29 thoughts on “Around the System–Catchers”

1. Anyone here a legitimate candidate to replace Knapp, who is struggling big time.

   1. They will probably give Knapp another month to rebound – after that, they need to trade for a back-up because Knapp’s not playing like a major leaguer right now at bat. I didn’t see this coming at all.

      1. Maybe Logan Moore on an interim basis…..he still needs his 43 days in the majors.

   2. I’d vote for Bossart.

      1. Reading is 12-8 with Bossart catching (cERA of 3.57). They are 9-20 with Grullon catching (cERA of 4.36).

         1. Bossart has caught 19 games.
            https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=bossar000aus&type=bgl&year=2018

            1. He was brought in as a “closing catcher” in a game in early May. Only played the 9th inning.

               1. No AB.

   3. I could easily see Nickles and Knapp swapping places for a month with Eickhoff going on the 60 day DL to open a 40 man spot. After a month if Knapp has found his swing, he comes back up, Nickles gets released, and Grullon goes to AAA and Cabral to AA.

      1. I don’t know if Knapp will find his swing or anything else when he’s not playing regularly. Shame. Seems to have a good grasp of the game without the requisite skills. Good kid. He may just wind up getting lost in the shuffle as the season goes on.

         1. It’s sad because he’s worked to make himself a good defensive catcher, which he wasn’t when he was drafted. His calling cards were his hit tool and plate discipline – but he just hasn’t hit this year. Nope, I don’t think they’ll go down to the minors, they’ll trade for someone – they need a seasoned back-up.

      2. Good call Murray,,,Completely agree

   4. I never really saw the fascination with Knapp. It always seemed like he needed to find a different position because of his lack of defense.

      Moore can easily put up the same offensive numbers AND throw out runners at 48% rate (past two years combined) which makes him a defensive weapon. I felt like the Alfaro / Moore combo was the best pairing in the organization last year and I still feel the same way. Not to mention Moore’s bat is starting to thaw out.

   5. Maybe Clay Dalrymple, he plays good defense

      1. Anyone remember the Clay Dalrymple show?

2. Logan Moore is a really good defensive catcher right? I’d bring him up and send Knapp down. At the moment, Knapp is a terrible offensive and defensive catcher

3. Knapp seems like he has changed his approach at the plate, trying to pull the ball and hit for power rather than working the entire field and his good OBP. I thought I remember one of the early broadcasts when they talked about a change in his swing to create more lift and upper cut.
   I would definitely be combing the teams already out of race for a cheap veteran catcher and let knapp go back to AAA and get his swing back

   1. Knapp has an option….send him down and get steady ABs.

4. Grullon if he hits like this in AAA with his D and arm he’s your back up catcher.I like Lartigue and Fitch too. Morgan and Bossart look like good defensive catchers.

   1. Yes, maybe down the line in 2 or 3 years.

      By the way, Knapp is a good defensive catcher now. That’s the irony. He was supposed to be a hitter, but now isn’t hitting. He was supposed to be bad on defense and now he’s pretty good.

      1. Knapp CS 25%
         Pudge CS 46%
         Knapp is not good defensively. He is better than he used to be and approaching league average, but let’s not get crazy.

   2. We’re kinda like pitchers when it comes to catchers — lots of prospects to be MLB back ups but not many as division one regulars, as in lots of four and five pitchers but not many top of rotation or twos.

      I agree with getting a veteran and letting Knapp get regular ABs at AAA. But I also agree with Chris. The scouts might like Knapp’s hit tool and that he’s a switch hitter, but the results were that he wasn’t a productive hitter except at Reading, which might not count. That was his only year with good OPS.

      At any rate, I’d like to see Alfaro and AJ Ellis for the rest of this season. And I wish Knapp well and hope for his sake that I’m wrong.

   3. Grullon’s defense is exactly on par with previous years and is not good. If looks like another year of 10+ errors and 10+ passed balls. He had a great arm but catching is about more than caught stealing percentage; even the Grullon has not out performed other catchers in the system.

      Catchers do so much more that is tough to get good stats on, especially for the minor leagues: pitch framing, game calling, pitcher management. The stats Bryan posted above are as good of a proxy on that as i have seen and are in line with Bossart outperforming Grullon last year as well.

5. Knapp is getting a raw deal. Yes he’s performing badly, but he only gets to play once a week. They can’t even use him as a pinch hitter because he the only back up catcher.

   1. Remember Rupp? Better than Knapp both offensively and defensively. Knapp has been rushed through the minors because he is a second round, million dollar bonus baby that someone missed on. He has gotten the benefit of every doubt. Send him to double A and make him earn it. If he has the metal, then he will beat everyone else out and there will be no doubt. In the meantime let’s move on. Time is a wasting.

      1. he hit .360 in AA. I think if he’s going to be sent down it would be to AAA

      2. We’re going crazy on Andrew Knapp, the backup catcher? He plays once a week, maybe 2 if there are some odd day games mixed in. Alfaro is playing all the time which is what we want right? Andrew Knapp will NOT be the reason why the Phillies lose!

         1. Finally…..someone with some reasonableness.
            And concerning Alf……everyone loves the hustle, the arm, the speed the strength.
            But how long does the love last if he continues with this type of a slash?
            …..246/.296/.365 with 41% K rate.
            No matter how low the bar is set for catchers…..he probably gets a pass this year and next….but eventually the luster will fade until he can get that slash up and bring down the K rate….especially the approx. 60% in the zone swing and miss.

6. Is Henry Lartigue a prospect? Those numbers are looking legit.

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