Comments on: Ross Not Coming To Phillies

By: Fred

Fred — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:25:28 +0000

Piazza is 6′3″ and only 215 lb now but in his heyday he went around 225 lb.

By: TJ

TJ — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:22:08 +0000

Was Piazza around that size?

By: Fred

Fred — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:13:43 +0000

It seems that the good hitting catchers are in the 6′3″ to 6′5″ 230lb range as evidenced by McCann and Mauer. Could it be their superior physical size takes the everyday pounding a little better than the smaller guys allowing them to produce better with the stick?

By: Don M

Don M — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:01:13 +0000

I went to Reading the night that Myers pitched up there.. posted that he looked great (am I smart, or what?? ) … Marson, Golson, Donald, and Carrasco all weren’t playing because they had left for the All-Star Futures Game.

BUT considering that Marson was the #2 catching prospect going into this season, behind Jaramillo.. i’ve been skeptical of his STAR status all season… I’d LOVE nothing more than for us to have an awesome player coming up, I’m just not counting on him for anything yet.. same with Carrasco.. give him some time and you’ll be happy with the results, but we can’t expect great things right away

By: Fred

Fred — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:56:48 +0000

Has anyone here actually seen Marson play other than possibly a few times? All this talk about future HOFer Marson is just talk. Where does this love affair with Marson come from? Ruiz is at least an average major league catcher possibly even a bit above average considering his defense and handling of pitchers. Shouldn’t we be looking at other areas of this team for improvement?

By: NJ

NJ — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:35:29 +0000

Their not trash by any means, the catcher position is so demanding you cannot treat offensive production from the position like any other. Firstly these guys get knicked up in ways not even a pitcher can related to as they get shelved while the catcher keeps on playing, defensively their constantly focused on calling a game while their body is constantly under pressure and they have virtually no time to prepare for their next at bat mentally and make those adjustments. To be able to bat at all with your body under so much stress during a game is achievement enough for most.

Add to that that outside of a game while the other position guys are getting in extra hitting practise and watching film on hitting, the catcher is working with the pitchers and watching film to help him call the game giving him only very limited time to prepare as a hitter. Consider all those hitting pitchers who’ve really struggled to cement themselves as every day catchers and Ruiz doesn’t seem like worst guy to be holding a bat in the league, even a guy like Matthis has struggled because he couldn’t put it together as an all-around catcher.

If you haven’t read Coste’s autobiography do so, just making it to the majors for a cup of coffee as a cather in regular sesaon play is an incredible achievement.

By: TJ

TJ — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:55:35 +0000

Mickey Morandini, had to bring him up since Brogna was mentioned.

By: Geoff

Geoff — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:50:05 +0000

i guess theres just really like only 5 tgood hitting catchers. a lot, LOT of trash

By: Don M

Don M — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:45:55 +0000

MRuiz, Mjaramillo,

By: NJ

NJ — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:43:08 +0000

Nice thinking but it’s not going to happen, we to in theory have depth in talent at the catcher position but it’s the single hardest position to predict which is why systems tend to be so deep at the position.