OnlyBucs

052322352333400 wrote: There were so many extenuating circumstances last year for Diaz that I don't think you can evaluate him very well based on that year's performance. You need to at least look at him in the spring and see how he's doing. I have thought, though, that he could use some coaching on fundamentals.
  this Bucs Dugout article thinks Diaz will be non-tendered.



Without any inside information, I would like to see if the 2018 Diaz (or an improvement of him) is possible.  If the Bucs think that was his career year then it would make sense to non-tender him.



Diaz is only one year younger than Stallings.



Another Bucs Dugout article has this info about Stallings:



Baseball Prospectus has Stallings 23rd among 106 catchers in framing runs (3.4), 9th in blocking runs (2.1), and 17th in throwing runs (0.4). It should be noted that these are counting stats so Stallings’ rise in limited action speaks for itself. Overall, his Fielding Runs Above Average adjusted, a metric used to analyze a defender on a play-by-play basis, is 15th among catchers.

The moral of the story is that Stallings is pretty good defensively. He has definitely held his own and has been a major upgrade from the previous Pirate catchers this season. Does that mean he should be the Pirates’ primary starter in 2020?

I mean probably not. He’s a marginally better hitting Chris Stewart.

At best, Stallings is a fringe starter but solid backup. The Pirates will need to make an outside move in 2020 unless they expect a complete 180 from Diaz next season. Which, why would they? We’ve seen the Pirates add catchers in the recent past with the additions of Cervelli in 2015 and Russell Martin in 2013. That needs to be a priority going into the offseason. A tandem of Stallings and Diaz next year would provide another season of bottom of the league production at the catcher position (although that probably speaks more to Diaz than it does Stallings). https://www.bucsdugout.com/2019/9/6/208 ... es-in-2020
At the risk of being repetitious, I'll repost that I wish the Bucs would work on returning Reese McGuire to the fold. With the FA catchers coming off the board faster than other positions, I'd try to make an offer they can't refuse. Give them a catcher back (Diaz), a first baseman to platoon (Craig or Osuna), and an inexpensive middle reliever (Rodriguez or Feliz).

After 2018, such a deal would have been viewed as a giveaway to Toronto. After 2019, not so much - but there is strong recent history to sell Toronto with. Pick up the phone, Ben, you know people in Toronto!

7C565D6D5A4C4C402F0 wrote: There were so many extenuating circumstances last year for Diaz that I don't think you can evaluate him very well based on that year's performance. You need to at least look at him in the spring and see how he's doing. I have thought, though, that he could use some coaching on fundamentals.
  this Bucs Dugout article thinks Diaz will be non-tendered.



Without any inside information, I would like to see if the 2018 Diaz (or an improvement of him) is possible.  If the Bucs think that was his career year then it would make sense to non-tender him.



Diaz is only one year younger than Stallings.



Another Bucs Dugout article has this info about Stallings:



Baseball Prospectus has Stallings 23rd among 106 catchers in framing runs (3.4), 9th in blocking runs (2.1), and 17th in throwing runs (0.4). It should be noted that these are counting stats so Stallings’ rise in limited action speaks for itself. Overall, his Fielding Runs Above Average adjusted, a metric used to analyze a defender on a play-by-play basis, is 15th among catchers.

The moral of the story is that Stallings is pretty good defensively. He has definitely held his own and has been a major upgrade from the previous Pirate catchers this season. Does that mean he should be the Pirates’ primary starter in 2020?

I mean probably not. He’s a marginally better hitting Chris Stewart.

At best, Stallings is a fringe starter but solid backup. The Pirates will need to make an outside move in 2020 unless they expect a complete 180 from Diaz next season. Which, why would they? We’ve seen the Pirates add catchers in the recent past with the additions of Cervelli in 2015 and Russell Martin in 2013. That needs to be a priority going into the offseason. A tandem of Stallings and Diaz next year would provide another season of bottom of the league production at the catcher position (although that probably speaks more to Diaz than it does Stallings). https://www.bucsdugout.com/2019/9/6/208 ... es-in-2020
At the risk of being repetitious, I'll repost that I wish the Bucs would work on returning Reese McGuire to the fold. With the FA catchers coming off the board faster than other positions, I'd try to make an offer they can't refuse. Give them a catcher back (Diaz), a first baseman to platoon (Craig or Osuna), and an inexpensive middle reliever (Rodriguez or Feliz).

After 2018, such a deal would have been viewed as a giveaway to Toronto. After 2019, not so much - but there is strong recent history to sell Toronto with. Pick up the phone, Ben, you know people in Toronto!


Evaluation of players was so poor it's hard to know what we have with Diaz, Stallings, etc. I would be cautious about dealing away anything unless it is a over whelming deal. Just look at what NH dealt away not knowing how to develop them it's staggering. We had fabulous talent under our nose but didn't recognize it. The one we still have is Reynolds, if it hadn't been for injuries he'd be rotting away in Indy. Who knows what we have or don't have for that matter. Ben has his work cut out for him. I don't know how he can evaluate players until ST, at the earliest.

534B494E4E59484F525345200 wrote: There were so many extenuating circumstances last year for Diaz that I don't think you can evaluate him very well based on that year's performance. You need to at least look at him in the spring and see how he's doing. I have thought, though, that he could use some coaching on fundamentals.
  this Bucs Dugout article thinks Diaz will be non-tendered.



Without any inside information, I would like to see if the 2018 Diaz (or an improvement of him) is possible.  If the Bucs think that was his career year then it would make sense to non-tender him.



Diaz is only one year younger than Stallings.



Another Bucs Dugout article has this info about Stallings:



Baseball Prospectus has Stallings 23rd among 106 catchers in framing runs (3.4), 9th in blocking runs (2.1), and 17th in throwing runs (0.4). It should be noted that these are counting stats so Stallings’ rise in limited action speaks for itself. Overall, his Fielding Runs Above Average adjusted, a metric used to analyze a defender on a play-by-play basis, is 15th among catchers.

The moral of the story is that Stallings is pretty good defensively. He has definitely held his own and has been a major upgrade from the previous Pirate catchers this season. Does that mean he should be the Pirates’ primary starter in 2020?

I mean probably not. He’s a marginally better hitting Chris Stewart.

At best, Stallings is a fringe starter but solid backup. The Pirates will need to make an outside move in 2020 unless they expect a complete 180 from Diaz next season. Which, why would they? We’ve seen the Pirates add catchers in the recent past with the additions of Cervelli in 2015 and Russell Martin in 2013. That needs to be a priority going into the offseason. A tandem of Stallings and Diaz next year would provide another season of bottom of the league production at the catcher position (although that probably speaks more to Diaz than it does Stallings). https://www.bucsdugout.com/2019/9/6/208 ... es-in-2020
At the risk of being repetitious, I'll repost that I wish the Bucs would work on returning Reese McGuire to the fold. With the FA catchers coming off the board faster than other positions, I'd try to make an offer they can't refuse. Give them a catcher back (Diaz), a first baseman to platoon (Craig or Osuna), and an inexpensive middle reliever (Rodriguez or Feliz).

After 2018, such a deal would have been viewed as a giveaway to Toronto. After 2019, not so much - but there is strong recent history to sell Toronto with. Pick up the phone, Ben, you know people in Toronto!


Evaluation of players was so poor it's hard to know what we have with Diaz, Stallings, etc.  I would be cautious about dealing away anything unless it is a over whelming deal.  Just look at what NH dealt away not knowing how to develop them it's staggering.  We had fabulous talent under our nose but didn't recognize it.  The one we still have is Reynolds, if it hadn't been for injuries he'd be rotting away in Indy.  Who knows what we have or don't have for that matter.  Ben has his work cut out for him.  I don't know how he can evaluate players until ST, at the earliest.




I see your point skinny. The Bucs and BC have a long and tough journey ahead. Like you I have no confidence in the old player acquisition & development system. But with no one in place to lead those 2 aspects of the system right now some painful and perhaps wrong-headed decision will be made. I am more interested in BC hitting a homerun when it comes to who he hires to manage the player acquisition & development departments. the long-range future of the team relies more on that than making a mistake on one or two player losses.

756D6F68687F6E69747563060 wrote: There were so many extenuating circumstances last year for Diaz that I don't think you can evaluate him very well based on that year's performance. You need to at least look at him in the spring and see how he's doing. I have thought, though, that he could use some coaching on fundamentals.
  this Bucs Dugout article thinks Diaz will be non-tendered.



Without any inside information, I would like to see if the 2018 Diaz (or an improvement of him) is possible.  If the Bucs think that was his career year then it would make sense to non-tender him.



Diaz is only one year younger than Stallings.



Another Bucs Dugout article has this info about Stallings:



Baseball Prospectus has Stallings 23rd among 106 catchers in framing runs (3.4), 9th in blocking runs (2.1), and 17th in throwing runs (0.4). It should be noted that these are counting stats so Stallings’ rise in limited action speaks for itself. Overall, his Fielding Runs Above Average adjusted, a metric used to analyze a defender on a play-by-play basis, is 15th among catchers.

The moral of the story is that Stallings is pretty good defensively. He has definitely held his own and has been a major upgrade from the previous Pirate catchers this season. Does that mean he should be the Pirates’ primary starter in 2020?

I mean probably not. He’s a marginally better hitting Chris Stewart.

At best, Stallings is a fringe starter but solid backup. The Pirates will need to make an outside move in 2020 unless they expect a complete 180 from Diaz next season. Which, why would they? We’ve seen the Pirates add catchers in the recent past with the additions of Cervelli in 2015 and Russell Martin in 2013. That needs to be a priority going into the offseason. A tandem of Stallings and Diaz next year would provide another season of bottom of the league production at the catcher position (although that probably speaks more to Diaz than it does Stallings). https://www.bucsdugout.com/2019/9/6/208 ... es-in-2020
At the risk of being repetitious, I'll repost that I wish the Bucs would work on returning Reese McGuire to the fold. With the FA catchers coming off the board faster than other positions, I'd try to make an offer they can't refuse. Give them a catcher back (Diaz), a first baseman to platoon (Craig or Osuna), and an inexpensive middle reliever (Rodriguez or Feliz).

After 2018, such a deal would have been viewed as a giveaway to Toronto. After 2019, not so much - but there is strong recent history to sell Toronto with. Pick up the phone, Ben, you know people in Toronto!


Evaluation of players was so poor it's hard to know what we have with Diaz, Stallings, etc.  I would be cautious about dealing away anything unless it is a over whelming deal.  Just look at what NH dealt away not knowing how to develop them it's staggering.  We had fabulous talent under our nose but didn't recognize it.  The one we still have is Reynolds, if it hadn't been for injuries he'd be rotting away in Indy.  Who knows what we have or don't have for that matter.  Ben has his work cut out for him.  I don't know how he can evaluate players until ST, at the earliest.




I agree Skinny. Until Cherington and Shelton have a chance to personally evaluate Pirates players, I'd be reluctant to assume anything about their true value and overly cautious about dealing away anyone unless (as you said) there was an overwhelming return offered.

I agree as well. The additional factor is budget - BC knows what that is - he will have to decide where to allocate dollars. While a new catcher might be nice, is that the best use of funds? I don't see adding anyone at catcher unless it's a prospect with a higher upside potential than what we already have. Why waste the resources? Use them instead for pitching improvements.

Appears Romine is going to sign with the Tigers. Catching candidates are coming off the board. Maybe the Bucs will attempt to bring back Russ Martin.

444849121B121A17100F15220 wrote: Appears Romine is going to sign with the Tigers. Catching candidates are coming off the board. Maybe the Bucs will attempt to bring back Russ Martin.


I really don't get this. Romine was in the Pittsburgh price range. So Castro or bust? I would have kept Diaz instead of bringing back Martin.

5343427563636F000 wrote: Appears Romine is going to sign with the Tigers. Catching candidates are coming off the board. Maybe the Bucs will attempt to bring back Russ Martin.


I really don't get this.  Romine was in the Pittsburgh price range.  So Castro or bust?  I would have kept Diaz instead of bringing back Martin.
I too figured they would sign Romine. I am surprised they did not sign him. Castro is a good possibility since he played for the Twins last season when Shelton was the bench coach.

353938636A636B66617E64530 wrote: Appears Romine is going to sign with the Tigers. Catching candidates are coming off the board. Maybe the Bucs will attempt to bring back Russ Martin.


I really don't get this.  Romine was in the Pittsburgh price range.  So Castro or bust?  I would have kept Diaz instead of bringing back Martin.
I too figured they would sign Romine. I am surprised they did not sign him. Castro is a good possibility since he played for the Twins last season when Shelton was the bench coach.


None of leftover FA catchers really impress me other than being a one year fill in to go with Stallings until BC can get his people to really scout and find a young guy with some decent upside both with the bat and behind the dish.

Before too long the only backstop option with major league experience will be Cervelli.



Last year's pitching staff had no confidence in Diaz, hence the ascendency of Stallings. The Bucs need at least two more catchers in the system who can manage a pitching staff at the major league level. One who can pair with Stallings and one, like Steve Baron last year, who can toil away at AAA.



Not trying to get too concerned, and perhaps there is no real discernible difference between most catchers who remain free agents, but at some point the team needs to add to help plug an obvious hole.