Here's Willingham's scouting report from baseball america:

 

Blocked at both corner infield spots by hotter prospects, Willingham agreed to try catching during instructional league after the 2002 season. In just three weeks, he showed enough potential behind the plate to rocket up the organizational charts. He tore up high Class A to earn a June promotion to Double-A, but a knee injury interrupted his surge. Arthroscopic surgery caused him to miss seven weeks and soft-pedal the catching conversion for the rest of the regular season.

 

Willingham has a short swing, power to all fields and has shown a willingness to work counts and take walks, a skill that remains in short supply in the tools-first Marlins system. Key situations only seem to sharpen his focus. He has good arm strength and has shown an aptitude for game-calling. Makeup is a definite plus as he's a genuine throwback.

 

With just 40 regular-season games behind the plate, Willingham still has much to learn about the most demanding of positions. He threw out just 20 percent of basestealers. His speed was average before the knee surgery, but is now a shade below average.

 

 

:mischief2 Open up the flood gates for the running game? I dunno if a rookie that can't stop the running game and runs like Mike Redmond is the answer...

link please? I want his defensive stats too.

From reports I've read in prospect books hes at least average defensively with lots of room to improve. Hes probably got the best OBP of any catcher in the minors. i said it is ok if gets called up, but he doesn't deserve just yet to start more than Redmond and Castro. If he earns his way to #1, more power to him, but he is not up here for a reason, why? Good question. I think its because they are waiting for a deal to package Castro in.

Here's Willingham's scouting report from baseball america:

 

Blocked at both corner infield spots by hotter prospects, Willingham agreed to try catching during instructional league after the 2002 season. In just three weeks, he showed enough potential behind the plate to rocket up the organizational charts. He tore up high Class A to earn a June promotion to Double-A, but a knee injury interrupted his surge. Arthroscopic surgery caused him to miss seven weeks and soft-pedal the catching conversion for the rest of the regular season.

 

Willingham has a short swing, power to all fields and has shown a willingness to work counts and take walks, a skill that remains in short supply in the tools-first Marlins system. Key situations only seem to sharpen his focus. He has good arm strength and has shown an aptitude for game-calling. Makeup is a definite plus as he's a genuine throwback.

 

With just 40 regular-season games behind the plate, Willingham still has much to learn about the most demanding of positions. He threw out just 20 percent of basestealers. His speed was average before the knee surgery, but is now a shade below average.

 

 

:mischief2 Open up the flood gates for the running game? I dunno if a rookie that can't stop the running game and runs like Mike Redmond is the answer... dude, we're in no position to be demanding anything!! I just want an upgrade to what we have now, and obviously, that won't prove too hard to find. A catcher that gives me decent defense and at least a .250 BA will make me happy...We ain't getting an All Star any time soon.

Honestly, who cares if our catcher is fast? Say he gets on base 30% of the time (a huge improvement on the abysmal Castro) that will far outweigh the runners that steal a base on him.

i said it is ok if gets called up, but he doesn't deserve just yet to start more than Redmond and Castro. If he earns his way to #1, more power to him, but he is not up here for a reason, why?

I believe the only reason Treanor or JWilly are not up is simply because Castro is out of options. Redmond is the ideal backup catcher - for some reason he cannot endure the rigors of a full season. Castro has proven himself on the Triple A level (see Calgary numbers) and in abbreviated PT over the last couple of years.

 

Ideally, the Marlins would like to get something (anything) for Castro. His name was mentioned in quite a bit of trade talk over the last couple of years. Based upon his past performance - one would be hard pressed to expect the disaster of this season (except Das - of course).

 

I like the idea of sending Sutton down and given one of the young guys a tatse of the majors. If they should look good they can stick. Of course, the Marlins should be (and probably already are) shopping to castro to anyone.

i said it is ok if gets called up, but he doesn't deserve just yet to start more than Redmond and Castro. If he earns his way to #1, more power to him, but he is not up here for a reason, why?

I believe the only reason Treanor or JWilly are not up is simply because Castro is out of options. Redmond is the ideal backup catcher - for some reason he cannot endure the rigors of a full season. Castro has proven himself on the Triple A level (see Calgary numbers) and in abbreviated PT over the last couple of years.

 

Ideally, the Marlins would like to get something (anything) for Castro. His name was mentioned in quite a bit of trade talk over the last couple of years. Based upon his past performance - one would be hard pressed to expect the disaster of this season (except Das - of course).

 

I like the idea of sending Sutton down and given one of the young guys a tatse of the majors. If they should look good they can stick. Of course, the Marlins should be (and probably already are) shopping to castro to anyone. Redmond plays very hard, he stops every ball with his body, not his hands. That is why his defense is so good.

Here's Willingham's scouting report from baseball america:

 

Blocked at both corner infield spots by hotter prospects, Willingham agreed to try catching during instructional league after the 2002 season. In just three weeks, he showed enough potential behind the plate to rocket up the organizational charts. He tore up high Class A to earn a June promotion to Double-A, but a knee injury interrupted his surge. Arthroscopic surgery caused him to miss seven weeks and soft-pedal the catching conversion for the rest of the regular season.

 

Willingham has a short swing, power to all fields and has shown a willingness to work counts and take walks, a skill that remains in short supply in the tools-first Marlins system. Key situations only seem to sharpen his focus. He has good arm strength and has shown an aptitude for game-calling. Makeup is a definite plus as he's a genuine throwback.

 

With just 40 regular-season games behind the plate, Willingham still has much to learn about the most demanding of positions. He threw out just 20 percent of basestealers. His speed was average before the knee surgery, but is now a shade below average.

 

 

:mischief2 Open up the flood gates for the running game? I dunno if a rookie that can't stop the running game and runs like Mike Redmond is the answer... dude, we're in no position to be demanding anything!! I just want an upgrade to what we have now, and obviously, that won't prove too hard to find. A catcher that gives me decent defense and at least a .250 BA will make me happy...We ain't getting an All Star any time soon. Simply put, he's a below average defensive catcher who plays the "Moneyball" game well. I'm not sure if he fits with our defensive minded aspect, because at least Red and Castro are more than serviceable defensive catchers. Castro doesn't always call a great game, but that's a different story.

 

Santiago or Ben Davis (two low cost alternatives) could probably be had for Castro and an A ball pitcher, and I can bet both would give decent defense and hit .250.

 

My only argument is that we're in a pennant race. Sure it's June, but we're still in a race, and I don't necessarily want a rookie who is a corner infielder catching for us...

Despite all this I think Treanor will be the one getting the call because of his connections, more advanced defensive skills, and overall experience with the position. My heart sayd Willy...because his offensive skills are just sick.

We have 111 games left. If we went with a platoon evenly split between Red, Castro, and another catcher, they each would play 37 games each.

 

That would be better for everyone. We didn't need 3 catchers last year as badly as we do this year.

if Willingham gets called up, HE STARTS THE MAJORITY of the game

 

you just dont do that to the kid

 

same goes for Treanor(although he aint a kid)....

 

Castro doesnt deserve 1 more ab with this club(that being said, he probably starts tonight... sigh) I don't know ramp, I've been keeping track of the Mudcats and Willingham seems to get a lot of days off, and Treanor gets even more. I'm sure if we split it up Treanor/Willingham starts 2 out of 3 games and Redmond starts 1/3 games that'd be fine. Redmond would still be catching for Willis every start.

Despite all this I think Treanor will be the one getting the call because of his connections, more advanced defensive skills, and overall experience with the position. My heart sayd Willy...because his offensive skills are just sick.

I agree, Treanor should be called up first, but once that happens I'd like to see what Willingham can do at AAA, and if he's tearing it up I think he would then get the call.

Here's Willingham's scouting report from baseball america:

 

Blocked at both corner infield spots by hotter prospects, Willingham agreed to try catching during instructional league after the 2002 season. In just three weeks, he showed enough potential behind the plate to rocket up the organizational charts. He tore up high Class A to earn a June promotion to Double-A, but a knee injury interrupted his surge. Arthroscopic surgery caused him to miss seven weeks and soft-pedal the catching conversion for the rest of the regular season.

 

Willingham has a short swing, power to all fields and has shown a willingness to work counts and take walks, a skill that remains in short supply in the tools-first Marlins system. Key situations only seem to sharpen his focus. He has good arm strength and has shown an aptitude for game-calling. Makeup is a definite plus as he's a genuine throwback.

 

With just 40 regular-season games behind the plate, Willingham still has much to learn about the most demanding of positions. He threw out just 20 percent of basestealers. His speed was average before the knee surgery, but is now a shade below average.

 

 

:mischief2 Open up the flood gates for the running game? I dunno if a rookie that can't stop the running game and runs like Mike Redmond is the answer... Mike Redmonmd doesn't run a shade below average, he's the slowest human on earth

He's faster than CJ.

again you are misinformed.

 

 

 

not all of us wanted castro to start.

 

Get a new keyboard, the one you're using is obviously broken. um...ok

 

 

 

why?