Kendall/Hill/Blanco everyday, but i'm not going to completely agree that he will end up being the 8th best catcher in baseball this year. He has a grand total of 80 major league AB. --small sample size
He has shown the talent to hit at the ML level, but as the league "figures him out" he has to make adjustments throughout the season. This is the fist big downfall of most young players who excel in their first month and then come back down to earth --see Fontenot(alot), Theriot(to a degree), and Pie(still waiting for the 1st good month).

It's not that I don't believe Soto can become an elite catcher in The Show. He'll just have to convince me in the next 500 ABs.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Jan 6, 2008 10:57 PM CST 0 recs

these are fantasy projections

they take a lot of factors besides what us normal baseball fans do. this could simply be based on fantasy value, at which point Soto is likely to be very cheap with a lot of upside to him. in fantasy terms Posada, for instance , is often considered a second tier catcher because of his price. I think this is basically exactly what all the other experts are saying about Soto, he could be an all-star calliber catcher, but he's by no means a sure thing.

by petrie on Jan 6, 2008 11:26 PM CST 0 recs

I'm a Soto fan

but as others have pointed out, this is a fantasy evaluation, so it just involves batting average, runs scored, RBIs and HR. (Unless you're Russell Martin, then it involves SB as well.) That has a lot to do with the lineup you're in and the amount of playing time you can expect.

Secondly, it goes to how awful the hittng ability is for catchers these days than how good Soto is. After the first five names on that list, there isn't much there.

Still, I would expect a good season out of Soto. About .270 with a .330 OBP and around 15 to 20 HRs. Along with better defense, that's a big upgrade for us.

Stay tuned for complete coverage of BABYWATCH 2008!

by Josh77 on Jan 7, 2008 12:45 AM CST 0 recs

Soto

If Soto can give us 120 starts.......hit.260......obp of .330 or more......given his defensive skills and the fact he has some HR power we are WAYYYY ahead of last year at that position. Hard to believe fantasy projections for a guy with such a small track record but if he's in the top half of MLB catchers I'd be happy.
Catcher was a huge gaping hole last year with Barret,Hill,etc and Kendall is horrible. I am shocked the Brewers are giving him the job.......my god,Damian Miller seems a far better alternative for them.

by plenz on Jan 7, 2008 9:48 AM CST up 0 recs

It doesn't take much

to be better than the catchers we had last year.....we struggled with a combination of guys who couldn't play defense and couldnt hit.

by cubsmania on Jan 7, 2008 10:17 AM CST up 0 recs

in defense of Kendall

true he was a very good defensive catcher, but he did hit around .270 during his time with the Cubs. i hope his number are more A's-like than Cubs-like next season, but he wasn't 'horrible' for us last year. (compared to Barret's attitude problem and Hill's inability to know which bat of the end to swing with...)

by petrie on Jan 7, 2008 5:25 PM CST up 0 recs

re: in defense of Kendall

I agree. In fact, I'll go one further and assert that neither Koyie Hill nor Kendall was "horrible." Although Hill's offense was virtually nonexistant (though I seem to recall a key hit here or there), he stepped in and lent some calm to the Cubs pitching staff following the Zambrano-Barrett brouhaha. And he was, at least, consistent defensively (unlike Michael Barrett).

As you mention, Kendall gave the team a bit more offense (at least in terms of OBP) and about the same defensive stability behind the plate. He just couldn't throw out a runner to save his life -- a weakness I look forward to watching the Cubs exploit last season.

Ladies and gentlemen, your 2008 Chicago Cubs starting outfield: Soriano-Pie-Fukudome. Let it be.

by dat cubfan daver on Jan 8, 2008 12:55 PM CST up 0 recs

I can't believe

Barrett didn't make the top 24 :)

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

by MPH73 on Jan 7, 2008 10:58 AM CST 0 recs

Speaking of fantasy

When is BCB going to fire up the Yahoo league again? Did I miss a signup or has it not been announced yet?

I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said, but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant. - Robert McCloskey

by pageian on Jan 8, 2008 10:56 AM CST 0 recs

No one's created one yet.

If anyone wants to organize a league (or more than one), feel free.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Jan 8, 2008 1:14 PM CST up 0 recs

Yahoo's leagues....

won't be available until Feb. I'd be willing to create or join a league if anyone else wants to get one going.

As I've told you before, I never repeat myself.

by santoswoodenlegs on Jan 8, 2008 1:29 PM CST up 0 recs

I'll participate again.

And all of you should hope I'm in your league because I finished last in mine. Even my son had a better team than I did.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Jan 8, 2008 1:51 PM CST up 0 recs

About right

I participated in a Scoresheet baseball mock draft where Soto went 7th among Cs, 135th overall. It was set for a 22-team league where you keep about ten players from year-to-year. Scoresheet fantasy baseball takes into account a more complete offensive picture as well as defense, so player rankings in that fantasy universe are going to come a lot closer to real life rankings.

In contrast to Soto's 135 ranking, D-Lee was drafted 47th, Aramis 49th, Soriano 56th, Zambrano 57th, Lilly 120th, Hill 132nd, Fukudome 177th, Pie 183rd, and Carlos Marmol 296th.

How many Cub fans think Soto and Hill are roughly equal in value? How many think Soto is much more valuable than Fukudome and Marmol?

All I am saying is give Pie a chance!

by DGU on Jan 8, 2008 2:11 PM CST 0 recs