Reilly
02-20-2005, 03:26 AM
When looking at the catcher rankings, two things stand out. One, we have a new leader of the pack, in Victor Martinez, and two, there's a lot more depth at the position in the AL than in the NL. Our top eight catchers are all in the AL, with Paul Lo Duca and Johnny Estrada leading the pack in the NL. The pool was thinned further this year, with Craig Wilson not playing enough games to qualify at the position. If you're in an NL league, you need to decide right away if you're going to try to overpay for one of the top options, or consider opting for two $1 catchers.
1. Victor Martinez, CLE
After being highly touted as one of the league's best prospects, Martinez exploded on offense in 2004 when he raised his slugging percentage well over 100 points from the limited time he saw with the Indians in 2003 and provided solid defense behind the plate at catcher. There is no doubt that in 2005 he deserves to be ranked in the top three among catchers.
2. Ivan Rodriguez, DET
Many fantasy pundits predicted that Rodriguez's production would suffer in pitcher-friendly Comerica Park, but Pudge managed to put together one of the best seasons of his career and further established his Hall of Fame credentials. He did show some signs of wear and tear in the second half, however, when his average dropped from .384 at the beginning of July to .334 by the end of the year. While a repeat of 2004's numbers is unlikely for the 33-year-old catcher, he remains one of the top fantasy catchers in baseball.
3. Javy Lopez, BAL
No one expected Lopez to duplicate his .328/.687/1.065 performance from 2003, but he remained one of the most productive offensive catchers in baseball in 2004. The real concern about Lopez is that at age 33 he caught 125 games for the Orioles, and often complained of fatigue. The Orioles plan to utilize him more at DH and some at first base in 2005, but is the damage already done?
4. Joe Mauer, MIN
Mauer was regarded as the top prospect in baseball before the 2004 season began and won the starting job at catcher. In just his second major league game the 2002 No. 1 overall draft pick tore cartilage in his left knee. After surgery he returned in June but problems with the knee landed him on the DL again six weeks later and he wasn't able to play the rest of the season. In the 35 games he was able to play he did not disappoint by drawing 11 walks and erasing the worry he wouldn't hit home runs in the majors, hitting more dingers than his entire 2003 minor league season. While the Twins say they expect Mauer to be able to catch again there is some doubt since he had soreness in the knee even into last fall. The Twins would like to keep him behind the plate because he's got strong defensive skills and an uncanny ability to handle a pitching staff at a young age. No matter where he plays, Mauer has strong plate discipline which should lead to a .300 batting average with modest power. If his knees are healthy, he should quickly become one of the AL's top catchers.
5. Jason Varitek, BOS
Although he'll be 33 when the 2005 season begins, Varitek is one of a handful of catchers that can do it with the glove and the stick. You should keep in mind he's just a .271 career hitter and much of his market value is attributed to his handling of Boston's pitching staff. Expect the Boston captain to play 130-plus games behind the plate.
6. Jorge Posada, NY-A
Posada's overall numbers look good, but his RBI and AB totals were his lowest since 1999, and he doesn't score as many runs as most other Yankees starters. When 33-year-old catchers decline, they can do so quickly. He's got enough left to be a top-notch fantasy catcher for the next couple of seasons, but expecting another 2003 may be too much to ask.
7. Jason Kendall, OAK
It took some time, but the Pirates finally unloaded Kendall and his big contract to the A's, who were happy to take the three-time All-Star with a .306 lifetime batting average off their hands. Kendall is a perfect fit for the A's, who put a premium on getting on base, as his .399 OBP as a leadoff hitter was best in the NL. He'll likely hit in the second spot in 2005, where his ability to make contact should keep things moving along. A nice bonus for fantasy owners is that Kendall can swipe the occasion bag, leading all catchers with 11 steals last season. His power has been limited the past few years, but Kendall remains a fine roto option because he is solid in so many areas at a position of scarcity.
8. A.J. Pierzynski, CHI-A
Pierzynski didn't help his reptuation as volatile player after he got under his teammates' skin for much of his first season in San Francisco, but after a slow start he hit close to his career averages when you factor his home park. Moving back to the AL and away from SBC Park should help his numbers. He'll be the primary catcher for the White Sox.
9. Paul Lo Duca, FLA
LoDuca, again, wilted down the stretch and it's long past time a team realized it won't get more than 400 productive plate appearances from him. Given the Marlins have lost Mike Redmond and have no one with much big league experience in-house, even if the light bulb goes off over Jack McKeon's head he may not be able to do anything about it.
10. Johnny Estrada, ATL
Estrada proved his minor league stats were no fluke in his first season as a starter in the big leagues by making the All-Star team and finishing with a .378 OBP. He lacks the power to be among the best NL catchers and needs to take more walks, but hits for average and will be a solid fantasy backstop.
11. Mike Lieberthal, PHI
After a .174 April, Lieberthal got it going and finished with decent totals. His 17 HR were third-most for catchers in the NL, and the third-highest mark of his career. He wasn't helped by the reputed bandbox Citizens Bank Park: he hit .242-8-36 at home, .300-9-25 on the road. A .142 average with RISP didn't help. Lieberthal has also declined in throwing out runners, but he's a solid player who will play regularly for another couple of years.
12. Ramon Hernandez, SD
Hernandez's 18 home runs tied Benito Santiago's 1987 season for the most by a Padres catcher, and his .477 slugging surpassed any backstop mark previously. Acquired for his defense, he produced similar, often better, offensive numbers than his career year in Oakland despite missing time with a knee injury. With two quality seasons now under his belt, it's safe to say the 28-year-old has arrived as a decent offensive catcher who will start as often as the schedule permits.
13. J.D. Closser, COL
The Rockies have committed to making Closser their everyday catcher in 2005. He took the job from Charles Johnson last August, and showed he has the tools to hit at a major league level. He should be a staple of NL-only leagues, and if he can hit well early, deep mixed leagues. Closser was never a huge power guy in the minors, but he's set for a full season of work in the thin air of Colorado.
14. Michael Barrett, CHI-N
Coming off a pretty good season with the bat, Barrett is likely to be the starter behind the plate again with the Cubs. He doesn't strike out too much, will occasionally draw a walk and has a little bit of pop. He'll be 28 this season and there's a little power upside to go with some batting-average downside.
15. Bengie Molina, ANA
Molina will likely hit well enough to get the majority of work behind the plate for the Halos. After the first half-dozen catchers are gone in an AL draft, Molina may provide as much value as any other backstop on the board.
16. Miguel Olivo, SEA
Olivo arrived in Seattle mid-season last year as part of the Freddy Garcia trade. The M's finally gave up on Ben Davis, but didn't get much better results from Olivo, who hit .200 with 55 K in 160 AB after the trade and struggled defensively with nine passed balls in 394 innings (Dan Wilson allowed none in 827.3 innings). His woes forced the team to stick with the aging Wilson, and though he enters 2005 as the starter, he'll share time with Wilson. He has good upside, but needs to improve rapidly if he is going to be a viable fantasy candidate.
17. Mike Piazza, NY-N
Piazza's 2004 looked like 2003: slow start, gets hot, suffers an injury, never regains his stroke and speculation starts that he will be moved to a different position or team. This time the speculation is he will not play first but be a full-time catcher and it's possible he will be traded to the American League, where he could DH and be a part-time catcher. The only saving grace to Piazza's lost 2004 season, during which his slugging percentage declined for the fourth straight year, was breaking Carlton Fisk's record for most homers by a catcher. It's clear he's on the downside of his career and would benefit from a change of scenery.
18. John Buck, KC
Buck was overmatched much of the time during his first season in the big leagues, but he also showed some nice pop - slugging .562 in September. He drew praise for his handling of the staff and will learn much under the tutelage of Tony Pena. Mark Teahen may have been the top prize in the Carlos Beltran deal, but Buck looks like a long-term solution as well and will be the starting catcher in 2005.
19. Brandon Inge, DET
Inge, who was a career .199 hitter entering the 2004 season, found his hitting stroke in a utility role, posting career-bests in batting average, homers, RBI and runs. While he played a variety of positions last season, he may have found his niche at third base and will likely win for the starting job during spring training making him a solid sleeper pick.
20. Matthew LeCroy, MIN
LeCroy could win the starting DH job or get significant playing time in a platoon at the position or at catcher if Joe Mauer isn't healthy. He didn't get as much playing time last season as he did in 2003, but he did increase his time behind the plate and likely qualifies at catcher in most fantasy leagues with 26 games played at the position. He's a valuable catcher as a result because he could hit 20+ home runs if he gets enough at-bats but won't wear down or get hurt by playing too many games at the position. However, his defense behind the plate isn't strong enough to keep the everyday job. LeCroy is also a valuable bat off the bench as he hit four home runs as a pinch hitter.
21. Jason LaRue, CIN
The impact of LaRue's slightly-above-average power is nullified by his poor batting eye and resultant average. Don't go out of your way to acquire him for more than the league minimum in an attempt to acquire counting stats.
22. Brian Schneider, WAS
Schneider had a good year defensively and his bat held up under the extra playing time, so what's not to like? He profiles as exactly the sort of catcher who will gain some thump in his bat as he ages too (Mike Macfarlane and Darrin Fletcher had similar career paths), so if you're an advocate of the $1 catcher strategy, Schneider probably has a little more upside than most of your other options.
23. Toby Hall, TB
The last three seasons, Hall's best OPS was .675 in 2003. In that time, Mike Matheny's was .676 and Brad Ausmus' was .675, so forget Hall's gaudy minor league numbers in 2000 and 2001. Defensively, he was in the top third of the AL in 2004 in throwing out runners with 28% success, but he's not considered a great handler of pitchers. Presuming he remains with the Rays, he'll be one of the lesser AL fantasy catchers with a full-time job.
24. Chris Snyder, AZ
Snyder was a nice surprise for the D-Backs, coming up in August after Koyie Hill broke his ankle and doing a nice job at the plate: forget the .240 BA; he got on base and showed some pop. He'll compete with Hill for playing time behind the plate in spring training.
25. Todd Greene, COL
Greene could see 200-250 AB backing up rookie J.D. Closser. He still has a little pop in his bat and might not be bad to stow away on your bench if Closser struggles.
26. Yadier Molina, STL
Molina wows with his arm and defense and teases with his bat. He's been major-league ready behind the mask for a couple years but he's never shown much bat. Cardinals coaches think he could develop some power, and his 13/20 K/BB shows a hitter patient enough to learn how to hit. If he showed more promise as a hitter, the Cardinals could turn the fulltime duties over to him. But the Cardinals are likely to sign a free agent, or trade, allowing Molina some more time to hone his offensive skills
27. Benito Santiago, PIT
Sandwiched between the BALCO allegations and a season-ending hand injury was another decent offensive season for the 19-year veteran. He'll turn 40 just prior to the start of the 2005 season and will split time with Humberto Cota behind the plate after being traded to Pittsburgh. He'll be a major injury risk once again.
28. Doug Mirabelli, BOS
Mirabelli signed a two-year deal with Boston to resume the role he filled for Boston the last few years. He'll catch Tim Wakefield every fifth day and be the most productive (nine HR in 160 AB) backup catcher in either league.
29. Charles Johnson, COL
Remember when Johnson was an all-star? Twice? Two seasons and a .233 average later, he's likely on his way out of Colorado. Owners may want their leagues to add runners caught stealing as a category, because his main value these days is his gun behind the plate.
30. Damian Miller, MIL
From a fantasy perspective, little changes for Miller now that he's moved to Milwaukee.
1. Victor Martinez, CLE
After being highly touted as one of the league's best prospects, Martinez exploded on offense in 2004 when he raised his slugging percentage well over 100 points from the limited time he saw with the Indians in 2003 and provided solid defense behind the plate at catcher. There is no doubt that in 2005 he deserves to be ranked in the top three among catchers.
2. Ivan Rodriguez, DET
Many fantasy pundits predicted that Rodriguez's production would suffer in pitcher-friendly Comerica Park, but Pudge managed to put together one of the best seasons of his career and further established his Hall of Fame credentials. He did show some signs of wear and tear in the second half, however, when his average dropped from .384 at the beginning of July to .334 by the end of the year. While a repeat of 2004's numbers is unlikely for the 33-year-old catcher, he remains one of the top fantasy catchers in baseball.
3. Javy Lopez, BAL
No one expected Lopez to duplicate his .328/.687/1.065 performance from 2003, but he remained one of the most productive offensive catchers in baseball in 2004. The real concern about Lopez is that at age 33 he caught 125 games for the Orioles, and often complained of fatigue. The Orioles plan to utilize him more at DH and some at first base in 2005, but is the damage already done?
4. Joe Mauer, MIN
Mauer was regarded as the top prospect in baseball before the 2004 season began and won the starting job at catcher. In just his second major league game the 2002 No. 1 overall draft pick tore cartilage in his left knee. After surgery he returned in June but problems with the knee landed him on the DL again six weeks later and he wasn't able to play the rest of the season. In the 35 games he was able to play he did not disappoint by drawing 11 walks and erasing the worry he wouldn't hit home runs in the majors, hitting more dingers than his entire 2003 minor league season. While the Twins say they expect Mauer to be able to catch again there is some doubt since he had soreness in the knee even into last fall. The Twins would like to keep him behind the plate because he's got strong defensive skills and an uncanny ability to handle a pitching staff at a young age. No matter where he plays, Mauer has strong plate discipline which should lead to a .300 batting average with modest power. If his knees are healthy, he should quickly become one of the AL's top catchers.
5. Jason Varitek, BOS
Although he'll be 33 when the 2005 season begins, Varitek is one of a handful of catchers that can do it with the glove and the stick. You should keep in mind he's just a .271 career hitter and much of his market value is attributed to his handling of Boston's pitching staff. Expect the Boston captain to play 130-plus games behind the plate.
6. Jorge Posada, NY-A
Posada's overall numbers look good, but his RBI and AB totals were his lowest since 1999, and he doesn't score as many runs as most other Yankees starters. When 33-year-old catchers decline, they can do so quickly. He's got enough left to be a top-notch fantasy catcher for the next couple of seasons, but expecting another 2003 may be too much to ask.
7. Jason Kendall, OAK
It took some time, but the Pirates finally unloaded Kendall and his big contract to the A's, who were happy to take the three-time All-Star with a .306 lifetime batting average off their hands. Kendall is a perfect fit for the A's, who put a premium on getting on base, as his .399 OBP as a leadoff hitter was best in the NL. He'll likely hit in the second spot in 2005, where his ability to make contact should keep things moving along. A nice bonus for fantasy owners is that Kendall can swipe the occasion bag, leading all catchers with 11 steals last season. His power has been limited the past few years, but Kendall remains a fine roto option because he is solid in so many areas at a position of scarcity.
8. A.J. Pierzynski, CHI-A
Pierzynski didn't help his reptuation as volatile player after he got under his teammates' skin for much of his first season in San Francisco, but after a slow start he hit close to his career averages when you factor his home park. Moving back to the AL and away from SBC Park should help his numbers. He'll be the primary catcher for the White Sox.
9. Paul Lo Duca, FLA
LoDuca, again, wilted down the stretch and it's long past time a team realized it won't get more than 400 productive plate appearances from him. Given the Marlins have lost Mike Redmond and have no one with much big league experience in-house, even if the light bulb goes off over Jack McKeon's head he may not be able to do anything about it.
10. Johnny Estrada, ATL
Estrada proved his minor league stats were no fluke in his first season as a starter in the big leagues by making the All-Star team and finishing with a .378 OBP. He lacks the power to be among the best NL catchers and needs to take more walks, but hits for average and will be a solid fantasy backstop.
11. Mike Lieberthal, PHI
After a .174 April, Lieberthal got it going and finished with decent totals. His 17 HR were third-most for catchers in the NL, and the third-highest mark of his career. He wasn't helped by the reputed bandbox Citizens Bank Park: he hit .242-8-36 at home, .300-9-25 on the road. A .142 average with RISP didn't help. Lieberthal has also declined in throwing out runners, but he's a solid player who will play regularly for another couple of years.
12. Ramon Hernandez, SD
Hernandez's 18 home runs tied Benito Santiago's 1987 season for the most by a Padres catcher, and his .477 slugging surpassed any backstop mark previously. Acquired for his defense, he produced similar, often better, offensive numbers than his career year in Oakland despite missing time with a knee injury. With two quality seasons now under his belt, it's safe to say the 28-year-old has arrived as a decent offensive catcher who will start as often as the schedule permits.
13. J.D. Closser, COL
The Rockies have committed to making Closser their everyday catcher in 2005. He took the job from Charles Johnson last August, and showed he has the tools to hit at a major league level. He should be a staple of NL-only leagues, and if he can hit well early, deep mixed leagues. Closser was never a huge power guy in the minors, but he's set for a full season of work in the thin air of Colorado.
14. Michael Barrett, CHI-N
Coming off a pretty good season with the bat, Barrett is likely to be the starter behind the plate again with the Cubs. He doesn't strike out too much, will occasionally draw a walk and has a little bit of pop. He'll be 28 this season and there's a little power upside to go with some batting-average downside.
15. Bengie Molina, ANA
Molina will likely hit well enough to get the majority of work behind the plate for the Halos. After the first half-dozen catchers are gone in an AL draft, Molina may provide as much value as any other backstop on the board.
16. Miguel Olivo, SEA
Olivo arrived in Seattle mid-season last year as part of the Freddy Garcia trade. The M's finally gave up on Ben Davis, but didn't get much better results from Olivo, who hit .200 with 55 K in 160 AB after the trade and struggled defensively with nine passed balls in 394 innings (Dan Wilson allowed none in 827.3 innings). His woes forced the team to stick with the aging Wilson, and though he enters 2005 as the starter, he'll share time with Wilson. He has good upside, but needs to improve rapidly if he is going to be a viable fantasy candidate.
17. Mike Piazza, NY-N
Piazza's 2004 looked like 2003: slow start, gets hot, suffers an injury, never regains his stroke and speculation starts that he will be moved to a different position or team. This time the speculation is he will not play first but be a full-time catcher and it's possible he will be traded to the American League, where he could DH and be a part-time catcher. The only saving grace to Piazza's lost 2004 season, during which his slugging percentage declined for the fourth straight year, was breaking Carlton Fisk's record for most homers by a catcher. It's clear he's on the downside of his career and would benefit from a change of scenery.
18. John Buck, KC
Buck was overmatched much of the time during his first season in the big leagues, but he also showed some nice pop - slugging .562 in September. He drew praise for his handling of the staff and will learn much under the tutelage of Tony Pena. Mark Teahen may have been the top prize in the Carlos Beltran deal, but Buck looks like a long-term solution as well and will be the starting catcher in 2005.
19. Brandon Inge, DET
Inge, who was a career .199 hitter entering the 2004 season, found his hitting stroke in a utility role, posting career-bests in batting average, homers, RBI and runs. While he played a variety of positions last season, he may have found his niche at third base and will likely win for the starting job during spring training making him a solid sleeper pick.
20. Matthew LeCroy, MIN
LeCroy could win the starting DH job or get significant playing time in a platoon at the position or at catcher if Joe Mauer isn't healthy. He didn't get as much playing time last season as he did in 2003, but he did increase his time behind the plate and likely qualifies at catcher in most fantasy leagues with 26 games played at the position. He's a valuable catcher as a result because he could hit 20+ home runs if he gets enough at-bats but won't wear down or get hurt by playing too many games at the position. However, his defense behind the plate isn't strong enough to keep the everyday job. LeCroy is also a valuable bat off the bench as he hit four home runs as a pinch hitter.
21. Jason LaRue, CIN
The impact of LaRue's slightly-above-average power is nullified by his poor batting eye and resultant average. Don't go out of your way to acquire him for more than the league minimum in an attempt to acquire counting stats.
22. Brian Schneider, WAS
Schneider had a good year defensively and his bat held up under the extra playing time, so what's not to like? He profiles as exactly the sort of catcher who will gain some thump in his bat as he ages too (Mike Macfarlane and Darrin Fletcher had similar career paths), so if you're an advocate of the $1 catcher strategy, Schneider probably has a little more upside than most of your other options.
23. Toby Hall, TB
The last three seasons, Hall's best OPS was .675 in 2003. In that time, Mike Matheny's was .676 and Brad Ausmus' was .675, so forget Hall's gaudy minor league numbers in 2000 and 2001. Defensively, he was in the top third of the AL in 2004 in throwing out runners with 28% success, but he's not considered a great handler of pitchers. Presuming he remains with the Rays, he'll be one of the lesser AL fantasy catchers with a full-time job.
24. Chris Snyder, AZ
Snyder was a nice surprise for the D-Backs, coming up in August after Koyie Hill broke his ankle and doing a nice job at the plate: forget the .240 BA; he got on base and showed some pop. He'll compete with Hill for playing time behind the plate in spring training.
25. Todd Greene, COL
Greene could see 200-250 AB backing up rookie J.D. Closser. He still has a little pop in his bat and might not be bad to stow away on your bench if Closser struggles.
26. Yadier Molina, STL
Molina wows with his arm and defense and teases with his bat. He's been major-league ready behind the mask for a couple years but he's never shown much bat. Cardinals coaches think he could develop some power, and his 13/20 K/BB shows a hitter patient enough to learn how to hit. If he showed more promise as a hitter, the Cardinals could turn the fulltime duties over to him. But the Cardinals are likely to sign a free agent, or trade, allowing Molina some more time to hone his offensive skills
27. Benito Santiago, PIT
Sandwiched between the BALCO allegations and a season-ending hand injury was another decent offensive season for the 19-year veteran. He'll turn 40 just prior to the start of the 2005 season and will split time with Humberto Cota behind the plate after being traded to Pittsburgh. He'll be a major injury risk once again.
28. Doug Mirabelli, BOS
Mirabelli signed a two-year deal with Boston to resume the role he filled for Boston the last few years. He'll catch Tim Wakefield every fifth day and be the most productive (nine HR in 160 AB) backup catcher in either league.
29. Charles Johnson, COL
Remember when Johnson was an all-star? Twice? Two seasons and a .233 average later, he's likely on his way out of Colorado. Owners may want their leagues to add runners caught stealing as a category, because his main value these days is his gun behind the plate.
30. Damian Miller, MIL
From a fantasy perspective, little changes for Miller now that he's moved to Milwaukee.