Pirates Sign Martin, Yankees Catcher-less

[Rylinkus]

So with those numbers you just gave, he is our top prospect? Maybe that is saying something. And to compare playing baseball with flying a plane is a riduculous analogy. And what do you have to say about Banuelos and Betances?

He's a 19 year old kid. How many 19 year olds are starting at catcher. Heck, didn't the Nationals move Harper from catcher so they could get him up sooner? Catchers need to know how to properly call games, frame pitches, handle a pitching staff, block lousy pitches, throw out runners, etc.

I'm kind of shocked that amongst a group of baseball fans, there's so many who think a 19 year old whose never played above single A, should be catching on an MLB team.

[TrueYankee]

He's a 19 year old kid. How many 19 year olds are starting at catcher. Heck, didn't the Nationals move Harper from catcher so they could get him up sooner? Catchers need to know how to properly call games, frame pitches, handle a pitching staff, block lousy pitches, throw out runners, etc.

I'm kind of shocked that amongst a group of baseball fans, there's so many who think a 19 year old whose never played above single A, should be catching on an MLB team.

Good post. I agree.

[Yankee Clipper]

Believe him or don’t believe him, but Brian Cashman said this morning that the Yankees are willing to stick with their in-house, defense-first options at catcher.

“At the very least, that’s our fallback,” Cashman said. “But we are going to have to pursue a lot of areas on this club: The bench, right field, potentially catching, maybe not. It’s possible that our catchers are right here on this roster right now. That is very possible, and more likely than not, to be honest. But we’ll see. Patience is a virtue and good things come to those who wait.”

Last night, Russell Martin agreed to a two-year deal with the Pirates. Indications are that the Yankees are not particularly excited about the other top catchers on the free agent market, and there’s no obvious trade target out there. Currently, the Yankees have backup catchers Chris Stewart and Francisco Cervelli, prospect Austin Romine, and recently designated for assignment Eli Whiteside.

“We do have placeholders there,” Cashman said. “We have people that can handle and run the game. The offense is an area that, currently with what our roster provides, will be a downgrade from what we’re used to. But the most important aspect of those games is (defense).”

Yankees LoHud

[nasthemasta]

It just continues to roll downhill. SWISHER CAN'T BE TRADED!!!!! Do you know why? HE DOESN'T HAVE A TEAM!!!!

Even better....get that bum as far away from new york as possible

Our problem the past 2 seasons has been inconsistency...the reason is because we have low average, low OBP guys who hit 40 homers a year....we need to bring in some guys that get on base, we need to start driving in runs without relying on the home run....Although swish is a decent on base guy, he just is wayyyyyyyyyyyyy too inconsistent and disappears in the playoffs

[Yankee Clipper]

Even better....get that bum as far away from new york as possible

Our problem the past 2 seasons has been inconsistency...the reason is because we have low average, low OBP guys who hit 40 homers a year....we need to bring in some guys that get on base, we need to start driving in runs without relying on the home run....Although swish is a decont on base guy, he just is wayyyyyyyyyyyyy too inconsistent and disappears in the playoffs

He is definitely inconsistent in the playoffs. But to say he is inconsistent in the regular season is just flat out wrong.

[knicks=love]

i'm alright with a defensive minded catcher in the farm to start this year. i'd rather sure up the outfield and pitching staff first.

[CostanzaNumba0]

They are going to offer a vet a 1 year deal to see if Romine can play, there is no way you see sanchez for at least another year or (mostly) 2. He's 19 and will be either in High A or AA, that's fast enough as it is.

[madhouse]

Can anyone please explain to me what "not MLB ready" means? Either the kid knows how to play ball or he doesnt. I can see how you can make that argument for pitchers but not position players. I am tired of hearing about these kids and never seeing them play in the big leagues (i.e A-jax, Montero). Gives the kids a shot or trade them.

I agree with you a 100%. and to the guy that says only IRod could be a starting catcher at a very a young age .
Gary Carter in bigs as a 20yr old starting catcher at 21
Johnny Bench starting catcher at 20YRS old
Joe Mauer was starting at 22
Tim McCarver was in majors at 17 and the starting every day catcher at 21.

Yankees should take best catching prospect with highest ceiling and let him go. they have a veteran pitching staff for him to work with and whoever it is can sure hit 200

[RCSownsU]

[devildog]

Im not worried about losing out on Martin, Cashman is going to swing a deal for M Montero from the Diamondbacks.

[Yankee Clipper]

I agree with you a 100%. and to the guy that says only IRod could be a starting catcher at a very a young age .
Gary Carter in bigs as a 20yr old starting catcher at 21
Johnny Bench starting catcher at 20YRS old
Joe Mauer was starting at 22
Tim McCarver was in majors at 17 and the starting every day catcher at 21.

Yankees should take best catching prospect with highest ceiling and let him go. they have a veteran pitching staff for him to work with and whoever it is can sure hit 200

Gary Sanchez is not any of those human beings. You can't force things if he isn't MLB ready yet.

[sauronthepower]

the yankees will get JP Arencibia

[sauronthepower]

Wow, I've read a lot of stupid crap on this site, but this takes the cake. How many of you guys actually played real baseball?
Catcher is the field general and the hardest position to learn. No great catcher comes up with one year of minor league ball. He'd get eaten alive. You think veteran pitchers are going to put up with a kid who can't frame pitches, doesn't know what to call, doesn't know the hitters, can't block pitches in the dirt, and the myriad things a catcher does to get a strike call?
Did any of you guys notice how much better our pitching staff did when Martin replaced Posada?
This was an idiotic move by Cashman. Martin was a bargain at two years. Unless Cash's got a killer right fielder and catcher up his sleeve this team will not make the playoffs.
But I'll agree with one poster on here.
Hal is going to sell this team in two years.
Just watch.

Agreed 1000%.

I just rrrreeeeaaaallllllllyyyyy hope it's not to Mark Cuban.

[Rylinkus]

I agree with you a 100%. and to the guy that says only IRod could be a starting catcher at a very a young age .

Your very examples agree with the original poster. Which one of those guys was a starting catcher @ 19 years old?

Gary Carter in bigs as a 20yr old starting catcher at 21

No he wasn't Carter wasn't the full time catcher until he was 23. Prior to that he was spending the majority of his playing time in the OF.

Johnny Bench starting catcher at 20YRS old

The best example you have. Of course now you're expecting Sanchez to be able to do what the greatest catcher of all time did.

Joe Mauer was starting at 22

So 2 years older than Sanchez is now.

Tim McCarver was in majors at 17 and the starting every day catcher at 21.

So again, McCarver was 2 years older than Sanchez is now when he became the full time catcher.

Yankees should take best catching prospect with highest ceiling and let him go. they have a veteran pitching staff for him to work with and whoever it is can sure hit 200

And 3 years from now we can talk about how Cashman ruined another prospect.

[Rylinkus]

Gary Sanchez is not any of those human beings. You can't force things if he isn't MLB ready yet.

Notice how even in looking for examples he didn't actually find someone as young as Sanchez?