Butera is Back?

[nicksaviking]

For fun, just looked at the rest of the AL's rosters. Guess what, your Twins are now the ONLY team in the AL carrying 3 catchers. Yet, some will still argue that Gardy doesn't have an obsession with having a backup catcher. It's a flaw and Ryan shouldn't feed the beast by giving him this unneeded safety net.

But that's only because the other teams in the AL don't have a 2nd catcher good enough that the team needs to find a way to put him in the lineup most nights. I'd venture to guess that 80% of fans think their team needs a better backup catcher. Butera is not going to be getting any significant action. This ship is pointing in the wrong direction, Gardy may like Drew Butera, but he's not going to give him playing time at the expense of job security, and he knows he's no lock for skipper in 2013 with another 99 loss season.

[Mike Sixel]

1. Losing Morneau is the biggest issue....just when I thought they could deal him for some minor league pitchers...

2. Mauer's knee is an issue, agreed - continues to raise the question of him as a catcher, btw....

3. You DON"T NEED a backup catcher. If they are both in the lineup, and the catcher is hurt, the other moves over, and they have a 1 game problem. There are airplanes now, to get your 3rd catcher there if you need one. You only need one if you are paranoid, about having an issue for a few innings or a game.

4. NO OTHER AL TEAM is carrying a 3rd catcher....as for no other teams need to get their catcher in the game, Mauer is not one the best hitting catcher in the game right now. Plenty of other teams are relying on their catchers to be legit hitters now. This is not a real argument.

[sotafan]

If both Doumit and Mauer are in the lineup, the other guy is still the backup. What difference does it make if they are in the lineup or not? The Tigers went through almost all of 2010 with Avila and Martinez in the same situation as Mauer and Doumit, only rarely having a 3rd catcher on the roster and somehow managed to win the division. When Olivo got hurt this year, the Mariners to decided they could live with Jaso and Montero, despite the fact Montero will be DHing most days. I suspect the only reason they had 3 guys to begin with is that neither Jaso or Olivo is really a starter. It's just a waste of a roster spot unless one of your guys is actually banged up. That's the only time a team should carry a third C unless it's a guy that you can count on as a pinch hitter, which Butera is definitely not.

Don't forget that they had Inge as the 3rd C in Detroit last year.

[Fanatic Jack]

Seth,

 

You sure love the team's kool-aid. Jim Jones would of loved you. How does Drew (.180) Butera help the Twins win more games? It does nothing but hurt the team and coddle Mauer.

[Fire Dan Gladden]

Losing Morneau will not be good. I bet dollars to doughnuts he is out for a while.

Gardenhire likes to play all of his backups regularly, so if Butera is indeed called up, prepare to see him more than once per week.

Gardenhire's job is not in jeopardy now, nor will it be regardless of how the team performs this year

[Boom Boom]

+1 internets to you, King Boom Boom the Fourth.

I found something epically Shakespearean about the recall of Butera. I should know well enough to use a citation though. That's from 1 Henry IV, but you already knew that.

 

The word "catching" with the implication of infectious disease seemed appropriate.

[ashbury]

I found something epically Shakespearean about the recall of Butera.

Comedy, or tragedy?

[Boom Boom]

Comedy, or tragedy?

Bad baseball is a bit of both. Just like the plays.

[John Bonnes]

If Mauer can't catch because of the knee, then this is a reasonable move. It has nothing to do with Mauer and Doumit being in the lineup. I've been as critical of Butera and the Twins hopes for him as anyone, and I think I'd rather see Rivera (especially with Frankie pitching tonight) but I don't know what other move I would advise.

[ScottyB]

I want to throw up with this bench - Gardy has no options - Burroughs .118 Av / .167 OBP / .343 OPS; Thomas .182 Av / .217 OBP / .581 OPS (+12 strikeouts in last 14 AB's!); Butera lifetime ,178 Av / .220 OBP / .481 OPS. The loss of Morneau will be massive. According to him (Morneau) he's been hurting since the series with the Rays. The last time he felt okay was against the Yankees.

[Top Gun]

Morneau for Butera is a bad trade off, but maybe Mauer is hurting too.

[DAM DC Twins Fans]

The only way this makes sense if Mauer knee is worse than we think and Morneau wrist is bad then Mauer DH and Morneau DL. If this is for any other reason--makes no sense. Parmalee should be playing 3/4 of games at 1B. If Mauer plays at 1B then Parmalee sits on bench.

 

Why not bring up Dozier???

 

If Mauer/Doumit hurt--Drew can get here in 24 hours so worse case scenario Gardy has to move Doumit/Mauer from DH to C and pitcher hits once or twice...

[Thrylos]

If Mauer can't catch because of the knee, then this is a reasonable move. It has nothing to do with Mauer and Doumit being in the lineup. I've been as critical of Butera and the Twins hopes for him as anyone, and I think I'd rather see Rivera (especially with Frankie pitching tonight) but I don't know what other move I would advise.

Agree on both counts (if Mauer cannot catch, and Rivera makes more sense than Butera). But this means that the Catcher goes back down as soon as Mauer can catch. I just hate what this does to the bench...

[nokomismod]

"The Twins aren't so deep that they can afford the luxury of carrying 3 catchers, especially while they are carrying 13 pitchers,"

 

When the first two catchers are every day players, then the third catcher is really the backup catcher... He's really the #2 catcher, regardless of which starting catcher starts that day and which plays another position. I do agree that carrying 13 pitchers is a bit much.

Thank for stating that so clearly Seth. This move makes sense and will allow Doumit, Mauer, and Parmalee to play with Butera as insurance.

As much as I wanted to think that Morneau was back, I just don't see him getting there. Stinks.

[DaveW]

I assumed this move was done bc Mauer is still a little sore/day to day after taking the foul ball off the knee? If that is the case Butera will be back down by the end of the weekend and most likely won't see many at bats. (Only as a defensive replacement or if Doumit is PR for)

[whydidnt]

Thank for stating that so clearly Seth. This move makes sense and will allow Doumit, Mauer, and Parmalee to play with Butera as insurance.

As much as I wanted to think that Morneau was back, I just don't see him getting there. Stinks.

Can you please explain why Doumit, Mauer and Parmalee can't play without having Butera as insurance? Seems that having insurance when you are 6-15 might be a luxury you can't afford. Shouldn't the Twins be more concerned about getting the best players onto the roster so they might possibly win more than one out of every 3-4 games? Every other team in the league thinks it's a luxury, but not the Twins I guess, they know better, right? I swear, some of you make it sound as though Mauer and Doumit both leave every game with an injury. It just doesn't happen frequently enough to worry about enough to weaken an already weak bench.

[Thrylos]

Plus Jose Lopez, just got DFA'd be CLE. Decent on the field middle infielder, right hand bat with some pop (think he hit 25+ a season with seattle) and not Ancient. I think if Mauer can catch he makes more sense than Drew.

[DaveW]

Plus Jose Lopez, just got DFA'd be CLE. Decent on the field middle infielder, right hand bat with some pop (think he hit 25+ a season with seattle) and not Ancient. I think if Mauer can catch he makes more sense than Drew.

Jose Lopez? Yuck, no way. Other than two decent seasons he has been downright awful.

[Thrylos]

Jose Lopez? Yuck, no way. Other than two decent seasons he has been downright awful.

well...

His awfulness has been better than that of Butera, Thomas, Burroughs and Plouffe. I know it is sad, but it is true. Just not too many options out there at this point, unless they want to blow this thing up with trades and bring the kids up to play. If that is the case, get rid of Butera and bring up Herrmann. He is 24, not 19 or 20...

[DaveW]

well...

His awfulness has been better than that of Butera, Thomas, Burroughs and Plouffe. I know it is sad, but it is true. Just not too many options out there at this point, unless they want to blow this thing up with trades and bring the kids up to play. If that is the case, get rid of Butera and bring up Herrmann. He is 24, not 19 or 20...

Butera isn't going to get at bats, having him on the major league roster isn't going to hurt anyone and he is already on the 40 man roster etc. Having Herrmann up instead literally makes no difference as he won't get at bats and might as well get at bats every day in the minors.

 

You bring up Lopez over Butera and Thomas while ignoring that Thomas is on the roster bc he is a 4th OF (something Lopez can't do) and Butera is on the roster bc he is a Catcher (something Lopez can't do) If your argument is "well he is a better hitter than Butera" then I hate to inform you that we could replace Lopez's name with any player in the majors and at least 1000 in the minors.

 

Lopez may be better than Burroughs and Plouffe, but I'd argue that both have more upside than Lopez as both are a little more of an unknown quantity at the major league level, Plouffe still has a shred of hope of turning into a Cuddyer like player. Lopez is known garbage (3800+ PA in the majors) and does nothing to improve the team heading into 2013+, Plouffe at least has a slight chance to pull it together to be a super utility player from here on out.

[Gernzy]

I assumed this move was done bc Mauer is still a little sore/day to day after taking the foul ball off the knee? If that is the case Butera will be back down by the end of the weekend and most likely won't see many at bats. (Only as a defensive replacement or if Doumit is PR for)

This. If Mauer isn't catching tonight, he will tomorrow or Friday at the latest. No reason for people to flip out over this.

[stringer bell]

They could go back to 12 pitchers--after they've had two consecutive "quality starts"! If they do go back to 12 pitchers, any of Gray, Burnett and Maloney could be demoted/optioned/DFAed. No one has been consistently bad in the bullpen, so it isn't an easy choice. Maloney had one putrid outing, Gray has allowed a lot of baserunners, but hasn't allowed his runners to score, and Burnett has been pretty good, but has allowed runs his last two outings and has an option.

[Mr. Ed]

Gray has allowed a lot of baserunners, but hasn't allowed his runners to score

Gray allowed 2 inherited runners in a NYY game to score,and allowed one to score in his last outing vs KC.

[whydidnt]

Don't forget that they had Inge as the 3rd C in Detroit last year.

And they used him a total of ZERO innings!! He hasn't caught since 2008. Thanks for helping me prove my point!

[Mike Sixel]

Why do we need butera insurance? Can they not call him up if someone cannot play?

[Skelly]

Scenario: Doumit Catching, Mauer DHing. Doumit hurt. Twins would be better off having Mauer move to C and lose the DH than to bring in Butera because he HITS WORSE THAN A PITCHER!

[Guest USAFChief]

If Butera is up only until Mauer is able to resume everyday catching duties, I can live with it.

 

That said, roster management seems to me a constant struggle with this team. Players sit around for 10 days unable to play without going on the DL. You could sort of understand 13 pitchers while Blackburn and Liriano were out of the rotation, but that situation has resolved itself...and there are still 13 pitchers on the big league team. Luke Hughes was sacrificed for the sake of 1 possible Blackburn start. Revere starts the season on the major league team, and within 2 weeks somebody decides that's not a good idea. If it wasn't a good idea in mid-April, it wasn't a good idea in early April. We'll see how many ABs Butera gets, and just how long he's on the roster. My bet is, he won't be going back to Rochester any time soon. Roster management/construction been an issue for as long as Gardy and Ryan/Smith have been at the helm, and sometimes it just makes no sense.

[whydidnt]

They DFA'd Burroughs for the spot. Unless I'm forgetting someone that means if Mauer can't play we have 1 bench guy? 2 of Plouffe/Thomas/Butera have to play, right? Mourneau is in MN right now, so he won't be available. Not sure I understand this plan at all. Also means that Butera is obviously more than "insurance", doesn't it? If Mauer can play, then I don't understand the rush to get Butera here...

[CDog]

Scenario: Doumit Catching, Mauer DHing. Doumit hurt. Twins would be better off having Mauer move to C and lose the DH than to bring in Butera because he HITS WORSE THAN A PITCHER!

Every pitcher? Some pitchers? One pitcher? Most pitchers? Proof please?

[Mike Sixel]

Scenario: Mauer and Doumit both in the game, Butera on the bench, 13 pitchers on the roster...pinch hitter needed...no one available. Isn't this MORE LIKELY, than one of Doumit or Mauer gets hurt? NO OTHER AL TEAM has 3 catchers on it of a reason....because they worry about every game, not some mystery game that may or may not happen.