Red Sox Story-lines to Watch: The Catching Situation
By Brian Phair
With 2011 just around the corner, the Boston Red Sox are getting primed and ready for another run at the post-season and beyond. They have certainly been big winners this off-season, bringing in Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford and have shown Red Sox nation that this year will not be a repeat of 2010. That being said, there are still several story-lines to follow throughout the Spring and into the season surrounding the current version of the Sox. Over the next few days, I am going to devote individual posts to a series of topics that pertain to the upcoming season, giving each the proper attention it deserves as we all prepare for February’s reporting day. If you have any other thoughts or suggestions for topics you would like to see me covered, send them my way via email at bosoxinjection@gmail.com. Without further ado, let’s begin by discussing the Red Sox catching tandem.
The Red Sox had many crucial decisions to make this off-season, but the 1st related to catching personnel for 2011. After watching Victor Martinez flourish at Fenway Park in a Sox uniform for half of 2009 and all of 2010, the Sox made a decision to not offer the elite catcher a long-term deal because of his increasing age and the likelihood he would eventually become a 1st baseman. In 183 games with the Sox, V-Mart hit .313 with 28 home runs and 120 rbis. Once he signed with the Detroit Tigers for 4-years $50 million, Sox fans began to buzz about the possibility of 2011 being another bridge year and Theo had to jump to plan B and C. Theo was vocal about liking Jarrod Saltalamacchia as his starting catcher, but most of Boston was skeptical. As time passed, it became more and more obvious that the catching options in the open market were slim to none and the Sox would likely have the best chance by tapping Salty as the opening day starter. On December 2nd, the Sox announced the signing of captain Jason Varitek as a back-up/split role catcher, shoring up the position and cementing the plan for 2011.
Now that it appears the Sox are going to start the season with Salty as the starting catcher and ‘Tek as the back-up, let’s analyze. For as long as I have known the name, I have been a fan of Salty. He was one of the most talked about prospects back in 2007 when he was the primary chip in the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes, sending Teixeira to the Atlanta Braves and Salty to the Texas Rangers. Unfortunately for the young kid, his career took some bizarre twists and turns after that point, even getting to the stage of not being able to throw the ball to 2nd base without it sailing wildly into the outfield. He spent much if his time in 2008-2010 in the minors working on his game and seemingly was treading water in the Rangers organization. Then along came the Red Sox to give the 25-year old a fresh start and a chance at new opportunities. Although an injury sidelined Salty in his brief stint with the Sox in 2010, he has shown signs of progress in his overall game.
I’m not going to pretend to think that Salty will hit 20 home runs and drive in 79 rbis while hitting at a .300+ clip in 2011 like V-Mart did last season, but I feel he has tremendous upside. First off, he’s still only 25. He has been through a massive roller-coaster so far in his career and has the opportunity to come out on top at a still very young age. He will be the opening day starter and although he will likely come closer to splitting time with ‘Tek than a normal starter/back-up balance, he will be given every chance to succeed. The Sox have one of the best bullpen/catching coaches in baseball in Gary Tuck and Salty has spent (and will spend) significant time with him to continue to improve this off-season. On top of Tuck, the Sox essentially have a 2nd catching coach in ‘Tek. He has been there, done that, got the t-shirt and caught 4 no-hitters in his impressive career and has a natural ability to help guide and push young players like Salty.
The Sox would be wise to give Salty a longer leash this season because it will allow him to overcome some of his own growing pains. If he believes that 1 mistake will get him a seat on the bench, then the unnecessary pressure will crush him. A longer leash becomes a lot easier to allow when your team is winning, but by building up this kid’s confidence, it will help him to focus on calling the games effectively and getting a few hits in the box. I expect Salty to hit in the neighborhood of .260 this season with 15 home runs if he can stay healthy, but that is a big if, maybe the biggest. Over the last few seasons, Salty’s body has failed him and he has not been able to appear in a large number of games at the major league level. That will be another consideration when calling on ‘Tek to start, because they will likely spell Salty more than normal to keep him fresh and not allow his body to wear down quickly. If the kid is ever going to regain his career momentum, it is with the support system he has in Boston in 2011.
The Sox will lose production out of the catcher’s slot in 2011, but they gained balanced with the acquisitions of Gonzo and Crawford. Those moves put less pressure on Salty to hit and if the Sox have trouble scoring runs this season, it will certainly not rest on the shoulders of the young catcher. If he can focus on calling the right pitches at the right times for the Sox starters, then his value to the team will be in that role and not in the box. If he hits, then consider it is a nice little bonus.
As far as ‘Tek is concerned, he plays best when rested. He has a tendency to start off a season strong before fizzling at the plate, but resting half the time, he should have fresh legs for when he is called upon to pinch-hit or as a defensive replacement late in games. I have always felt that ‘Tek’s value extends well beyond his catching role. He has a coaching and mentoring ability that has been so invaluable for the Sox over the years. This year will be no exception and his role may actually be more important than ever in the development of Salty and the next generation of catchers within the Sox organization as he nears retirement. He is a stable figure for the Sox who had a bit of turnover this off-season, so his familiar face will be comforting to Sox fans everywhere.
Have a different opinion on Salty and ‘Tek as the catching tandem in Boston? Let me know about it by leaving a comment.