MLB Network Prime 9 Catchers of the Decade

by ctinsley12bsu on Dec 12, 2009 10:57 AM CST

1. Pudge

2. Joe Mauer

3. Jorge

4. Mike Piazza

what does everybody think? For me I think it's pretty solid though I think so much of Jorge Posada and what he means to the Yankees. Martinez over Varitek too, not sure about that one. Would love to see Geo bounce back and looked at this way years from now.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Comments

Michael Barrett was robbed!

Hopefully, they slapped him around too!

There is no such thing as an ugly female breast

by Worf on Dec 12, 2009 11:18 AM CST reply actions

Michael Barret.

Wow. lol Isn’t he in Toronto now?

Milton is our quarterback.

by Ryno Runner on Dec 12, 2009 12:39 PM CST reply actions

what no Blanco?

baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out

by Cubbie-Tim on Dec 12, 2009 1:19 PM CST reply actions

Im no Cardinal sympathizer

But the fact that Yadier Molina is not on this list is a shame.

by Galvan316 on Dec 12, 2009 1:22 PM CST reply actions

+1

by jerry morales rules on Dec 12, 2009 1:46 PM CST up reply actions

+2

baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out

by Cubbie-Tim on Dec 12, 2009 2:11 PM CST up reply actions

I would put Brian McCann ahead of Molina

Molina has never posted an OPS+ of more than 100 (he was at 100 this year), whereas McCann has done it three times. Both play good defense, so to me Molina’s offensive shortcomings are the difference.

by Pat19 on Dec 14, 2009 11:53 AM CST up reply actions

Offensively, yes, McCann is ahead of Molina.

But I think Molina’s defense far outshines McCann’s. (Not that McCann is bad, just that Molina is outstanding.)

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 14, 2009 12:07 PM CST up reply actions

Who would you rather have?

I’d pick McCann, no doubt.

by Pat19 on Dec 14, 2009 8:16 PM CST up reply actions

Depends.

If I already had hitters on my team and needed a defensive-minded catcher to handle my pitching staff, I’d take Molina.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 14, 2009 8:43 PM CST up reply actions

Everyone knows elite catchers have to do 5 random snap throws to first

This Chicago Cubs team is currently Aaron free. Keep it that way, please.

by jesus christos on Dec 14, 2009 4:10 PM CST up reply actions

What about Sandy Martinez?

Hey, he did catch Kerry’s 20K game before he dropped off the face of the planet.

by TheGrinch13 on Dec 12, 2009 2:06 PM CST reply actions

1998 is not this decade

baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out

by Cubbie-Tim on Dec 12, 2009 2:11 PM CST up reply actions

Let him have his fun

by TJ11 on Dec 12, 2009 7:29 PM CST up reply actions

Sandy may not have been in this decade but these fine catchers have

Paul Bako 2003-2004
Rob Bowen 2007
Mike Defelice 2004
Todd Hundley 2001-2002
Casey Kopitzke 2006
Robert Machado 2001-2002
Mike Mahoney 2000,2002
Damian Miller 2003
Jeff Reed 2000
Jose Reyes 2006

Great signings by the Cubs!

by TJ11 on Dec 12, 2009 7:55 PM CST up reply actions

Damian Miller did a good job.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 13, 2009 8:58 AM CST up reply actions

He wa by far the best of the group.

by TJ11 on Dec 13, 2009 9:24 AM CST up reply actions

I must've successfully...

blocked 2006 from my memory altogether, because I don’t remember Casey Kopitzke or Jose Reyes at all.

by kanderber on Dec 13, 2009 9:21 AM CST up reply actions

That is a good thing!

That was a yucky team.

by TJ11 on Dec 13, 2009 9:23 AM CST up reply actions

Kopitzke never played in the major leagues.

Jose Reyes (not the Mets guy) had a cuppa coffee.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 13, 2009 9:31 AM CST up reply actions

Its odd. He is listed on the Cubs all time roster

But I see the same thing you saw. He never played a game. I remember the name, barely. Could it be he was called up for a few days and never played and was sent back never to be heard from again?

by TJ11 on Dec 13, 2009 3:24 PM CST up reply actions

i havent checked

but is it possible he was announced as a PH and then was sat down for another when a pitching change happened, or something goofy like that?

baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out

by Cubbie-Tim on Dec 13, 2009 4:22 PM CST up reply actions

As far as I know...

… he was never reacalled.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 13, 2009 5:05 PM CST up reply actions

I think that would still count as a game played....

But who knows?

by TJ11 on Dec 13, 2009 5:10 PM CST up reply actions

i am not sure on it

and was/am hoping someone here has that answer.

baseball is a game of outs......pop out, ground out, line out, pitch out, strike out, fly out, and Fox and Bud's favorite black out

by Cubbie-Tim on Dec 13, 2009 5:50 PM CST up reply actions

If a player does that...

… yes, it counts as a “game played”, since you cannot return to the game.

But Casey Kopitzke never did that.

"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra

by Al Yellon on Dec 14, 2009 7:05 AM CST up reply actions

Did you find his minor league stats somewhere?

This is bothering me now.

by TJ11 on Dec 14, 2009 10:15 AM CST up reply actions

I hate A.J. Pierzynski.

Just thought that needed to be said.

"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks

by dtpollitt on Dec 13, 2009 1:29 AM CST reply actions

He can be a bit of a jerk.....

But he’s better than we have at the moment…….

by TJ11 on Dec 13, 2009 9:16 PM CST up reply actions

Soto was a much better player than Pierzynski in '08

50pts higher in OBP and 100 pts higher in Slugging. Defensively, I’d take Soto over Pierzynski any day.

Of course Soto regressed in ‘09, but with almost 200 less plate appearances, they had about the same amount of RBI. Sure, that’s cherry picking the stats, but there is no way I’d take Pierzynski over Soto for ’10.

by jerry morales rules on Dec 14, 2009 10:53 AM CST up reply actions

Pierzynski

is a terrible catcher. People run all over him when he’s behind the plate. Disgusting that he made the list. I would’ve rather seen Yadier Molina on that list then Pierzynski, actually I hate them both lol.

Someday we'll go all the way.

by Cubbinstrongsince86 on Dec 14, 2009 11:31 AM CST reply actions