Tom Brennan - CATCHERS WHO CAN HIT, AND CATCHERS WHO CAN'T

PC- Ed Delany

CATCH - AND HIT, TOO!

I see comments on blogs, as Travis d'Arnaud gets to start his first spring game as a DH this Sunday, like "Travis is Trash" and the like.

People talk about flipping him somewhere else.  

"TRADE DARNAUD - HE SUCKS!" say many. 

That's fine for impulsive fans, to exercise their freedom of speech, if there are other in-house catcher options that can hit. Let's take a closer look.

So far, here is how I see it thru the games of Saturday, March 2:

Wilson Ramos can HIT!  He hit as well as any catcher last year, with the highest average, and he is 6 for 10 so far this spring.

Devin Mesoraco has proven he can hit, but not like Wilson Ramos.  But I feel comfortable he can hit above the Mendoza Line and add some power.  I would be OK with him being the starting catcher for a short stretch if Ramos is hurt, or as the catching back up.

Travis d'Arnaud can hit, as he proved in 2017 (.244/.293/.443, and a very  nice 57 RBIs in 348 at bats) - but he has missed tons of time and certainly seems highly injury-prone.  His surgically repaired arm was suspect pre-surgery and is certainly a concern.  

But I feel comfortable he can hit.

Now:

If Ramos were hurt for a significant period of time, would I feel OK with Devin and Travis as the tandem?  I would, as long as Travis can throw at least as well as he did pre-injury (which admittedly was not good).

Could the rest of the catchers provide help?

The rest, first of all, are catchers Pat Mazeika, Tomas Nido, Ali Sanchez, and Colton Plaia.

Through Sunday, those remaining 4 catchers, who I would would have thought, going into this spring, might be hitting challenged, have done this:

0 for 22, 9 Ks.  Brutal.

Given that, I for one am in NO RUSH to rush Travis out the door.

Last season's # 1 and # 2 catchers starting the season, d'Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki, combined for just 83 games.   Mesoraco thankfully was eventually acquired and went a decent .222/.306/.409.

The 4th and 5th catchers, Tomas Nido and Jose Lobaton?   

Those 2 hit an excruciating .158 in 133 at bats, with 42 Ks, in 2018 for the Mets.

Helping all Mets catcher to hit just a sickly .208 last season.

Can I be blunt?  

From such hitting under-performance does a potential playoff team like the Mets find itself on the outside looking in, come October.

If Tom B. was the GM, Tom B. would (as of today) keep Ramos, d'Arnaud and Mesoraco, and sort it out as time passes.  

Possibly, TDA or DM start out in the minors.  

But the need for 3 competent catchers going in was made abundantly clear last season.

Unless something weird happens in March, I would advocate to keep all 3.  If possible.

Perhaps in June or July, one of the Hitless Foursome ignites with the bat, the Hitting Trio are all healthy, and one of those 3 (TDA or DM) can be traded.

I just don't want to see another significant stint of .158 hitting by catching subs at the major league level.

Do any of you?   Or .208 in total?  No. No. And No.

I, for one, would like to see that # at least 50 points higher.  Keep all 3 hitting catchers, I say.

WE CAN'T HIT:

Speaking of hitting (or lack thereof), if you came up with a list, before spring training, of hitters who would struggle this spring, most of them are hitting under .200 so far.  

In fact, those hitters combined are just 13 for 160 (about .080) so far, quite remarkably bad, considering that early in the spring, a lot of pitchers against the Mets won't be making a 25 man roster.

Only Hechavarria and McNeil are in that sub-.200 category so far that I would consider to be solid, MLB ready hitters.

Cutting down the roster should not be difficult in the early reductions, given the above.