Here we go again, pitchers and catchers are all making their way down to Orlando and prepare to become, at least for a month, as much a part of the Disney world as Mickey Mouse (insert Nate McLouth/Kenshin Kawakami jokes here). With the beginning of spring training upon us I’m breaking out the formula of last year’s Big Braves Blog where I break down each position and who the Braves have filling it. This year, after concluding my whistle stop tour around the Braves depth chart, I’m going to fire out my first ever ‘No Trade List’ of which there will be more coming very soon. Anyway I thought this year I’d start in a crouched position and see what the Braves have behind the plate.
Does Atlanta have the best catcher in baseball? If you ask any fan inside Turner Field on any given game day you will probably be given a large majority yes. If the question is does Atlanta have the best catcher in the National League that positive response will become only more resounding. Do the Braves have the best Catcher tandem in the game? Erm anybody see any doubt in anybody? I should hope not. Last year the team went into Spring Training with Brian McCann returning as a four time All-Star and, after struggling through some issues with his eyes, still managed to post a .281 batting average and 21 home runs in a season that he also had a 3.7 WARP. McCann was projected to post a .298 average, .370 On Base Percentage and would be valued at 5.4 WARP. He didn’t exactly hit those heights mostly through more vision problems that seemed to be cured by, of all things, drinking more water. Brian ended up with a relatively anaemic .269 average but still managed an immense .375 on base percentage. He hit 21 home runs and still put up a 5.3 WAR while getting exactly 100 plate appearances less than he was projected to get. Just think of all the money Mac could have saved on those specially made Oakley’s could surely have gone towards something better, maybe reinforcing the mantelpiece that McCann uses to house his awards. Even though he struggled McCann still added two more pieces of hardware; a fourth silver slugger award (third consecutive) and an All-Star game MVP, he was named to his fifth straight All-Star game and knocked in all three National League runs in their 3-1 win. A huge problem for Brian in his game resulted from him tensing up and as Chipper, Prado and Heyward began getting hurt Mac took the burden of the team’s offence solely on himself and lost the discipline that had been so impressive throughout the year. By September this is how McCann’s at-bat generally ended in a math formula; breaking ball+gigantic hack=strikeout. Despite this Brian still hit a robust .429 in the play-offs with a .438 on base percentage and a huge .714 slugging percentage. Basically over the course of four games against the best pitching staff in the postseason Brian McCann destroyed them, this includes being one of only two Braves to hit Tim Lincecum in game one of the NLDS. Should McCann stay healthy for an entire season (and continue to drink lots of water) he has every chance to produce close to a .300 batting average and has a shot at a .400 OBP, this will be in part thanks to the increased protection McCann will get when surrounded by a healthy Chipper Jones and a slugging Dan Uggla.
That answers the best catcher in the National League part of the equation but what about the best Catcher tandem in the game? Well how about your back-up posting a higher average, on base percentage and slugging percentage than your starter. Well that’s exactly what the Braves got from David Ross. Having been hailed for his work backing up Brian McCann in 2009 David Ross took a step forward both on and off the field in 2010. With McCann taking chunks of the season out due to his eye injuries it gave Bobby Cox great piece of mind knowing that when McCann needed a day off it would David Ross coming in to the spot and not a Clint Sammons sized black hole. Ross hit .289, posted a .392 on base and .479 slugging and was second only to the Reds Ryan Hanigan in WAR amongst back up catchers, and Ross came to the plate almost 100 times less. Now being in his second year with the team David took a much larger leadership role and evolved into one of the clubhouse leaders alongside Tim Hudson. Ross may see even less game time in 2011 if Brian McCann stays healthy but his importance to the team will not diminish at the same time as his plate appearances. All Braves fans by now know how good David is, what a pleasure it must be for Fredi Gonzalez to only just be finding out.
Next time I’ll see who will be standing at first base for the Braves, young Freddie Freeman, and any other options the Braves may have/need.
Here is the link to an article from Talking Chop article that helped me an awful lot with the McCann/Ross case: http://www.talkingchop.com/2011/1/31/1963557/braves-rewind-2010-fan-projections-for-braves-catchers
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