The Rangers agreed to sign Yorvit Torrealba to a two-year, $6.25MM deal that will pay the catcher $3MM in 2011 and $3.25MM in 2012. Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram first reported the deal (on Twitter) and Anthony Andro of the Star-Telegram reported the terms of the contract (on Twitter).
Torrealba and his representatives at MDR Sports moved on from the Padres, who offered him arbitration, but not a multi-year deal. San Diego will rely on Nick Hundley to take on a bigger role and obtain a supplementary first round draft pick for losing Torrealba, a Type B free agent.
Torrealba hit .271/.343/.378 in 363 plate appearances last year. He batted more in 2010 than in any year except 2007, the lone season of his career in which he caught 100-plus games. The former Giant and Rockie has a .708 OPS in parts of ten big league seasons. Tip of the cap to MLBTR's Mark Polishuk, who correctly predicted on November 10th that Torrealba would land with the Rangers.
It seems likely that free agent Bengie Molina will sign elsewhere and that Max Ramirez and Taylor Teagarden will be candidates to back Torrealba up. Rod Barajas, Gerald Laird, Miguel Olivo, A.J. Pierzynski and Jason Varitek are among the catchers still available on the free agent market.
and thus leaves Olivo, Molina and Pierzynksi, the ‘big 3’ catchers all looking for a job.
I just don’t understand how this deal makes sense when A.J. Pierzynski is still on the market and was not offered arbitration either.
Span, who do you think is better, AJ or Torrealba?
AJ. And I wouldn’t say it’s fairly close at all.
AJ. And I wouldn’t say it’s fairly close at all.
Span, who do you think is better, AJ or Torrealba?
Torrealba is a solid defensive catcher that sports a good enough OBP to start, but he isn’t quite good enough to be the clear starter over Ramirez or Teagarden. He’s just as much the starter as he is a veteran presence for the young catchers.
Plus I don’t think you can say that AJ is going to outproduce Torrealba at this point in his career. AJ has never been that good at throwing out baserunners, and he’s coming off his worst full year offensively.
Maybe it was a matter of money. A.J. may want more money than they are willing to spend.
hopefully they don’t have an hour long special to annouce there decision.
Those usually take 2 minutes…The other 58 they talk about their summer, so if they did have a show you’d only need to watch the first 2 minutes. Your welcome Ferrariman
Torrealba: “I’m announcing today that i’m taking my services to Texas”
hopefully they don’t have an hour long special to annouce there decision.
LIke it, not a bad deal, and I didn’t want him on the Sox.
Pretty good deal, don’t know about a muti-year deal though.
Good Defense, strong arm, and a decent bat.
If the Red Sox are really relying on Salty next year as it appears, this makes it more likely that we get AJ back for another couple of years.
Starting to look that way, I think they’re waiting on the Dodgers decision on Russell Martin though first. I wouldn’t expect the Sox catching situation to be known ’til after December 12th or whenever the non-tender deadline is this year.
December 2nd, things have been moved up this year. tinyurl.com/69hazb
December 2nd, things have been moved up this year. tinyurl.com/69hazb
December 2nd
Awesome, thanks. Moved it up this year.
December 2nd
Torrealba is not that much worse than John Buck. This makes that deal look even more terrible.
I’d like to see Torrealba, a 32 year old, hit 20+ home runs in an easier league than John Buck did last year…Plus John Buck is 30…I think the John Buck deal is at least going to be worth it. Don’t see why Torrealba would produce much, even with the team friendly contract.
John Buck is going to be a disaster. He and Torrealba are pretty comparable hitters (.311 career wOBA vs .309), but Torrealba is the far better defender. Don’t trust Buck’s Toronto numbers.
I like it for the Rangers. Torrealba has always flown under the radar and been productive.
Career backup catcher lands 2/6.25M. Wow… Varitek will be back in Boston next year.. Watch was Salty’s backup with all these over payments for these career backup signings so far and most will flop.
Career backup catcher lands 2/6.25M. Wow… Varitek will be back in Boston next year.. Watch was Salty’s backup with all these over payments for these career backup signings so far and most will flop.
umm?
Seriously, no other team wanted to hand this guy 6 million over two years?! What am I missing?????
What a deal for the Rangers!
Seriously, no other team wanted to hand this guy 6 million over two years?! What am I missing?????
What a deal for the Rangers!
Based on the market so far this off season, this deal looks pretty okay…
Based on the market so far this off season, this deal looks pretty okay…
I’m thinking this will look like a steal for the Rangers come Spring Training.
Wish the Dodgers could’ve locked him up at that price. Better than Russell Martin at ~$6m through arbitration.
I don’t think there is any chance that Teagarden or Ramirez backs up. I think Treanor is re-signed and he splits time with Torrealba.
I don’t think there is any chance that Teagarden or Ramirez backs up. I think Treanor is re-signed and he splits time with Torrealba.
i for one would be very upset if treanor isn’t back.
unless teagarden can hit like he’s playing in oakland every night, or ramirez learns how to catch overnight, treanor is the best option
Why is it that so many Texas fans have completely written Ramirez off? He has been highly regarded for most of his career up until missing time in 2009 due to injury. At the ML level he hasn’t been given much of a chance (only 140 plate appearances) to either develop or prove himself. It seems a little early to give up on him altogether.
I don’t think anyone is writing off Ramirez. They are just waiting for him to earn the job. He will have is chance in ST. In the mean time, Texas front office lands a reliable, veteran catcher to a short term deal for an affordable price.
i for one would be very upset if treanor isn’t back.
unless teagarden can hit like he’s playing in oakland every night, or ramirez learns how to catch overnight, treanor is the best option
Bengie Molina is becoming more and more attractive and possibly realistic for the Padres. Molina has had success in Petco park and has been a Padre killer. Even on the decline, he could be a nice fit to help ease Hundley into the starting catching role. If anything were to happen to Hundley, he could easily step in and play everyday. I believe he would also be valuable to the Padres young pitching core along with continued tutelage of Nick Hundley
always a big fan of bengie (and his brothers)
but haven’t you seen the size of the guy?
bengie already looks like the coach he should become
Great target.
Bengie Molina is becoming more and more attractive and possibly realistic for the Padres. Molina has had success in Petco park and has been a Padre killer. Even on the decline, he could be a nice fit to help ease Hundley into the starting catching role. If anything were to happen to Hundley, he could easily step in and play everyday. I believe he would also be valuable to the Padres young pitching core along with continued tutelage of Nick Hundley
the R Sox trade for Napoli the Angels don’t need him and trade for AGonsalez and you have your run production for next year and by the way sign Jason W.
the R Sox trade for Napoli the Angels don’t need him and trade for AGonsalez and you have your run production for next year and by the way sign Jason W.
This is a lot cheaper then resigning Molina so why not. More money for Cliff.
The problem is that Molina plays 80% of the games and Lee plays 20%
This is a lot cheaper then resigning Molina so why not. More money for Cliff.
yes at least the dodgers didn’t get him
They’re gonna miss Molina.
JD strikes again.
bad deal
Damn, catchers are making bank this year.
I like the move. I’m sure the Rangers kicked all the tires on all the available catchers and felt this was the best deal in terms of years and money to allow their younger catchers time to develop…or to be replaced in the system over the next 2 years by likely catchers that the Rangers draft.
yorvie i think is one of the most underrated C’s in the bigs
not a superstar mind you but strong arm, strong presence and has hit clutch (ask rockies fans)
shouldonly be helped by that lineup and that ballpark
forgot to add: a miss by the BoSox
I like this move, simply because it means that Yorvit Torrealba will no longer play in the NL West. May he have a productive career somewhere else.
YAY Yorvit will not crush my GIANTS again