Riverbrian

Awhile back... I took a trip to China... While visiting Qufu in the Shandong Province. I met a local by the name of Kung Tsai-Chang the 79th... He was an amazing human being. We were hungry so we went to the Olive Garden and I refused to use chopsticks because I didn't know how to use them. I was insisting on a fork and they didn't have any and I said to Kung... "It's Ok... I'll just eat my Chicken Parmigana with my hands". He began to show me how to use them... While showing me... I noticed what appeared to be a small lizard crawling on his arm. After showing me... He asked me to give it a try. I asked him to show me again because I was distracted by the lizard on his arm(which turned out to be the appetizer). Kung said "When a wise man points at the moon... The imbecile examines the finger". He had a lot of great sayings that way and they were right on the money. It was Kung who told me that "Defense for a catcher is very very important. I asked him how he knew and he said that Gene Larkin told him and he learned it at Columbia.

One third of the way there.

Yes... But I wouldn't want to Paint it.

That was Fun... I love watching 1st Home Runs Ever!!! Especially balls that were crushed like that one was.

Let's get a run and let Correia hold it.

I'm still somewhat flabbergasted. I understand your point but I don't understand how you don't understand mine. I'm not chasing some Ghost... Anyone who has played the game understands the importance of defense at the catcher position to the overall team. It isnt just passed balls and nailing base theft... Anyone who was played a game with a catcher who isn't up to snuff has the seen the damage done. 1. Sabermatricians admit that defensive measureables for catcher defense are sub-par. 2. Baseball Management... Scouts, GM's, Manager and Coaches universally agree and cull and search for defense at the catcher spot. So much so... That it is one of the few positions that a player will be re-signed despite Mendoza line Batting Averages. If you consider points 1 and 2... I'm not sure how this is guessing. I usually type I Guess or I'm guessing when I am. Any way... I think Catching Defense is very important and so does almost everyone in the business (even Bill James) and Doumit is OK behind the plate. He wouldn't be behind the plate if he wasn't because its important.

lol... What breed of chickens are you counting pre-hatching. It'll be fun to watch that Jose Fernandez kid pitch. He sure looks legit.

You may be right... No way of knowing how other teams assess his defensive skills... But I personally doubt that the Twins are much different than the other clubs when it comes to assessment.

Bill James published the Defensive Spectrum back in the 80's. 1B-LF-RF-3B-CF-2B-SS-C Catcher is the hardest position to play according to Bill James and also according to Managers, General Managers and Talent Scouts. It's pretty much universal. If you are catching in the Major Leagues... You have survived a Filter in the Minors... and therefore should have enough talent to perform defensively at your position. Filter: Catchers need to have a pop time under 2.00... If they can't get the ball off in 2.00... They are cut or moved to another position. Catchers need to be able to throw accurately to 2B... If the a large percentage of throws end up in CF... They are cut or moved to another position. Catchers need to read the ball coming out of the pitchers hand to be able to anticipate where the ball is heading before the ball gets to it's location and be mobile enough to move right or left to block fastball and sliders moving at 90 MPH plus... If they can't do this... They are cut or moved to another position. Catchers need to be able to set up hitters by studying film and using that information and games of experience to call pitches and location... If they can't grasp this... They are cut or moved to another position. It's important to point out that... The defensive Spectrum moves from right to left... Very rarely does a player fail on the left side and then get moved to the right side of the spectrum. If an Outfielder isn't getting the job done defensively... They don't move him to catcher or SS to see if he works out there. Catchers and SS's are moved to less challenging positions all the time. The point is... Catcher is an important position defensively and there is a hard filter that culls the pack. Doumit has survived the filter so we don't need to assume that he is a defensive time bomb. The difference in Pop Time between average and passable is .2 seconds. That is an amount of time that can easily be erased and gained by the timing of the pitchers delivery to the plate. Yes... There are better catchers defensively than Doumit... But he's not a third grader behind the plate either. To counter myself... I will add that while Doumit is passable behind the plate... If he was better... He'd be making a ton more money because his offensive skills are better than most backstops. It's ok to trade a little D for a little O as long as the D you give away isn't a complete disaster. Doumit hasn't been a complete disaster because he is still catching.

Not sure what to say about that. Have a nice remainder of your Monday!!!

By hard to quantify... I mean... Hard to attach a stat to it. Catchers are involved in every pitch. Pitch calling... psychology... The catcher is the eyes for the entire infield on Cuts. No stats for that yet... Maybe someday. Oddly... The main defensive stats used for catchers is CS%... And that is probably more the responsibility of the guy on the mound. A catchers teammates know if he's getting it done... So does the Manager... Us watching from the stands... Not so much. It's knowable and I believe that Catchers make good manager candidates because it is knowable and very important. Like I said... It's basic baseball.

Yup... Although... I admit I wonder if we are talking about two different things.

It's basic Baseball.

Sir Jokin... You have that backwards... 12 PA's batting right handed... 48 PA's batting left handed. And... I'm not looking at his splits... I'm watching him hit... I think he will have a hard time generating power batting left handed from what I'm seeing and trouble reaching outside or low pitches without diving at it. It looks like he can drive it from the right side. I have no idea if this is something he is just doing now or if its been with him throughout his career. 12 at bats from the right side is tough to draw any conclusions... Just what it looks like to me and I'm not an expert... Just youth coaching experience. His swing looks flawed from the left... and not so much flawed from the right in only 12 bats... i'm sure Bruno is working hard to get him squared away and I could be completely wrong.

Catcher defense is very important and what's important about it is very very hard to quantify. The catcher is the defensive QB... He sees the field... He calls the cuts. He calls the pitches... He has the relationship with the Pitcher. It can't be quantified from our distance. Unless... With a decent enough sample size... You see a consistent pattern of Runs scored against a certain catcher using the same pitchers. Yet... There are so many different factors that would make you question that data. CS%... That's mostly the pitcher... By the time the Pitcher is done with the base runner and delivers... The damage has been done. Holding the runner and delivery time to the plate. Catcher POP time in the pros better be under 2 seconds. If they are not under 2... chances are... they have been moved to another position. Average is 1.80. You are talking about .2 seconds difference between average and passable... That's tight. Catcher defense is all about Pitch selection and cuts. Nailing the runner is such a small thing.

I'm seeing a difference between left side and right side. Do you see it with Hicks as well? From the right side his swing looks fairly smooth and together. From the left side I see him falling back instead of shifting his weight. His plate coverage and power seems effected by this.

90 degree ain't that good either. Of course it's a dry heat so you can't feel your skin melt. Glunn has that constant 70 degrees that is hard to beat if you overlook the earthquakes and wild fires.

Uncle!!!

If he can put more balls in play... We can ride this out.

Forgive me... Run of the mill Jinxes are no big deal... That one was scary... Never had a jinx with Holy Power. You got me on my knees quick.

Nice work Glunn... You did it. Whew... Apparently... Jinxes like that don't work in Idaho... or when Preachers are responsible. That was scary.

yeah... Don't just stand there.. Do something... My Baseball Voodoo probably won't work cuz Knudson is a man of the cloth.

Jeez... Not yet... Don't type that yet... Now... I gotta figure out something to counter act that... And I'm not sure what.

Oh great... Escobar.. Carroll and Mauer hitting in the ninth.

High Five