Red Sox vs the AL East: catchers
Sep 28, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Fans of New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter (not pictured) try to get his picture before the game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
With spring training growing agonizingly close, BoSox Injection will begin a new running series: “Red Sox vs the AL East.” In this series, we will profile and rank the starting players at each position in the AL East, giving a sense of who the division favorites will be in the upcoming season and helping you to familiarize yourself with the division. We hope you enjoy as we begin today by ranking the five starting catchers in the AL East!
Sep 23, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez (55) hits a single during the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
5. Christian Vazquez, Red Sox
Let’s be clear in saying that this is no longterm condemning of Vazquez’s skills. The AL East just boasts a particularly strong crop of catchers this season and, given Vazquez’s youth and inexperience, he currently ranks fifth. However, he should still be a reliable option for the Red Sox in his first full season, particularly behind the plate.
While Vazquez is no stud at the plate, slashing just .240/.308/.309 in 55 games for the Red Sox last season and is the owner of a career .261/.343/.388 minor league slash line, he was elite defensively. With the Red Sox, he threw out 52% of attempting base stealers, displaying the ability to completely shut down the running game, and was an excellent pitch framer as well. Plus, at just 24 years old, Vazquez has room to improve both offensively and defensively. He should be a serviceable option both next season and for the future, but on this list, he ranks fifth.
Sep 25, 2014; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Diego Padres catcher Rene Rivera (44) throws the ball to first base during the second inning of the game against the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports
4. Rene Rivera, Rays
Born in the same Puerto Rican town as Vazquez, Rivera is a journeyman catcher who broke out a year ago at age 30. Starting the season as a defensive-minded backup catcher for the Padres, Rivera worked his way into the starting lineup and played in 103 games with San Diego. His .252/.319/.432 slash line was good for a 117 OPS+ in the spacious Petco Park and, while his success came out of nowhere, his numbers appear to be relatively repeatable. His .301 BABIP was a notch above his career mark of .284 and his isolated power of .180 was significantly higher than his career .130 ISO. However, considering his move to the more hitter-friendly Tropicana Field, it seems likely that Rivera could repeat last season’s success.
Apr 13, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Matt Wieters (32) hits a solo home run in the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The Blue Jays won 11-3. Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports
3. Matt Wieters, Orioles
Wieters was on his way to a strong start to the 2014 season before an elbow injury, which eventually would require Tommy John Surgery, sidelined him in May. Through the first 26 games of the season, Wieters was slashing an impressive .308/.339/.500 with 5 home runs and his trademark solid defense. While last season may have appeared to be the start of a breakout on the surface, however, there were plenty of red flags in Wieters’ performance. His BABIP of .329 was well above the more modest .285 that represents his career mark in that area, and Wieters also saw his walk rate drop to 5.4%, the third consecutive season when his walk rate had fallen. While Wieters is a strong defensive catcher with ample power, predictor stats such as BABIP suggest that he’ll never get on base enough to put himself in the elite range.
Sep 21, 2014; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees catcher Brian McCann (34) hits a two run home run in the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Noah K. Murray-USA TODAY Sports
2. Brian McCann, Yankees
McCann’s first season in New York was a disaster. Expectations were high for the 30-year old after signing a 5 year/$85M contract the previous offseason, but he just never got going and had his worst season as a professional, hitting .232/.286/.406 in 140 games. However, while Rivera and Wieters may come down a peg from last season’s heights, McCann appears poised to have a major rebound season in 2015. McCann’s .231 BABIP was significantly below his career .283, and while his walk rate also dipped last season, it should rise if he hits the ball with more authority. Perhaps last season was the beginning of a severe downward spiral for McCann, but more likely it represents a blip on the radar in an otherwise exceptional career.
Nov 20, 2014; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays catcher Russell Martin puts on his new cap and jersey after being introduced at a press conference at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
1. Russell Martin, Blue Jays
One of this offseason’s biggest prizes on the free agent market, Martin eventually landed in Toronto with a 5 year/$82M pact. In his best season since 2007, Martin slashed .290/.402/.430 in 111 games for the Pirates, also playing phenomenal defense. Chances are that Martin won’t repeat that success in the 2015 season, as his .336 BABIP was well above his career mark of .289, but he won’t need to hit .290 to be an excellent option behind the plate for the Jays. Martin walks at such a high rate and plays such excellent defense, as well as bringing some power to the table, that he probably has both the highest floor and highest ceiling of any catcher in the division.