The Miami Herald reports that the Marlins are targeting Reds catcher David Ross.

 

Ross is hitting .239 through 92 at-bats this season, but the Marlins would only want him to backup Matt Treanor. He's signed for $2.52 million this season with a $3.5 million club option for 2009. The team is reportedly less interested in Yorvit Torrealba, Paul Lo Duca and Miguel Olivo.

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpag...MLB&id=2610

 

I'd rather have Duca or Redmond.

I actually kinda like the idea of this.

 

I'd much rather have Ross start over Treanor, though.

 

Ross is 2 years removed from a 932 OPS season (although in 300 PA's) with 21 homers. He hit 17 the year after (last year). He's definitely got some pop.

 

 

edit: Now coming to remember that he played half of his games in GAB, that really isn't too impressive. Hehe.

Does anybody know if he is good defensivley?

Does anybody know if he is good defensivley?

 

 

hes 5/15 in caught stealing(33%) with a fielding percentange of .992...plus his avg is up to .265 as he is hitting .355 in his last 10 games

Three Miller's and now maybe two Ross's? Just give him a spare Cody jersey and sew on a new uniform number on the back. That Admin Beinfest, always coming up with inventive ways to save the Marlins a buck.

 

But seriously, some of the numbers being thrown around by the Herald are wrong. Ross's line this so far this season are .265/.390/.429. Not bad, but looking at his splits this season, he is hitting .279/.436./.488 at home while hitting .255/.349/.382 on the road. Not surprisingly, his high slugging numbers are more of a creation of playing in the Reds' bandbox than anything else. Though he does show some good plate displine, no matter where he plays.

 

I also see some red flags when it comes to his defense. Going over to Redszone.com, I found these comments from Reds fans on Ross and a Ross-to-the-Marlins trade:

 

"Ross is one of the worst defenders in baseball IMO. If the Marlins are willing to take the remainder of his salary (about a Million dollars or so) and his $375K buyout for next year, I say go for it and don't worry about the return. Use the modest savings to sign foreign players or to get the final bump to get Alonso in the fold. The Reds need to make room for a pitcher eventually to replace Thompson and a deal of Ross reduces the teams inventory of crappy catchers from 3 to 2 and creates a spot."

 

"He's hit better, but he still isn't a good hitter and defensively he's a DH back there. He's a catcher, but he really can't catch. He has a decent arm and gets a rep as a good defender as a result but its only because CS % is about the only stat anyone can easily find concerning a catcher's defense. He muffs plays at the plate repeatedly and lets balls through to the backstop all too requently IMO. The only thing that keeps him from being the worst defender in baseball who plays defense somewhat regularly is the fact that Ken Griffey JR still plays in the NL.

 

I'd dump him just to get out of the $375K buy-out for 2009. Dumping Javy is fine by me, but dumping Ross saves more money which makes it more of a positive IMO."

 

Source--- http://www.redszone.com/forums/showthread....9902&page=2

if He's related to Cody, I'll take 'em

 

:0

I read the entire *Reds messageboard* thread.

 

I read that all Reds catchers are "lazy".

 

Don't look at Ross' low passed balls counts because apparently the professional scorekeepers don't know what they're doing.

 

There's a general agreement all Reds catchers "stink" although they are wearing major league uniforms and the kids behind their computer keyboards are not.

 

Oh, and lastly to quote one genius there, "Cantu is exactly the kind of return you DON"T want."

 

 

I'll take the two Davids (Ross and Weathers) for Andino or whoever and a pitching prospect and make a run at September. Between, Baker, Hoover, Treanor, Rabelo and Ross we ought to be able to put together a capable tandem in a catcher starved market.

 

BTW, this thread is in regards to a week old story.

I read the entire *Reds messageboard* thread.

 

I read that all Reds catchers are "lazy".

 

Don't look at Ross' low passed balls counts because apparently the professional scorekeepers don't know what they're doing.

 

There's a general agreement all Reds catchers "stink" although they are wearing major league uniforms and the kids behind their computer keyboards are not.

 

Oh, and lastly to quote one genius there, "Cantu is exactly the kind of return you DON"T want."

 

 

I'll take the two Davids (Ross and Weathers) for Andino or whoever and a pitching prospect and make a run at September. Between, Baker, Hoover, Treanor, Rabelo and Ross we ought to be able to put together a capable tandem in a catcher starved market.

 

BTW, this thread is in regards to a week old story.

 

Yeah, that thread was filled with a lot of ridiculous posts. But reading other threads on that board in addition to that thread, it seems the consensus is that he isn't that good of a defender.

 

I just pulled his splits in 2006 and 2007 and they aren't very encouraging. His OPS has been a full 200 points less the past couple seasons when he batting in the GABP - a trend which which has continued generally this season.

 

2007:

 

Home - .217/.299/.459/.758

Away - .188/.241/.338/.579

 

2006:

 

Home - .250/.359/.694/1.053

Away - .259/.348/.489/.837

 

Maybe he is the best the Marlins can get in this market. But they definitely should not overpay in any way, shape, or form for a guy who will end up being another addition to the Marlins collection of backup catchers on the 40-man roster.

We don't need any of those guys.

Here's where I say I can't argue for or against Ross from personal knowledge. I have no memory of seeing him play either against us or otherwise. I have no inside knowledge, I can only go by what's been written in various places (not internet messageboards or the amateur [vs sportswriter] blogosphere). The sense I get is he has had back problems and not unlike McPherson they have hampered his ability to play. I have read (and I'm paraphrasing) "he is capable of shutting down an opponent's running game", that he call as a good game and provide average overall defense.

 

If the standard, the benchmark here is acquiring Pudge Rodriguez ala 2003 and anything else is a waste of time, certainly this isn't the guy. Definitely, this isn't the guy.

 

He has an OBP above .350 against both lefties and righties, he's hitting .255/.349 away from GAB, he's hit .355 since the middle of June and over .400 so far in July. His FPCT is better than Matt Treanor's which surprised me when I just looked it up.

 

So in the end every point previously posted has value but I think so do those in this post, at some point you have to defer to the scouts and talent evaluators and see who they suggest the font office goes after. And it isn't just who to go after, it's what team can you make a deal with.

 

The clock is ticking, August 1st we may have a new battery or maybe not. And yes Ross has his deficiencies, but also appears to do some things well and is capable of putting together a hitting streak or two. I'm from the old school. I want the catcher to play defense, anything he brings with the bat is a plus. I know most people here feel differently. And maybe that's why see things differently.

We should also be targeting one of the Angels catchers.Mike Napoli and Jeff Mathis.

We should also be targeting one of the Angels catchers.Mike Napoli and Jeff Mathis.

 

Perhaps you missed the Artie Moreno/Marlins front office dust up last winter. It takes two to tango.

Ross isn't a superstar, but he does have intriguing numbers and he may in fact be an improvement, just maybe not that much of one. It depends on what we would have to give up for him. I would ship a guy like Vanden Hurk out for him in a heartbeat.

We should also be targeting one of the Angels catchers.Mike Napoli and Jeff Mathis.

 

Perhaps you missed the Artie Moreno/Marlins front office dust up last winter. It takes two to tango.

If they really like the return, i dont doubt they will trade one.