We literally had a gold glove batting title champion and shed him after one bad year despite showing life again in the postseason. And 2 of the top 15 players in franchise history were first basemen... and Glenn Davis is a top 75 franchise player.
Glenn Davis ranks pretty high. Even though it was only for about 5 seasons, his prime was strong. We haven't had a ton of 30 hr 100 rbi guys over the years who did it for 5 seasons.
Tools are there - reports I have heard for this season have been mostly positive when it comes to the effort the Astros expected. He had a lot to take in when it came to game calling, preparation and building relationships with the coaching staff and pitching staff. My hope is that they can work more on his actual catching…. My concern has always been that Diaz hasn’t wanted to catch in the past. In the minors he said he just wanted to hit and focus on that. This year he took some pride in being back there and focus was not a concern… so I choose to look at it optimistically.
Only 2 passed balls and he has a good arm. His actual catching is right on schedule. * 2 passed balls on the entire team so maybe Diaz had less than 2
Janek is the first elite player drafted by the Astros since they lost picks over sign stealing. You do not trade that. They wound up with the best catcher in the draft this year, and nobody cares if he can hit minor league pitching at this point. Janek is an elite catching prospect, that is something Diaz has never been. Diaz is a bat. He belongs at first base, left field, or at DH as soon as possible.
Diaz only had one if I remember correctly, but he didn't always do a good job blocking wild pitches or setting up as a target - he isn't terrible mechanically, but he is below average and is capable of doing better. His mechanics have long been a concern - from low minors and even last year. Diaz is the starting catcher and should be the starting better, but there are things mechanically he needs to improve on.
Janek is pie in the sky - I am not sure why there is any real consideration being given about clearing a spot for him at the starting catcher when you consider he hasn't even played in AA and he struggled with the bat at A ball last year. If Janek proves to be capable of being a starting big leaguer, then the Astros worry about it then - until then, he is just a late first round draft pick that will likely be a back up catcher in the big leagues with a chance to be more. You keep calling him an elite catching prospect - I don't know where you get this from. He may become an elite catching prospect, but he isn't right now. He was in a group of 3-4 guys in college that were viewed similarly, he was a last first rounder and he struggled as a hitter last year. We will know a lot more about him after this year - but I promise you the Astros care about whether he hits, they don't want a .600-.650 OPS catcher - they want someone that can hit behind the plate. Right now Janek isn't a consideration at all when the Astros look at Diaz behind the plate. That can change.... Janek is a similar prospect to Lee, who the Astros dealt to the White Sox. I would love for Janek to become Jason Varitek, but again - that is pie in the sky at this point. The Astros also have holes at 1st, 3rd, LF and CF - C is one of the spots that they get elite offensive production, they are not going to change that... especially with the first base market possibly expanding, with the Orioles considering moving off two 1st basemen and Arizona looking at Bregman and Hoskins possiby out there... and several rebound candidates in free agency as well like Josh Bell - and the Rays considering moving Diaz.
Agreed but he was ahead of Caratini, a veteran catcher, with his mechanics. I think Diaz plays the position well. Better than a lot of catchers the Astros have had over the years.
Ok you’re clearly out of touch when it comes to “elite” prospects and their success rates. It’s also not even a given that Janek was the best catcher in the draft.
Removing Diaz from catcher and playing him at another position changes nothing about the line up. It is not like he is going to disappear. On the other hand if he could handle the fielding duties at 1st base or in left field moving him out from behind the dish improves the team at two positions. Leaving us with one less hole to fill. Meanwhile Caratini and Salazar can be a perfectly good catching duo, providing decent offense and improved defense at that position. I do not understand why there is hesitancy to adopt this idea from anybody.
You keep talking about the post season. I'm talking about the month leading up to the postseason when a team's best hitters need to be there to help them get into the post season. We are speaking different languages.
No it’s pretty simple. If you don’t know who Rick Dempsey is, then I am the one who informs you of baseball things. Not the other way around.
Because you want to weaken the catcher position and then make a catcher play 1B, weakening that position too. We have a good catcher, let’s get a good 1st baseman. Caratini starting at catcher is not a good enough replacement so please don’t go there.
Where in the world did you get the idea that I don't know who Rick Dempsey is? I watched that World Series live. I also love his rain delay video. - pure joy. My point was just never about the post season.
Simmons/Munson/Bench/Realmuto/Posada/Molina/Lopez etc... all are/were hitting catchers that had long careers.
At the time of the draft there was no question that Janek was the best catcher in the draft. It was not close. After only a few weeks here Janek is a top 3 prospect In the Astros system. He is the current #1 by my reckoning. I personally I am under no illusions about success rates among prospects but Janek is the best shot at it we have had in years. His potential is in no way related to Diaz or his ability to become a decent catcher.
