Here's an update. I'm not sure how credible the blogger is. http://danny-knobler.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8590096/14049175?source=rss_blogs_MLB
8 for 47? Yikes. Who was the last catcher for the Astros that had a decent offensive year? Mitch Muluskey? (spelling) I think that was like 10 years ago.
And he was so freaking awful behind the plate, he couldn't keep a job in the bigs. If you can get your catcher to hit, it's a huge bonus. But the value of a catcher usually isn't wrapped in his bat.
correct me if I'm wrong, but it wasn't his catching that was Melusky's problem. It was his attitude that got him traded off the Stros and he wasn't a big hit with the Tigers(?) either. But injuries were what go him out of the league. Shoulder injury to be specific. He actually tried to catch back on with the stros' and the storyline was how he had matured and wasted his first go-round.
his attitude didn't help. but there are lots of baseball players with attitudes that find a spot somewhere...if they can play.
would be hilarious if we sign him at this point. would shatter that bitter b*tc* allyson footer's world and destroy her credibility.
Yea but we may have the worst group of catchers in the league. Hey why did the Astros give up on Mitch so fast? Was he that big of a hot head in the club house? I remember when he would blast one he would stand at the plate and watch it and back in the Bagwell/Biggio era that was a big no no. He seem to have some talent it was just weird that he fell off the map that fast.
Usually? No. On the Astros this year? Yes. We need all the offense we can possibly get, because, let's face it, the number of games this year that will be described as "a pitchers' duel" will be few and far between with this atrocious pitching staff.
Im not sure that makes it more important for the catcher to be a great hitter than great behind the plate...in fact, i'd argue that situation argues more for a great defensive catcher.
I agree, just in the case of Melusky, it was injuries that ended his career. Not his inability to handle the defensive duties. He destroyed his shoulder ala Bagwell. Had that not happened, he'd be catching somewhere today.
I've come to believe that there's no interest whatsoever in Pudge. If they wanted to bring in another catcher, they'd want him to get some reps in with the pitching staff, establish some sort of rapport. It's not happening. On Melusky, you have to remember that he didn't just have an attitude. He thoroughly pissed off the established leaders of the clubhouse. Biggio and Bags specifically. They weren't going to stand him on the club anymore. Which says something, since they put up with oddballs like Kent and Carl Everett with no problems. His defensive skills weren't that bad - his arm was sorely lacking compared to Ausmus's (but who could live up to that standard) but his game calling wasn't bad. Look at the ERAs of pitchers who were with both Ausmus and Melusky - they held up just fine with the change. The injuries, of course, doomed his career. But even without those, the attitude would have done him in with the Astros.
Melusky irritated another very important group of people. My understanding is that because Melusky couldn't keep from yelling the F word at the top of his lungs when he failed to get a hit, the fat cats that buy the really expensive seats started to complain to the front office.
I'm not saying they are or aren't interested, but since Rodriguez is in the WBC, they can't bring him in yet even if they did sign him.
