Brian
McCann, Evan Gattis, Christian Bethancourt, Gerald Laird. This lineup has it
all and most of them are capable of 30 home runs, 100’s of RBIs, silver slugger
awards, and All-Star Game appearances,
but what does one team do when they have all these names on their 40 man roster?
The Braves
will be dealing with this problem within the next month. McCann is on the verge
of starting his minor league rehab assignments after offseason shoulder surgery
to repair a tear in his labrum. McCann has been the face of the Braves
organization and everybody knew he was destined to be the back stop for many
years ever since we all saw that picture of him as a child with John Smoltz. However,
age and injury are starting to take their toll on number 16.
If you take
a look around baseball you will see a new philosophy on how teams are dealing
with keeping their young catcher prospects healthy. Buster Posey, for example,
platoons at first for approximately 30 games a season. This keeps his bat in
the lineup and saves his knees. This transition for catcher to first is an easy
one because let’s be honest, first base isn’t the hardest position on the field
and defiantly one of the least stressful. Don’t worry this will all come
together in the end.
Evan Gattis
is a great story and I’ve been high on this guy since he first burst onto the
scene with the Rome Braves (.322, 22 HRs, 71 RBIs) in 2011. In 2012, he
destroyed people in Lynchburg. In 21 games before his call up to Mississippi,
Gattis was batting .385 with 9 HRs and 29 RBIs. Gattis then moved on to AA where
he was slowed by injury but still managed to hit a respectable .258 with 9 HRs
and 37 RBIs. Gattis truly earned his spot on the opening day roster this season
after a great spring and if the fans had a vote for the final spot on the
roster, no doubt would it have gone to Gattis.
Christian
Bethancourt, this is a name you’ve been hearing and reading about for a couple
years now as, “the Braves catcher of the future”. Well is the future here now?
I think not, at least not yet. With McCann out, I thought this spring was
Bethancourt’s chance to make the roster, but Gattis really showed up. Everybody
raves about Bethancourt’s defensive prowess but his downfall is his bat. Have
the rules changed? Does the National League have the DH now and I missed
something? The Braves already have one person in the lineup nightly that can't
hit, the pitchers; they really don’t need a second. Have you seen this lineup
right now? Crazy strong. I also seem to remember another catcher a few years
ago coming up that had the same hype by the name of Jarrod Saltalamacchhia. He
played well when he was called up but ended up being expendable because of
McCann. Though the rent-a-player rarely works, the Braves did get Mark Teixeira
at the time and he had the potential to really help the Braves, much more then
Salty could have by sitting on the bench or playing in Gwinnett.
Gerald Laird
was signed in the off season after David Ross departed for Bean town. And can I
just say congratulations to Ross. He deserves every dollar the Red Sox are
willing to pay him. Laird is that veteran backstop that every team is looking
for. He brings years of knowledge and postseason experience to a very young
team. However, he is not a power hitting catcher by any means. His best offensive
season was 2007 when he produced 9 HRs and 47 RBIs.
Obviously,
Bethancourt can take some time and continue to develop in the minors. Perhaps
his bat will come around, but I feel unless Gattis just falls off the face of
the earth and can't hit the broad side of a barn anymore or forgets how to
catch the ball, Bethancourt is expendable in the long run and can be great
trade bait for a position Atlanta may need in the future; Possibly an everyday
third baseman or a starter if injuries do arise.
Once McCann
is back to big league form, there will be some decisions to be made but
everything tends to work itself out. Maybe Laird isn’t producing at all, maybe
McCann doesn’t quite trust his shoulder with every swing, and maybe Gattis’ bat
slows. Only time will tell but once September rolls around, I can’t see the
Braves holding on to three catchers, so there will be a battle for the backup
spot between Laird and Gattis. Do you want experience or youth and power?
Clearly,
after the season it comes down to three players, McCann, Gattis, and
Bethancourt. But you might not have thought of the fourth person who will have
a lot to say about this catcher’s debate, Freddie Freeman.
With players
like Jason Heyward, Craig Kimbrel and Kris Medlen almost guaranteed to get paid
handsomely within the next two seasons, someone like Freddie Freeman maybe be
the odd man out. The 2014 roster is going to come down to production this
season for Freeman and McCann. If the Braves decide McCann’s bat and leadership
is priceless, than Freeman might not be in a Braves uniform next season and
McCann better start working on his footwork at first, otherwise McCann’s
Burgers will be making a move to a new stadium. The Braves aren’t known for
paying bench players millions so I can't see them keeping Freeman as the
younger version of Eric Hinske.
Regardless
of who is behind the plate or standing at first next season, the one thing you
have to remember is the days of players like Chipper Jones, Craig Biggio, and
Ozzie Smith being the face of an organization are coming to an end. Baseball is
in the business of winning and every team has to put itself into the best
possible position to win every day.
References:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/
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