The Red Sox continue to look out for possible catching help and the names on their potential wish list include Bengie Molina, Ivan Rodriguez and Chris Snyder, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Peter Gammons said today on WEEI’s Mut & Merloni show that the Red Sox are prepared to continue with Jason Varitek and Jarrod Saltalamacchia even though they’ve considered other options.
“I know what they were trying to do. They looked around. They didn’t have money to spend,” Gammons said. “They couldn’t go get Bengie Molina. They weren’t going to spend the money at this point.”
Boston’s interest in Snyder would likely fade if Pittsburgh’s asking price is high and Rosenthal hears that the Pirates are pleased with the catcher’s game calling and receiving ability so far in 2011. He's hitting at a respectable .333/.387/.407 clip so far and Arizona is responsible for $3MM of the $6.5MM remaining on his contract. As a result, it doesn’t appear that the Pirates are intent on moving him.
Gammons noted that the Red Sox don’t feel they have the answer to their catching issues in the minor leagues. That means trade chatter will likely continue until their current catchers start hitting or they make a move.
I’ve always wondered why more teams don’t take a shot at David Ross. He hits well enough to start on most teams and the Braves would probably move him given a good offer.
Uhh…the RED SOX HAD David Ross in 2008. They were the team he played for between the REDs & the Braves. He hit in the .100’s while in the AL East.
I’m sure he’d be a great back up but not when Jason Varitek is available and willing to do it.
Yep, those 9 plate appearances tell the whole story. You’re entire comment is a joke, right?
fail.
Amazing point!
Take Jeff Mathis
I don’t care for any of the three named in this article. Maybe Snyder but not at what I think the Pirates will want. He’s not been very good the last 2 years except to start this year and I doubt he will keep this up all year.
Whatever happened to Ryan Lavarnway? Are they gonna call him mid season?
He’s hitting .228 in AA as a 23 year old, and his defense is reportedly awful. No, I don’t think they’re going to call him up midseason.
He was co-offensive player of the year in the Sox system last year, so the offense isn’t an issue. His defense is the problem; while he has reportedly come a long way with his defense, it is still below average and needs more work before it is even acceptable.
His defense is fine, its can he call a game that needs work……
From SoxProspects: “with continued dedication he could be an average defensive catcher.” His defense has come a long ways, but he still has work to do on his blocking and throwing before I think the Sox would consider calling him up.
I was going to mention this kid too, his defense is not at all awful, the only thing this guy wouldn’t be able to do is call a game, he has to learn that from V-Tek, he can catch and block the plate good, but he wouldn’t call a good pitch, he would have to trust the pitcher, but his bat is great and would be a good call up.
He’s still to green for a call up.
Crawford for Mauer, straight up.
Red Sox have enough outfielders!
As a Twins fan I would take that deal in a second!
Did they really think it was the TX Ranger’s fault that Salty couldn’t throw or hit? He’d still be in AAA in TX.
TX has ZERO clue how to groom a catcher.
Look at that organization! Remember in 2008 how all people could talk about was the embarrassment of riches TX had in their young catching?
Now a few years later they’ve gotten rid of Salty & Ramirez and Teagarden is a back up at best. They’ve traded for Laird, Rodriguez, Molina, Napoli…and probably more I’m forgetting.
Bottom line is; considering the track record it’s more likely than not the problem was a mishandling of young catchers by the organization than anything else. Saltalamacchia will be fine and hopefully the RED SOX will ignore the idiotic call to go get hacks like Ivan Rodriguez or Chris Snyder just to appease the fans or media.
The reality is they know better than that. They went and got him for a reason and they scouted Saltalamacchia since he was with the Braves. They’re NOT going to give up on him this quickly.
Or it’s just a simple issue of a top prospect once again not panning out.
unheard of!
“TX has ZERO clue how to groom a catcher.”
yeah because all 30 teams have super awesome uber great catchers..
Snyder for Jed and you got a deal 😉 lol
Pudge for Ellisbury straight up.
Ha ha ha ha!!! No.
i would love to see Ivan Rodiguez in Boston. him and Varitek are the two smartest catchers in baseball, and they leadership they would provide on the same team, awesome.
Are you high?
Rodriguez is a crummy catcher and calls a crummy game. The only thing he ever excelled at (besides taking steroids) was throwing out runners at 2nd. Besides the fact that throwing out runners at 2nd is the most overrated aspect of a catchers game w/ Rodriguez that has diminished for him as well!!
The friggin’ TIGERS traded that hack for next to nothing and were content with Brandon FREAKIN’ Inge replacing him behind the dish!!!!!
If that doesn’t tell you more than you need to know than the fact that NO ONE wanted him when he was a free agent and he had to settle with the NATS just to still be able to play baseball.
Tigers were out of it when they traded Pudge. Inge was catching because he was QQing about playing time because Miguel Cabrera was still at 3rd in 2008. Get yo facts straight!
Facts ARE straight. They were willing to trade that has-been for a guy who hadn’t played catcher in the bigs’ for years. Your hapless interpretation not withstanding.
He hit .297 or above 13 years. He’ll fall short of 3,000 hits by less than 100. He had a three year stretch where he had WARs of 6.4, 6.7, and 6.9 at catcher. Twelve-time all-star. He’s one of the best-hitting catchers of all time, with two rings to show for it. You can’t say that he only excelled at throwing out baserunners.
That said, he’s obviously not at that level right now. The Nats would try to get one or two mid-tier to pretty ok prospects, but they shouldn’t expect too much.
I thought I covered his “offense” with the Steroid comment!
My description of him was largely based on his catching abilities…and I repeat; “The only thing he ever excelled at (besides taking steroids) was throwing out runners at 2nd.”
He’s a mediocre (at best) catcher and has been his entire career. The RED SOX don’t need another mediocre catcher.
Regardless, what does all that have to do with NOW?
It has zero to do with it or with the possibility of the RED SOX even considering trading for him to catch for them. Not a thing.
Seem to recall a couple years back some stories coming out of detroit the young pitchers there complaing about Rodriquez calling almost ALL fastballs with runners on base so he would be able to throw easier.. Can anyone see people like say Beckett, or Wakefield tolerating a rubbish head like that? Varitek even?
No Thanks, He can spend his last year or 2 on cellar dwellers like the Nats and ply his trade..
but still idk how much of an offensive upgrade that is…
Arencibia for Reddick and Ellsbury.
You are on something if you think that would ever happen.
obviously I don’t
but throw in a young arm with Arencibia and the trade makes a lot of sense for both sides..
Sox have plenty of depth in the outfield and need a catcher… Arencibia is the 3rd possibly 4th best catcher in the Jays system, sure it would make the jays worse in 2011 but that doesn’t really matter.
3rd or 4th best? he is the best catcher in their farm system and is on the team backing up Molina…and I was talking more along the lines that Ells and Reddick wouldn’t get you Arencibia, not that the Jays would have to throw in another player especially a pitcher, now you are on something.
sorry I didn’t think i needed to perfectly balance it for you.
And yes Arencibia is the 3rd or 4th best catcher in the system. Jays have 2 top prospects in their top 10 that project to be far better all around players then JP.
Montero for Lester, hehehe.
Sorry, the Red Sox already have a DH. What they need is a good catcher.
Talk about a defensive downgrade at catcher!!!
“They couldn’t go get Bengie Molina. They weren’t going to spend the money at this point.”
Just for context, back in March Molina was reportedly looking for “$4MM or so” in salary.
Watching Snyder he seems to pull the ball alot which would be a great swing for a park with a short porch like Fenway or Minute Maid
I’d like Miguel montero. We have reddick, Anderson we could move in a potential deal.
Anderson would get you a catchers mask and a chest plate and the other team would still want cash considerations.
Kurt Suzuki for Iglesias & Lars? As an A’s fan, I’d be fine with Landon Powell/Donaldson, Boston gets awesome defender plus maybe some more wall-ball doubles as Kurt likes to pull the ball. A’s could slide Pennington over to 2B next year to replace Ellis. Win-win?
No
I know the A’s should look for a better offer.
I like miguel montero. We have reddick and Anderson we could include in a potential deal.
Pudge for Ortiz bobble head and bag of balls
Geovany Soto or Wellington Castillo get a prospect in return
What would they offer for Soto? Young, fairly cheap and could be backstop for quite awhile in Boston. Salty plus….???
damn i type too slow lol did not see chris post
Speaking as a union man….this guy Gammons is like a scab…
He will do or say anything….
The Sox are not deriously looking around….
They will go with the Salty/Veritek arrangement….at least until mid season…probably longer, maybe much longer…
Maybe the Yankees can give you Russell Martin for that Iglesias kid? Actually nevermind, they already have a SS that can’t hit…
Kevin Cash come on up!
Seeing how the Pirates love to get fleeced by the Sox. I can see a Snyder, Tony Sanchez, for Marco Scutaro and a bag of balls deal in the works.
They have always had a strong interest in Chris Ianetta.
In Saltalamacchia’s defense his last 7 starts behind the plate the starters era is 1.54. The team is also 5-2 in those starts and the team’s era for those games is 2.22. He’s also hitting .280 in that span. People will point to the stolen bases but thats always been a problem mainly with the Sp not being able to hold runners on (10 sb/3cs). He’s catching very well and should be fine as the season goes on.