Best Season by a Catcher

[ShinobiNYC]

Who had the best season ever as a catcher, hitting wise of course.

Here are some of them:

-Mike Piazza in 1997 (152 games):
.362 BA / .431 OBP / .638 SLG / 40 HRs / 124 RBIs / 185 OPS+

- Joe Mauer in 2009 (138 games):
.365 BA / .444 OBP / .587 SLG / 28 HRs / 86 RBIs / 170 OPS+

- Javy Lopez in 2003 (129 games):
.328 BA / .378 OBP / .687 SLG / 43 HRs / 109 RBIs / 169 OPS+

- Johnny Bench in 1972 (147 games):
.270 BA / .379 OBP / .541 SLG / 40 HRs / 125 RBIs / 166 OPS+

- Mike Piazza in 1996 (142 games):
.336 BA / .422 OBP / .563 SLG / 36 HRs / 105 RBIs / 166 OPS+

- Yogi Berra in 1956 (140 games):
.298 BA / .378 OBP / .534 SLG / 30 HRs / 105 RBIs / 142 OPS+

- Johnny Bench in 1970 (158 games):
.293 BA / .345 OBP / .587 SLG / 45 HRs / 148 RBIs / 141 OPS+

- Jorge Posada in 2007 (144 games):
.338 BA / .426 OBP / .543 SLG / 20 HRs / 90 RBIs / 153 OPS+

- Bill Dickey in 1936 (112 games):
.362 BA / .428 OBP / .617 SLG / 22 HRs / 107 RBIs / 158 OPS+

[dodgerdave]

Mike Piazza in 1997.

[1-800-STFU]

1a Piazza in 97

1b Mauer in 09

[bagwell368]

Defense is more important at catcher then any other position. The best all around season for a catcher is - 1972 Bench 10.2 WAR at FanGraphs.

[Nymfan87]

Who had the best season ever as a catcher, hitting wise of course.

Defense is more important at catcher then any other position. The best all around season for a catcher is - 1972 Bench 10.2 WAR at FanGraphs.

Yeah...

[ShinobiNYC]

The question is who had the best offensive season out of those. Some say Mauer in 2009 and I disagreed.

[dodgerdave]

Who had the best season ever as a catcher, hitting wise of course.

Here are some of them:

-Mike Piazza in 1997 (152 games):
.362 BA / .431 OBP / .638 SLG / 40 HRs / 124 RBIs / 185 OPS+

- Joe Mauer in 2009 (97 games):
.365 BA / .444 OBP / .587 SLG / 28 HRs / 86 RBIs / 170 OPS+

- Javy Lopez in 2003 (129 games):
.328 BA / .378 OBP / .687 SLG / 43 HRs / 109 RBIs / 169 OPS+

- Johnny Bench in 1972 (147 games):
.270 BA / .379 OBP / .541 SLG / 40 HRs / 125 RBIs / 166 OPS+

- Mike Piazza in 1996 (142 games):
.336 BA / .422 OBP / .563 SLG / 36 HRs / 105 RBIs / 166 OPS+

- Yogi Berra in 1956 (140 games):
.298 BA / .378 OBP / .534 SLG / 30 HRs / 105 RBIs / 142 OPS+

- Johnny Bench in 1970 (158 games):
.293 BA / .345 OBP / .587 SLG / 45 HRs / 148 RBIs / 141 OPS+

- Jorge Posada in 2007 (144 games):
.338 BA / .426 OBP / .543 SLG / 20 HRs / 90 RBIs / 153 OPS+

- Bill Dickey in 1936 (112 games):
.362 BA / .428 OBP / .617 SLG / 22 HRs / 107 RBIs / 158 OPS+

Don't overlook Mike Piazza's 1995 season because he only appeared in 112 games. Remember that there were only 144 games played that season. He hit .346/.400/.606/172 OPS+ in 475 PA's that season. He had enough PA's to qualify for a batting title.

[hoggin88]

Who had the best season ever as a catcher, hitting wise of course.

Here are some of them:

-Mike Piazza in 1997 (152 games):
.362 BA / .431 OBP / .638 SLG / 40 HRs / 124 RBIs / 185 OPS+

- Joe Mauer in 2009 (97 games):
.365 BA / .444 OBP / .587 SLG / 28 HRs / 86 RBIs / 170 OPS+

- Javy Lopez in 2003 (129 games):
.328 BA / .378 OBP / .687 SLG / 43 HRs / 109 RBIs / 169 OPS+

- Johnny Bench in 1972 (147 games):
.270 BA / .379 OBP / .541 SLG / 40 HRs / 125 RBIs / 166 OPS+

- Mike Piazza in 1996 (142 games):
.336 BA / .422 OBP / .563 SLG / 36 HRs / 105 RBIs / 166 OPS+

- Yogi Berra in 1956 (140 games):
.298 BA / .378 OBP / .534 SLG / 30 HRs / 105 RBIs / 142 OPS+

- Johnny Bench in 1970 (158 games):
.293 BA / .345 OBP / .587 SLG / 45 HRs / 148 RBIs / 141 OPS+

- Jorge Posada in 2007 (144 games):
.338 BA / .426 OBP / .543 SLG / 20 HRs / 90 RBIs / 153 OPS+

- Bill Dickey in 1936 (112 games):
.362 BA / .428 OBP / .617 SLG / 22 HRs / 107 RBIs / 158 OPS+

Mauer has played 97 games this year. Last year he played 138.

[bagwell368]

Bench hit in a down hitters era unlike most of the guys mentioned here, His neutralized batting was:

.290/.403/.579 w/ 46 HR's and 157 RBI in 1972 - read that again.

His wRC+ was 166. He also was an AS, won the GG, and the MVP; led the league in intentional BB's and Sac flies.



Each to his own, but at a position that has the least amount of games played per year and career due to the difficulty of the position, and is the most critical position on the field - that requires a look at D for me.

Bench allowed 24 SB's in 1972, and threw out 32. How does Piazza look against that? Not bloody good.

Bench was an Rfield of +13 and an RAR of +84

There are only two guys that are in the ballpark with Bench:

Mauer's '08 with a +12 and +88 & the ever underrated Gary Carter: in '82 he was +14 and +72 the next year a +27 and +65

Others:

Piazza's best year - 1997 he was a -2 and +92 - no MVP or GG

Lopez was a 0 and a +66.

Yogi's best was '56 with a +5 and a +72.

[todu82]

Piazza in 1997.

[baseballguru3]

buster posey 2010

[ShinobiNYC]

Bench hit in a down hitters era unlike most of the guys mentioned here, His neutralized batting was:

.290/.403/.579 w/ 46 HR's and 157 RBI in 1972 - read that again.

His wRC+ was 166. He also was an AS, won the GG, and the MVP; led the league in intentional BB's and Sac flies.



Each to his own, but at a position that has the least amount of games played per year and career due to the difficulty of the position, and is the most critical position on the field - that requires a look at D for me.

Bench allowed 24 SB's in 1972, and threw out 32. How does Piazza look against that? Not bloody good.

Bench was an Rfield of +13 and an RAR of +84

There are only two guys that are in the ballpark with Bench:

Mauer's '08 with a +12 and +88 & the ever underrated Gary Carter: in '82 he was +14 and +72 the next year a +27 and +65

Others:

Piazza's best year - 1997 he was a -2 and +92 - no MVP or GG

Lopez was a 0 and a +66.

Yogi's best was '56 with a +5 and a +72.

I know Bench was the best overall catcher of all-time. No debate there for me. But Who had the best season hitting wise for a catcher seems relevant now since we have so many present and future great hitting catchers(Mauer, Posey, Santana, Montero,....etc) and I wanna see what's the standard for a great hitting season for a catcher.

[S.P.]

Roy Campenella had 3 MVP years too.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/pl...amparo01.shtml

[bagwell368]

Roy Campenella had 3 MVP years too.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/pl...amparo01.shtml

A lot of the reason Campanella is a legend is the 3 MVP's, and the time he lost early in his career due to his race, and of course his tragic death.

In '51 Jackie and Musial had better years then Campanella.
In '53 Snider and Mathews easily topped him.
In '55 he had no business being mentioned for MVP Mays had almost twice the season he did. Snider, Mathews, and Banks also easily topped him.

I have Campanella 5th-6th all time - and that's giving him a 5.0 WAR years at 22-26.

Berra also won three MVP's. In 1951 it was defensible even though he wasn't in the top 4 in WAR. In 1954 he didn't deserve it. Mantle and Minoso both topped him. '55 is an awful award. Mantle (wOBA of .502 - .353/.464/.705) and Kaline had over double the season Berra (.397 wOBA) did. Back then, they didn't want to give MVP's more then 3 times to the same guy (Mantle - who should have won 6-7 of them).

BTW. Jennings, Lajoie, Wagner, Cobb, Ruth, Hornsby, Musial, Ted, Mays. Mantle, Morgan, Schmidt, Bonds, AROD, and Pujols would have over half the MVP's ever awarded if they awarded them every year, and they got the ones they deserved.

p. s. the thread says "best season by a catcher" which drew my attention, as I said to discuss catchers w/o defense is like talking about beer, w/o including Ale, Porter, and Stout.

[Algmuskrats]

Piazza.