Thread: Bollinger: Mauer Could Catch 125 games

Mauer's only caught that many games once before, in 2008. He had back surgery twice in the following offseason.

Originally Posted by Brock Beauchamp

It's not short-sighted thinking, it's prioritizing things differently. Mauer has the most value at catcher. His HoF chances are better at catcher (not a huge deal but still counts for something). He's healthy for the first time in a few years and probably wants to get back behind the plate.

Will he catch 125 games? I doubt that. With Doumit on the roster, it will be all too easy to DH Joe every 3-4 games or every time we see a night-day followup game. I think we'll see more in the 100-120 range if Joe stays healthy all season.

And IMO, that's a fine number. Given Doumit's struggles behind the dish and Butera's general ineptitude with the bat, Joe offers far and away the best option behind the plate.

So you are willing to entertain the notion that Ryan was merely blowing PR smoke with this bombast?

IMO, 100 games at C is a "fine number", in what they've already essentially admitted is a lost season. They extended Doumit for more than the going rate for just "insurance" at C plus DHing. I want Joe to "offer the far and away best option behind the plate" through the 2018 season. More physical breakdowns, like after 2008 and 2010 are more likely, not less, with similar workloads, as he continues into his 30s.

Originally Posted by Boom Boom

Mauer's only caught that many games once before, in 2008. He had back surgery twice in the following offseason.

See above

Originally Posted by jokin

So you are willing to entertain the notion that Ryan was merely blowing PR smoke with this bombast?

IMO, 100 games at C is a "fine number", in what they've already essentially admitted is a lost season. They extended Doumit for more than the going rate for just "insurance" at C plus DHing. I want Joe to "offer the far and away best option behind the plate" through the 2018 season. More physical breakdowns, like after 2008 and 2010 are more likely, not less, with similar workloads, as he continues in his 30s.

No, I'm saying that Ryan doesn't fill out the daily roster. Gardenhire will find it very easy to pencil Joe in at DH with the occasional game at first. He'll play more behind the plate but at the end of the season, I doubt he'll catch 125 games.

Originally Posted by Brock Beauchamp

No, I'm saying that Ryan doesn't fill out the daily roster. Gardenhire will find it very easy to pencil Joe in at DH with the occasional game at first. He'll play more behind the plate but at the end of the season, I doubt he'll catch 125 games.

This is in all likelihood Gardy's last year on the bench, with his possible replacement sitting next to him, his relevance is ebbing daily
.
Ryan made a curious public statement regarding Mauer's status, to say the least.

The statement contradicts the contract extension to Doumit.

The statement contradicts the very successful plan that he and Gardy hatched in 2012.

The statement jeopardizes the investment still committed to Mauer for the next 6 years.

The statement contradicts common sense for what Ryan has already admitted is a lost season, a season that- according to Ryan- the best that fans can hope for, is to "treasure" a professional approach over wins and losses.

Gardy's comments are a way more accurate reflection of the upcoming situation than Ryan's.There was one sentence from TR quoted in the article, I just take it as Ryan making more of an overall comment on Mauer's health and taking an opportunity to feed the fans what they want to hear, which is more Mauer at C.

There is no way he is going to play 125 games, is it in the realm of possibilty, how can you say it isn't? Is it in the realm of likely, no.

Originally Posted by twinsnorth49

Gardy's comments are a way more accurate reflection of the upcoming situation than Ryan's.There was one sentence from TR quoted in the article, I just take it as Ryan making more of an overall comment on Mauer's health and taking an opportunity to feed the fans what they want to hear, which is more Mauer at C.

There is no way he is going to play 125 games, is it in the realm of possibilty, how can you say it isn't? Is it in the realm of likely, no.

Because it is a very silly statement, with virtually a zero % likelihood of happening, bordering on malfeasance if it did happen . And this coming from a guy who. in the very same paragraph, says "a professional approach" is what he aspires to for the team as its #1 goal for 2013. Not a very professional way to kick the season off, TR.

Originally Posted by jokin

This is in all likelihood Gardy's last year on the bench, with his possible replacement sitting next to him, his relevance is ebbing daily
.
Ryan made a curious public statement regarding Mauer's status, to say the least.

The statement contradicts the contract extension to Doumit.

The statement contradicts the very successful plan that he and Gardy hatched in 2012.

The statement jeopardizes the investment still committed to Mauer for the next 6 years.

The statement contradicts common sense for what Ryan has already admitted is a lost season, a season that- according to Ryan- the best that fans can hope for, is to "treasure" a professional approach over wins and losses.

Ryan has been saying this all offseason, though. He plans to have Mauer behind the plate more often where his value is highest. It makes sense to me, even in a "lost" season. If the team is out of it late in the season and Joe is banged up, I'm sure we'll see him at DH more often.

I don't think it negates Doumit's signing at all. He will still catch 30+ games (probably more like 45, IMO). The rest of the time, he'll DH where he isn't a defensive liability. The guy is only paid $3.5m a year. For the kind of production he offers and the ability to play catcher, that's very reasonable.

It doesn't contradict the 2012 plan because the 2012 plan was created in the wake of 2011 when Joe had his worst season as a professional. Now that he's two years removed from the injury, I don't think there's anything wrong with pushing him behind the plate again.

I don't like much of what happened in this offseason but on this issue, I don't see a reason to be too upset about it. The best player on the team is healthy and wants to play his natural position more often. The team is allowing him to do that. Big deal.

Originally Posted by jokin

Because it is a very silly statement, with virtually a zero % likelihood of happening, .

Silly, fair enough but your second statement indicates the reality of it, I believe it was some PR bombast.

This might be the worst thing Ryan has said all winter. The Twins should be looking at how to get Mauer out from behind the plate permanently--and it's already a couple years too late at minimum--rather than pretending he can be a full time catcher again. Sheesh, Ryan. I was happy as hell when you came back to replace the incompetent Smith, but I'm loosing faith pretty fast.

Mauer offers the most value at catcher, but his long-term health should be their single greatest concern at this point. Whatever the timeline is for thsi rebuilding effort, they're still going to be working around an aging $23M Mauer and if he wears down it's going to make things awfully tough. If the Twins were making a go of it this year I'd be on board, but since they seem to have little interest in competing I don't see the need to push him. Hopefully if things go south in the early months they'll at least make adjustments. No reason to have him catching regularly in the second half of a lost season.

Originally Posted by Nick Nelson

Mauer offers the most value at catcher, but his long-term health should be their single greatest concern at this point. Whatever the timeline is for thsi rebuilding effort, they're still going to be working around an aging $23M Mauer and if he wears down it's going to make things awfully tough. If the Twins were making a go of it this year I'd be on board, but since they seem to have little interest in competing I don't see the need to push him. Hopefully if things go south in the early months they'll at least make adjustments. No reason to have him catching regularly in the second half of a lost season.

I can agree with the second half of this paragraph. IMO, a team should try to win at the beginning of every season in case things shake out in surprising ways. If Joe is healthy and wants to play catcher more often, let him do it.

But if the team is out of it in June, there's simply no reason to keep pushing that line of thinking. And chances are that the team will be out of it in June.

Originally Posted by Brock Beauchamp

I can agree with the second half of this paragraph. IMO, a team should try to win at the beginning of every season in case things shake out in surprising ways. If Joe is healthy and wants to play catcher more often, let him do it.

But if the team is out of it in June, there's simply no reason to keep pushing that line of thinking. And chances are that the team will be out of it in June.

Who wouldn't agree with this? Unfortunately, the concept of hope that things surprisingly shake out positively coming out of the gate is hanging on the thinnest of thin reeds-

and Ryan has already hoisted the white flag on that reed.

I think people tend to blank out about that part of the offseason story where the Twins gutted the top of their batting order...

Originally Posted by jokin

I think people tend to blank out about that part of the offseason story where the Twins gutted the top of their batting order...

...and the defense those two provided...making our weak defense even weaker.