2012 Roster Possibilities: Catchers

Written By: Michael Mawhinney

Edited By: Brian Hannon   
Over twelve segments, we will talk about each position, including position players, the starting rotation, the bullpen, and bench options, and analyzing roster options to see what our lineup could look like in 2012.  To do this, we will look at 2011 and past performance, arbitration eligible players, players with options, minor league players ready to make the jump to the majors, and potential free agents.  The Pirates took a big step forward in 2011, winning 15 more games than they did in the previous year.  If the team makes the right moves, we could possibly even see a contending team heading into 2012.  It’s not likely, but this year’s team showed it can happen.  Here’s a look at the options for Catchers:

 The Pirates used eight catchers in 2011, which is obviously a lot.  It wasn’t because the starters were under-performing, it was that they were getting injured.  Ryan Doumit had another extended stay on the disabled list, and Chris Snyder only got 96 AB’s before his season was ended because of a back injury, which required surgery.  These injuries prompted the call-ups of minor league catchers Dusty Brown, Wyatt Toregas, Eric Fryer, and Michael McKenry,  none of whom played well.  

There was a time when McKenry was starting and Fryer was the back up and the team was playing very well.  At this time, people felt comfortable with this combo heading into 2012, but both of these players are most likely back ups.  Some fans love McKenry for the energy he brings, especially after his dramatic 3-run home run that ended up winning the game back in June, and everyone seems to believe he is a great defender.  He is a decent defender, but he’s nothing special, especially because he has lots of trouble throwing out runners.  Also, he has not hit at the major league level, with an OPS of .598 this season and an average at .222. His WAR (Wins Above Replacement), which is a great stat to judge the overall performance of a player was -0.1, so he provided the production of a replacement level player. Those are not the numbers of a starter, and it would be a bad decision to have him as the starter in 2012.  As for the other options going into next season, Snyder and Doumit both have options for next year, but they are very expensive, at $6.75 M and $7.25 M, respectively.  Those prices are going to be too high for the Pirates, so it is extremely unlikely that they exercise either.  That being said, the Pirates can still try to sign them at a lower price, and the club has expressed interest in resigning Snyder.  Ryan Doumit, however, has said the chances of him returning to the Pirates are “slim”, so we have probably seen him for the last time in a Pittsburgh uniform.  The only other internal option that the Pirates have is Jason Jaramillo, who hasn’t hit well in the past, although he has been a tolerable replacement for the most part, but at 28 years old, it is unlikely he ever will be a solid starting catcher.  

The free agent market for catchers this off-season isn’t very deep, and there are no real upgrades over Snyder or Doumit.  The Pirates could explore the trade market for catchers, but, as in the past, teams will most likely ask for a lot in return for a good catcher.  With that being said, the best bet the Pirates have is to use the $750 K buyout on Snyder’s option, and resign him for a lower price.  The Pirates have a few guys that would be decent back-ups in McKenry, Jaramillo, and Fryer, so there is no point in attempting to sign anyone else through free agency.