Not sure if anyone reads this, but just in case...a question: why doesn’t the fact that catchers see so many more pitches than other players translate into catchers being above average hitters? Seeing curveball after slider after change up while defending should make it much easier to identify these pitches when hitting, no? Instead, catchers can have long careers without ever hitting that much. I know they get physically worn down, but they don’t hit that well as a group (Bench, Piazza are exceptions). Why doesn’t seeing so many more pitches live help them?
Kevin, that’s a great question. I have often thought the same thing about pitchers. But I think it speaks to the uniqueness of those defensive positions relative to the extremely unique skillset you need to become a major league hitter. While baseball has changed some from the older days, catchers are still different than first basemen. Not everyone can be effective behind the plate. So while they might understand the pitches better, they are usually in the majors in large part because of their defense. Thanks for reading! And comment anytime!
Well, he’s 29 and on his fourth franchise. He had a .679 OPS over 250+ plate appearances in the bigs before this year. So while his hot start is exciting, it’s not like he was a top prospect this year.
Thanks much. The way Maybin was having mostly terrible at-bats, and is older and played for many teams as well, I’m just surprised to have never even heard of Williams. And Lee can hardly even foul the ball off, except for one big hit. It seems odd he wasn’t mentioned as an option as Lee and Maybin struggled, and then suddenly he’s in the lineup. But let’s hope he has success. Thanks.
Befoe blindly endorsing you need to do your homework as well.
You guys need to read the article more closely before "hating to be that guy fact checker" & endorser. Kelly was sharing his thoughts from when he joined the club in November 2015 & Tejada was still with the team. Tejada wasn't released until 4 months later. You owe him an apology here my friend
Martin, you need to read the article more closely before "hating to be that guy fact checker". Kelly was sharing his thoughts from when he joined the club in November 2015 & Tejada was still with the team. Tejada wasn't released until 4 months later. You owe him an apology here my friend.
I read the article quite closely and noted the two different points in time that were involved. The initial mention of filling in for Tejada was clearly referring to Kelly's thoughts in November, but the later indication that he "planned on filling in for Tejada and Duda" was made after the story had moved forward to the regular season when Kelly was called up from the minors, and was thus indicated as taking place at that time.
If you'd like to consider it an issue of faulty narrative construction rather than a factual error, that's entirely plausible, but a close reader would, in the absence of any other context, interpret it as an indication that Tejada was still on the team at that point.
In case Ty Kelly is reading this: Ty, I really enjoy reading your work, despite the nitpick, and hope you continue it. In lieu of an apology, I'd be honored to buy you a beer and discuss this or anything else next time you're in the NYC area.
Not sure if anyone reads this, but just in case...a question: why doesn’t the fact that catchers see so many more pitches than other players translate into catchers being above average hitters? Seeing curveball after slider after change up while defending should make it much easier to identify these pitches when hitting, no? Instead, catchers can have long careers without ever hitting that much. I know they get physically worn down, but they don’t hit that well as a group (Bench, Piazza are exceptions). Why doesn’t seeing so many more pitches live help them?
Kevin, that’s a great question. I have often thought the same thing about pitchers. But I think it speaks to the uniqueness of those defensive positions relative to the extremely unique skillset you need to become a major league hitter. While baseball has changed some from the older days, catchers are still different than first basemen. Not everyone can be effective behind the plate. So while they might understand the pitches better, they are usually in the majors in large part because of their defense. Thanks for reading! And comment anytime!
Terrific article by Ty Kelly. You guys need to get him to share his experiences & thoughts more often - like weekly if possible.
Where did Mason Williams come from? If he was so hot in minors and can play center why wasn’t he brought up sooner?
Well, he’s 29 and on his fourth franchise. He had a .679 OPS over 250+ plate appearances in the bigs before this year. So while his hot start is exciting, it’s not like he was a top prospect this year.
Thanks much. The way Maybin was having mostly terrible at-bats, and is older and played for many teams as well, I’m just surprised to have never even heard of Williams. And Lee can hardly even foul the ball off, except for one big hit. It seems odd he wasn’t mentioned as an option as Lee and Maybin struggled, and then suddenly he’s in the lineup. But let’s hope he has success. Thanks.
I hate to be "that guy", but I need to fact check Ty Kelly on something...
Ruben Tejada was no longer with the team during the 2016 regular season - he had been released late in spring training.
If Kelly was going to fill in for the regular shortstop, it would've been Asdrubal Cabrera.
You are right! Good catch. Now I guess it’s us whose ass is in the jackpot!
Befoe blindly endorsing you need to do your homework as well.
You guys need to read the article more closely before "hating to be that guy fact checker" & endorser. Kelly was sharing his thoughts from when he joined the club in November 2015 & Tejada was still with the team. Tejada wasn't released until 4 months later. You owe him an apology here my friend
Martin, you need to read the article more closely before "hating to be that guy fact checker". Kelly was sharing his thoughts from when he joined the club in November 2015 & Tejada was still with the team. Tejada wasn't released until 4 months later. You owe him an apology here my friend.
I read the article quite closely and noted the two different points in time that were involved. The initial mention of filling in for Tejada was clearly referring to Kelly's thoughts in November, but the later indication that he "planned on filling in for Tejada and Duda" was made after the story had moved forward to the regular season when Kelly was called up from the minors, and was thus indicated as taking place at that time.
If you'd like to consider it an issue of faulty narrative construction rather than a factual error, that's entirely plausible, but a close reader would, in the absence of any other context, interpret it as an indication that Tejada was still on the team at that point.
In case Ty Kelly is reading this: Ty, I really enjoy reading your work, despite the nitpick, and hope you continue it. In lieu of an apology, I'd be honored to buy you a beer and discuss this or anything else next time you're in the NYC area.