So who is Jorge Vazquez?
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Apr 24, 2009 
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If you pay attention to minor-league box scores, you may have noticed that Trenton had a new DH named Jorge Vazquez. He was 2 for 4 with a homer and drove in all four runs in a 4-1 victory against New Britain.
Vazquez is a 27-year-old right-handed hitter from Mexico who has 10 years of experience in the Mexican League. The Yankees signed him on Dec. 7 with little fanfare. He is a first baseman and can play a little third.
Vazquez played for the Tigres de Quintana Roo, hitting .321 over his career with 151 homers. He was .339/.398/.612 last season with 18 homers in 224 at-bats. Vazquez played for Mexico in the WBC, hitting .294 in five games an driving in five runs. He had a grand slam against Australia.
The Yankees list him as 6-foot, 225 pounds in their media guide. I’ve also seen him listed as 6-2, 235.
The Yankees had good success with Alfredo Aceves last season. Perhaps Vazquez will emerge as a right-handed option late in the season. Given the fragile nature of Hideki Matsui’s knees, having a few DH types in the organization makes sense.
I expect him to be a called up for the interleague series. September, the latest.
He was the entire Thunder offense in a 4-1 victory in his first game.
Great info, Pete. Thx.
How about call him up now and put him at third? He can’t be any worse than Cody Ransom.
Call him up!
From the last thread:
-Hope to take all three, but we have to win at least one. Can’t leave town 3 GB.
Is he a right handed Miranda?
Meaning, he can hit, but can’t field?
if he can play 3rd, bring him in. anything is better than cody ransom at this point. i think it’s time we give other young players an opportunity to shine.
Guys, he’s intriguing but we should probably remember it’s very much a hitter’s environment down there.
Let’s see how he does in some more Trenton ABs before oohing and aahing too much =)
Rather try Shelley first — if/when the need arises.
Pete, twenty-seven y.o.’s tearing up AA are non-prospects. The Yankees had “success” with Aceves last year because he was extraordinarily lucky. He’s not particularly good at striking people out, not walking people, or keeping the ball in the yard. He appeared to pitch well because he had a ridonkulously-unsustainable BAbip and LOB%. If the Yankees count on him again for anything this year, they likely get burned. I also wouldn’t count on Vasquez for anything. He’s minor league filler.
Great job Pete. You’ve just started a “Call Up Vazquez Contingent” who will start it up everytime someone gets hurt or a has a bad few weeks. Despite the fact none of them would know hwo he was if he walked up to them with a Jorge Vazquez nametag on. LOL
Interesting. Thanks for the info
Neither Vasquez nor Shelley are on the 40, so we’ll likely see neither.
BTW. That other pitcher from the Mexican League, Simon ? from the O’s? I think I saw that he’s out with ligament damage. Tough break.
I agree with Patrick, he can’t be worse than Ransom. Anyone that has bad hitting stats at the new Yankee wind tunnel stadium most likely can’t hit.
yeah, i saw that scrolling across the bottom of my screen last night too, m. tj and out for season, if i recall…
Rebecca -
Not to quibble, but I’ve heard just the opposite about Trenton in particular and the Eastern League in general – that it’s a pitcher’s environment.
Anyone?
I don’t really think Vazquez should be called up, I’m just frustrated at how bad Ransom is. It’s really too bad that the Yankees have almost no good position players at the upper levels of the minor league system. Austin Jackson and that’s it.
Maybe Eric Duncan can keep hitting, the AAA coach said his defense is much improved. That kid works really hard and he has talent he just hasn’t figure it out yet. If he hits well for the next month I could see him getting called up.
repost from last thread: all of us nyy fans living in the bean should get together and watch a nyy-bos game at a bar one of these series. anybody in?
Yeah Doreen you are absolutely right.
The Yankees position players in the minors aren’t good enough.
They need more. They only have pitching.
Sean Serritella
April 24th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
I agree with Patrick, he can’t be worse than Ransom. Anyone that has bad hitting stats at the new Yankee wind tunnel stadium most likely can’t hit.
————————————
My God people, what did you expect from Ransom? Relax already, A-Rod will be back soon and then you can start complaining about him.
“Neither Vasquez nor Shelley are on the 40, so we’ll likely see neither.”
I’m sure the 40 will change more than a few times this year.
i’m guessing Ransom would have had 2 HR and 8 RBI if he played for Trenton yesterday…
How long until Jesus Montero gets promoted to Trenton?
At least Ransom’s fielding is looking better. Probably was nervous as a cat in a room full of rockers.
The Eastern league has always been a pitchers league!
[[ The new stadium is my kid’s generation’s more modern, crowded urban high school.
IMO, if you went to the old stadium often enough, you are an alum and you don’t need to be a NYer to celebrate personally when your alma mater wins. ]]
Trisha — These lines by Murph are what I was trying to convey (poorly I suppose) with my comments before. I was trying to be tongue in cheek about people from outside NY not being able to understand what it’s like to be here when NYY win. I think you more than some maybe less than others (not for anyone to really say) know exactly what it’s like to be completely immersed in “Yankee-ness” because you are, by nature, a fan. The real energy comes from watching the games and knowing the players, maybe even getting to the stadium if you’re lucky. We disagree on the importance of geography but we certainly agree that there’s a special vibe about the New York Yankees and that’s what we all tune in to feel.
I’m going out to Shaw’s to grab some supplies so I can stand guard in my bunker here ‘behind enemy lines’ and be ready in case Joba plunks Youk and there’s a Red Sox Rebellion.
I hope it’s before May 29th, cause we’ve got tickets to see the thunder that night.
Joe Monte:
Probably not this season. They want him getting a lot of catcher instruction for now to see if he plays out there. And they also seem to like moving him with Austin Romaine
“they thought it was funny, but i think it was dawning on them that i might be a yankee fan so i left it at that and i quit while i was ahead”
Randy, seriously. Laughed til I cried!!!!!
Now I need Thurston Howell to keep me going!
RB — I’d be up for that once I finish with finals this week. Whenever the next one is we should see if there’s any interest.
“How long until Jesus Montero gets promoted to Trenton?”
The dude’s 19, don’t want to rush him and burn him out. The fact that he’s smacking it around in High-A ball is very encouraging, though. Hopefully, he impresses someone who thinks he’ll stick as a catcher and the Yanks can maximize their return on him.
I Saw this blog entry title and I thought Pete was doing his Pedro imitation.
Who is Jorge Vazquez?
I am the blogfather of Yankee news.
I can see Arod or Jeter, even Swisher.
But why do I want to mention this guy?
Who is Jorge Vazquez?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArBEUN0-QLA
“BTW. That other pitcher from the Mexican League, Simon ? from the O’s? I think I saw that he’s out with ligament damage. Tough break.”
Tough break indeed. Saw him in his last ST outing and when he went against the Yankees 4/9/09. Those O’s are a couple of pitchers away from being a problem to contend with. Guthrie’s the real deal and Uehara looked good.
Austin Romaine lettuce is my favorite for salads and sandwiches.
“My God people, what did you expect from Ransom? Relax already, A-Rod will be back soon and then you can start complaining about him.”
I thought he’d be better than this. At the very least, Pena should be starting in his place.
Good points about Montero, it comes down to if the Yankees keep him behind the plate or move him to DH. He is continuing to rake the ball, obviously it’s only April.
Kevin S.
April 24th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
“How long until Jesus Montero gets promoted to Trenton?”
The dude’s 19, don’t want to rush him and burn him out. The fact that he’s smacking it around in High-A ball is very encouraging, though. Hopefully, he impresses someone who thinks he’ll stick as a catcher and the Yanks can maximize their return on him.
============
Word is Montero likely to be w/Thunder at some point this season.
Montero’s virtually untouchable, bro. Not going anywhere but the Bronx.
Alex (DC): What does Joba have todo to be successful tonight in Fenway?
Jerry Crasnick: Alex, He absolutely has to do a better job of getting ahead of hitters. If he’s at 35 pitches after the first inning, he’s got problems. I’m sure I’m stating the obvious here, but that’s what it comes down to for Joba.
imagine (eventually of course)- austin romine starting C and jesus montero DH. that would work pretty well i think
Considering first base and DH are occupied for a long time coming, that’s stupid. He’s really not likely to stick behind the dish, so the Yankees need to figure that out before someone else does. Montero loses his value once he has to move, and then the Yankees don’t have anywhere to put him.
I doubt Montero will be in Trenton until next year. MAYBE he gets a few weeks at the end of this season. His bat is way ahead of his catching skills at this point. He can obviously hit in A-ball but he needs more time to work on his defense. He’s only 19, there is no need to rush him.
Hey all – I needed some distraction so made my pictures of the new Stadium even bigger. (I didn’t know you could do that by the way. Told ya, total novice at this picture stuff.)
Anway, for some even more magnificent views of the Stadium, feel free to look at the pics.
(Okay, I say to myself, now what????)
Has Montero played any 1B? Because don’t most players become DH’s by default?
Did anyone feel sorry for the Oakland kid playing 1B? Jeez.
The Yankees should have all their catching prospects spend some time at 1B. I like what they’re doing with the other position players, moving them around the OF & IF. They’re trying to breed some Super-Chone Clones!
BTW, I forgot to give a shout out to local boy Kurt Suzuki (who edged out the unfortunate fella at 1B). He had a great series and has done a great job behind the plate for the A’s since he edged out Piazza. lol.
Assuming that Montero “likely won’t stick” at catcher is a bad idea. When he was first signed a lot of sports writers made that assumption but from what I read from scouts that see him first hand, he is a lot better than you think. There is a reason the Yankees are working on his catching skills, they think he can be a major league catcher!
http://kimberlyjones.mlblogs.com/
Look at the picture of Fenway, man what a dump.
http://kimberlyjones.mlblogs.com/fenway_450.jpg
“Considering first base and DH are occupied for a long time coming, that’s stupid.”
Who is occupying DH for a long time? If he can catch for a couple years, he can move into 1B when Tex contract runs out. You know, he’ll be 25 then.
“Look at the picture of Fenway, man what a dump.”
I wonder how many seats will be empty. Just saying.
I’m WAY more excited than I should be about a baseball series in April but I don’t care.
Really curious to see how this team responds in the craphole that is Fenway.
Stellar picthing matchups and lots of new faces in this rivalry.
“I’m WAY more excited than I should be about a baseball series in April but I don’t care.
Really curious to see how this team responds in the craphole that is Fenway.”
That’s my miggs!
“Pete, twenty-seven y.o.’s tearing up AA are non-prospects. The Yankees had “success” with Aceves last year because he was extraordinarily lucky. He’s not particularly good at striking people out, not walking people, or keeping the ball in the yard. He appeared to pitch well because he had a ridonkulously-unsustainable BAbip and LOB%. If the Yankees count on him again for anything this year, they likely get burned. I also wouldn’t count on Vasquez for anything. He’s minor league filler.”
Tell that to Nelson Cruz.
Jennifer – nothing to do with the team, but there is no ifs ands or buts – the place is absolutely a dump.
“I wonder how many seats will be empty. Just saying.”
Exactly: none.
sometimes the seats in my living room fill up…
Woops, it IS lunch time. I reckon I’ll get me a nice romaine salad!
What Jerry Crasnick said is exactly what I said in an earlier blog post. Red Sox do not swing at bad pitches so if Joba doesn’t have his command, he will be lucky to last 4 innings. Attack the strike zone, and yes, pitch these guys inside, particularly Big Papi and Youk and Pedroira.
saucY:
Do your $2500 seats come with waiter service?
“Do your $2500 seats come with waiter service?”
And if they do, is all the food free?
Hmph!
Montero’s just too damn big. He’s bigger than Joe Mauer. He’s going to have to move off the position. If the Yankees can get someone to pay for him like he’s going to stay on the position and hit like he projects to hit, they should do the deal in a heartbeat.
Nelson Cruz can come talk to me when one in four of his fly balls aren’t leaving the yard.
Patrick
April 24th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
Assuming that Montero “likely won’t stick” at catcher is a bad idea. When he was first signed a lot of sports writers made that assumption but from what I read from scouts that see him first hand, he is a lot better than you think. There is a reason the Yankees are working on his catching skills, they think he can be a major league catcher!
======================================================
Based on what I’ve heard, and what guys like Posada & Pena have said, I wouldn’t bet against the kid. He’s applied himself diligently to improving his footwork and receiving skills, and if you ask our friend GB7, who sees a lot of him, he’s making some real progress behind the plate.
Yanks projected him being at Trenton last qtr or so of the season, and I doubt they are interested in rushing him. Or trading him. The kid has power to all fields and is 80-80 on PS, and is a born hitter.
Pete and others, please pay attention, in a generic sense, to an earlier post from someone who was at the game the night it rained. The poster said he loved the new setup as he was able to watch the entire game on the concourse and not get wet.
That will not account for every empty seat, I realize. But as long as the Mohegan Sun lounge, this lounge and that lounge, every restaurant, and the lines at the stands, have people, those are people who are not in the seats.
And I’m sorry, but if you can watch a game out of the rain, moreoften than not you’re going to. Or out of 100 degree sun or 30 degree temps (if it gets to that).
The “everywhere view” may turn out to be a blessing and a curse at the same time!
“I wonder how many seats will be empty. Just saying.”
It only holds 38,000 so if you see sections of Fenway empty, they are in BIG trouble.
Furthermore, if Cruz were to sustain that 26.1% HR/FB ratio, he’d still be the exception, not the rule. I’m not putting my faith into Vasquez because every now and again, somebody comes along and beats the odds. It does happen. But banking on it is foolish.
“It only holds 38,000 so if you see sections of Fenway empty, they are in BIG trouble.”
I can always count on you to cut to the chase.
Absolutely spot on.
pat
April 24th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
“I wonder how many seats will be empty. Just saying.”
It only holds 38,000 so if you see sections of Fenway empty, they are in BIG trouble.
~*~*~**~*~*~
I was getting ready to say the same thing!
If Joba has control of his fastball he will have a goodnight
JOBAMANIA v Lester. I hope years from now we can watch this game as the beginning of these two dueling each other in the rivalry.
Fun times ahead:
Rich (NYC): Sox, Yanks, Rays, Jays, Orioles are all going to contend in the next few years. Someone has to be in the cellar!
Jayson Stark: (1:29 PM ET ) Rough division! You’re exactly right, Rich. Every one of those teams is positioned to make a run if all goes right. So somebody is guaranteed to be the best last-place team in baseball, if not in baseball history.
Two questions for everyone:
#1 – I’m going to the game at Citi Field tonight, anyone else going?
#2 – Anyone ever been to Baltimore? What’s there to do around the Inner Harbor area? Going there sometime next month.
I was at the game on Tuesday and was in my seat less than half the time….The bummer is you can’t see the game from under the O’Neill banner.
People will stop exploring and get comfortable- weather will get nice – ALex will come back – sox and mets will come to town – NORMALCY is around the corner.
“What Jerry Crasnick said is exactly what I said in an earlier blog post. Red Sox do not swing at bad pitches so if Joba doesn’t have his command, he will be lucky to last 4 innings. Attack the strike zone, and yes, pitch these guys inside, particularly Big Papi and Youk and Pedroira.”
Agreed. But he should do that in every game, especially the part about tying up big swingers so they can’t get extended.
Joba is still doing on the job training as a starter. One good performance in Boston is not enough; he has to be able to put in a good performance nearly every time. IMO, he needs to slow things down. Between Eiland and Po, they have to keep the kid in check. But if it comes to it, they have to let him figure it out himself even if it gets ugly.
Two goals tonite: Win, of course, but if not, be sure Joba gets further valuable experience as a starter in the crucible of Beantown.
I wonder if Peter Gammons is picking at his Joba voodoo doll right now
Mauer is 6’5″, and about 230 at present. Bigger than Montero. I wouldn’t write him off. He works harder than anyone and wants to catch. Give him a chance before trashing him.
Vasquez is an intriguing bat. Have to wait to see how he does in American pro ball before thinking about the big leagues, but I think the guy can hit.
Ransom is horrible and honestly always has been. Why this is s newsflash to Cashman is beyond me. He failed miserably in SF in a few stints, is already 33, and a .250 AAA hitter, for Pete’s sake. Cashman and his ridiculous “the answer is here in camp” reply to every injury to a key player is hurting the team big time.
Uncle –
AMEN!
Why didn’t a MLB team sign Karim Garcia?
Karim Garcia in the WBC – .450 .895 .421 1.345
So much hate for Cody Ransom on this blog!! Give the guy a break, he is a sub, and was put in a “no win” situation (replacing A-Rod). He could have melted, but instead he has hung in and has started making some decent contributions. In his last 25 ABs, his bat has improved as he is hitting .280 (7 for 25) and he has made some fine plays at third — A-Rod has made his share of errors too, how we tend to forget!
Andy (Denver): Do you think the way that ball are carrying in the new Yankee Stadium will be a long term problem?
Jayson Stark: (1:38 PM ET ) I think it’s way too soon to make that judgment. The Elias Sports Bureau told the Yankees there were eight different four-game spans at the old stadium where 20 home runs were hit. So we don’t know yet if this is reality or just a funky stretch in April with weird weather patterns and bad bullpens contributing to the madness. I’ve been told that if the engineers find that there is indeed a wind-tunnel effect, they can erect wind screens (if that’s the right term) that correct that. But they’re going to wait a while and see how the park plays before they address that issue.
Rishi,
Mo vote for cellar-dweller goes to Boston!
Did I miss something, I saw a headline saying the Fenway streak was in jeopardy. But surely a homestand against the Yankees would fill the sardine can to the gill, no?
There was a mention of the team ERA in a previous thread and how it doesn’t reflect the team’s overall performance because of Wang’s horrendous outings. I agree with that completely, so I wanted to offer up a few numbers that I found interesting.
Team ERA – 6.18
Starters – 6.14
Relievers- 6.24
Starters (excluding Wang) – 3.86
Relievers (excl. Claggett & Marte) – 3.97
Obviously cherrypicking around the worst performers will make any team look a lot better, but consider that Wang, Claggett, and Marte and pitched 8% of the teams innings while allowing 42% of the team’s earned runs. How crazy is that?!?
Trisha the Stadium still has that new call smell –
it needs to be driven on a long road trip.
Or it is a new Rawlings Mitt (with Edge U cated Heel) that needs to be broken in…
Time and patience
Gotta relax on Montero projections folks. Yeah, he’s a big kid but that’s no reason to assume he’ll move. 1B is set for several years but DH and LF are not out of the question. Carlos Lee is a lousy LF, but he makes up for it with an incredible bat.
Tex and Alex are the only position player signed beyond 2011, so plenty of options are on the table.
However looking at the 40-man it appears the Yanks have to start making deals to move two (or more) pitching prospects for position prospects/young position players. It’s poor roster management to have so few options with position players. Personally I’d move Claggett, Hacker or Jackson, send Pena to Scranton so he could play and call up Berroa, but that’s just me.
Kevin S:
Matt Wieters
Matthew Richard Wieters
Bats: Unknown , Throws: Right
Height: 6′ 5″ , Weight: 230 lb.
oh no the orioles are going to move Wieters to first!!
Rebecca,
Waterfront is an oppressive park for hitters. It’s not a good hitting environment at all.
I agree, M – althought if you believe everything you read, the Yankees are going to lose the next three games and it’s a downward spiral from there.
Even my Red Sox fan cousins think a sweep is highly unlikely
“I was at the game on Tuesday and was in my seat less than half the time….The bummer is you can’t see the game from under the O’Neill banner.”
Sure you can.
Just look at the officially sponsored “LoHud-Under The O’Neill Banner Brawlers” giant video screen conveniently located above the team store entrance.
Bob z —
I don’t think there’s “hate” for Cody… just a realization that he can’t play every day and that the front office should do something about it. If that means moving a second tier pitching prospect in his mid’30′s (as mentioned in my above post) then so be it. If Ranson and Berroa shared 3B/Utility I think it would be much more productive.
Actually, there are significant concerns as to how long Mauer and Wieters will be able to stay behind the plate. Those two are significantly more nimble and athletic than Montero is.
#1 – I’m going to the game at Citi Field tonight, anyone else going?
—————————————–
I believe Lohud has a mets blog as well. The only time I have gone to a game that the Yanks were not playing in was back in the late 80′s early 90′s Dodgers/Reds at Dodger stadium. I got the tickets for free and wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Wasnt impressed and worst of all the Reds were in last place at the time but had louder fans. Sad. BTW it sucked watching teams that arent my favorites play and worst than that it was an n.l. game.
Actually, there are significant concerns as to how long Mauer and Wieters will be able to stay behind the plate. Those two are significantly more nimble and athletic than Montero is.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Calm down baseball expert like most of us here you don’t know what kind of catcher Montero will be. He can end up being: Real good, good, average, bad, or horrible only time will tell.
Agreed that size doesn’t matter, at least not in catching. But I’m not sure the comparison to Wieters is all that apt. I’m not sure there was ever a doubt that Wieters had the footwork for the job. Such doubt does exist as to Montero, based not on size but on how he uses it. Still, he could learn and become better. Po was not the best defensive catcher when he first arrived and his bat made up for that. Po has grown into the job very well, despite never being mistaken for Pudge Rodriguez in his prime.
BTW, Molina is listed at 6’2″ 235 and is a fine defensive catcher despite that weight.
Bob Z
The worst thing Cashman did was say Cody was a better defensive player than Alex and some Yankee fans think Alex has never made a meaningful play. Expectations hurt in both cases.
“Even my Red Sox fan cousins think a sweep is highly unlikely”
Spoke with a friend up there who’s a Sox fan this morning. He doesn’t envision a sweep and actually believe it could go 2-1 either way. Says this series is really flying under the radar up there. Basically the #4 sports story this weekend with the draft and the winter teams in the postseason and the draft going on.
Agreed that size doesn’t matter
————————————
The million dollar question.
i guess Jayson Stark thinks it’s pretty much a lost cause:
Adam, Dayton: Jayson, err… congrats on your NCAA picks
; Is wang going to snap out of his funk, and if not, can the Yankees make the postseason without him?
Jayson Stark: (1:52 PM ET ) I wonder how Andy Katz would answer this one. OK, just kidding. The Yankees know Wang’s delivery and release point are different than they were before the injury last year. They just haven’t figured out why yet. People all over the sport say he doesn’t look healthy, but he’s been denying he’s hurt. At any rate, the main reason to pick the Yankees is the belief that their rotation is going to dominate. And so far that hasn’t happened. They’re last in the league in starting-pitching ERA! Wang is responsible for a lot of that underachievement, obviously. But that whole group needs to pitch its butts off this year, or I don’t see them making the playoffs.
“Tall Catchers, Managers in Uniform, Pitchers Batting 9th, and Other Bad Ideas in Baseball”
“Yogi Berra, who was arguably the greatest catcher in baseball history, wasn’t exactly long and lithe. Most great catchers aren’t. Since it’s their job to squat for hours on end, they tend to be short of limb.
Just 11 catchers listed at 6-foot-4 or taller have ever had at least 2,000 plate appearances in the modern major leagues. Among them, only Joe Mauer of the Minnesota Twins, a two-time batting champion, has been a truly exceptional player — at least, when he’s healthy. Mr. Mauer is currently out of the lineup with a back injury. The idea that catchers shouldn’t be too tall is the rare concept that has the scouts and the statisticians nodding their heads in agreement.
All of this raises an uncomfortable possibility for the Baltimore Orioles. Their top pick in the 2007 draft was catcher Matt Wieters, who’s listed at 6-foot-5 and hit .355 with 27 home runs in the minor leagues in his professional debut last year. Given the dearth of tall catchers of note, the Orioles could be tempting fate by leaving a potentially historic hitter at the position most likely to stunt his career”
http://online.wsj.com/article/.....24009.html
trisha, the food is free, but depends on if i’m in a sharing mood or not. and is usually just a bag of pretzels or fruit.
“BTW, Molina is listed at 6’2” 235 and is a fine defensive catcher despite that weight.”
he’s gotta weigh more than that, no?
“BTW, Molina is listed at 6’2” 235 and is a fine defensive catcher despite that weight.”
235???
Maybe if someone cut off one of his legs.
I wonder what our record would be today if we didnt out bid Atlanta for A.J. and won the chicken game with Pettitte. I like how all the experts said that A.J. was high risk low reward but Penny and Smoltz were low risk high reward. Why didnt they include Pettitte in that group? He is getting paid the same salary as those two. Cashman deserves alot of credit for the moves he made and didnt make. Picking up A.J. and being Stealth like to snag Tex(what would our defense look like without him). Not trading Nady or Swish when the outfield seemed a bit crowded. I think he deserves GM of the year just on the Bettime deal.
Jonhny bench was 6-1, and Montero is 6-3 some list him at 6-2 all he has to do is control his weight.
Does it really matter how tall/big they are behind the plate? Tony Pena threw from his knees and at times had one leg laying out there like he was on a couch. Who would have thought a few years ago that a guy Alex size could play short? As long as he keeps improving on defense. I dont see why he wouldnt stay back there. If he does than what do they do with the other catcher he keeps moving up with? Trade? Switch positions?
The suxs Varitek is huge and he was an okay catcher when he was in his prime, if Montero hits like the scouts are expecting him to hit he does not have to be a great defensive cather, and for people that say tall cathers don’t go with baseball…remember when shortstops were suppose to be short flexible players, baseball evolves and so do the positions on the field.
Tom in N.J.
I hope you realize just how irrelevant your previous post is. Do you know throughout the history of baseball how many players or even people were over 6 foot 3?? I’m betting for a long time those players were far and few between. You need to take that into account when saying only 11 players have been successful.
I’ve always thought that in the AL a good hitting catcher should DH at least 20 % of the time and maybe more.
I suspect Jorge will average catching about 108 games the final three years of his contract.
“Do you know throughout the history of baseball how many players or even people were over 6 foot 3??”
2457 baseball players have been 6’3 or above.
http://www.baseball-almanac.co.....ghts.shtml
“Is he a right handed Miranda?
Meaning, he can hit, but can’t field?”
LOL no…
A bit off on the fielding. He definitely can hit. We’ll see him this summer. Interleague or something but he’ll be up.
Joel Skinner was a very good defensive catcher. His problem was he couldn’t hit.
Montero probably won’t have that problem.