Sports and Things

Checking in after a long absence...

So, Johnny Estrada traded for Guillermo Mota and a bag of magic beans. It's a shame really, because Estrada looked like a keeper at the beginning of the season. As it wore on, though, he just plain broke down. There's talk of Jason Kendall, which might work out, but why bother? A catcher that can hit isn't that big of a deal.

Just look at the Rockies. They had Yorvit Torrealba. He batted .255 with 8 HRs. He batted .234 in September. They somehow made it to the World Series, even without a hard-hitting catcher.

Look at the Red Sox. Jason Varitek batted .255 as well. In September, he batted .222, although he had 5 HRs. He's a career .255 hitter, though.

I guess the lesson is, don't overspend on someone who might give you production at the catcher spot. Just focus on their defense and how they call the game and you should be okay. Hard hitting catchers are a rarity nowadays, and unless you go out and get Jorge Posada, you're just not going to get much.