Venom Strikes » Matt Wieters http://venomstrikes.com An Arizona Diamondbacks Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More Wed, 19 Jun 2013 18:14:59 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 MLB Networks Top Ten Right Now: (Catchers) http://venomstrikes.com/2012/02/26/mlb-networks-top-ten-right-now-catchers/ http://venomstrikes.com/2012/02/26/mlb-networks-top-ten-right-now-catchers/#comments Mon, 27 Feb 2012 06:07:37 +0000 J. Levi Burnfin http://venomstrikes.com/?p=3181 This is the second part of a 6-part series in which I examine the MLB Networks “Top 10 Right Now” rankings. I will examine the catchers quickly in this post as I already completed a semi-ranking a week ago here: MLB Networks Top Ten Then and Now: (Catchers) However, I have changed the rankings a [...]

MLB Networks Top Ten Right Now: (Catchers) - Venom Strikes - Venom Strikes - An Arizona Diamondbacks Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More

]]> This is the second part of a 6-part series in which I examine the MLB Networks “Top 10 Right Now” rankings. I will examine the catchers quickly in this post as I already completed a semi-ranking a week ago here: MLB Networks Top Ten Then and Now: (Catchers)

However, I have changed the rankings a little bit which I will discuss below.

Part 1, which examines both starting and relief pitchers is here: MLB Network’s Top Ten Right Now: Dback’s Snubs (Pitchers)

This year’s MLB Network rankings: (Catchers):

  1. Mike Napoli
  2. Joe Mauer
  3. Miguel Montero
  4. Buster Posey
  5. Alex Avila
  6. Carlos Santana
  7. Brian McCann
  8. Yadier Molina
  9. Matt Wieters
  10. Carlos Ruiz

 

There are only two real changes from my list a week ago to now: the first was adding Mike Napoli to the mix. I avoided putting Napoli on my list last time because I figured he would be on the “DH” list for MLB Network and not the Catcher position considering he only caught 61 games for the Rangers last season. But they did include him so I needed to include him too. However, I will not put him FIRST as they have because he has never caught more than 100 games in a season. To be a valuable catcher, you have to actually, you know, play catcher a good amount. All nine guys above Napoli, with the possible exceptions of Buster Posey and Carlos Santana (which are yet to be seen) are workhorses for their particular franchises behind the plate.

The second change is that I moved Yadier Molina down the list simply because he will turn 30 this year and that is about the time catchers start to lose it. So here are my updated rankings of MLB’s catchers:

  1. Brian McCann
  2. Joe Mauer
  3. Buster Posey
  4. Miguel Montero
  5. Alex Avila
  6. Carlos Santana
  7. Matt Wieters
  8. Yadier Molina
  9. Carlos Ruiz
  10. Mike Napoli
]]> http://venomstrikes.com/2012/02/26/mlb-networks-top-ten-right-now-catchers/feed/ 1 MLB Network’s Top Ten Then and Now: (Catchers) http://venomstrikes.com/2012/02/22/mlb-networks-top-ten-right-now-d-backs-snubs-catchers/ http://venomstrikes.com/2012/02/22/mlb-networks-top-ten-right-now-d-backs-snubs-catchers/#comments Thu, 23 Feb 2012 02:50:44 +0000 J. Levi Burnfin http://venomstrikes.com/?p=3147 At the beginning of the 2011 season, the MLB Network released their top-10 ranking of all MLB catchers and how it turned out is below: MLB Networks 2011 Rankings: Catchers: Joe Mauer Buster Posey Brian McCann Victor Martinez Yadier Molina Carlos Santana Carlos Ruiz John Buck Kurt Suzuki Matt Wieters Looking forward to this year, [...]

MLB Network’s Top Ten Then and Now: (Catchers) - Venom Strikes - Venom Strikes - An Arizona Diamondbacks Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Matt Kartozian-US PRESSWIRE

At the beginning of the 2011 season, the MLB Network released their top-10 ranking of all MLB catchers and how it turned out is below:

MLB Networks 2011 Rankings: Catchers:

  1. Joe Mauer
  2. Buster Posey
  3. Brian McCann
  4. Victor Martinez
  5. Yadier Molina
  6. Carlos Santana
  7. Carlos Ruiz
  8. John Buck
  9. Kurt Suzuki
  10. Matt Wieters
Looking forward to this year, the top five would actually stay close to the same with only some slotting issues (to be discussed later) and the elimination of Victor Martinez because of injury and the lack of playing time at Catcher. But there are a couple of additions to this list that are drastically needed, including the D-backs own Miguel Montero.
I’ll start from the top and say that Mauer is still fantastic but after last year’s injuries and the continued success of Brian McCann, McCann has to take the top spot. McCann is entering his age 28 season and has had four straight seasons of .800 OPS or above while never playing less than 128 games in the last four seasons. That should put Mauer second and Posey third with the elimination of Victor Martinez from the list. And there is a strong argument to be made for Yadier Molina being above Posey given his defensive acumen. However, those four are definitely a tier of their own because there is a pretty big drop off to number five.

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