http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2013-10-01/sports/fl-marlins-1002-20131001_1_marcell-ozuna-manager-mike-redmond-giancarlo-stanton

 

Good little piece. Two interesting and enticing notes below...

 

...Prospects Kyle Skipworth and J.T. Realmuto will get looks in spring training, but the Marlins need to acquire catching depth. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, anyone?

 

Hot corner man: Perhaps this season more than any other, Marlins fans should monitor the Arizona Fall League. Colin Moran, last season's sixth overall pick out of North Carolina, will be there. Moran began his pro career with low-A Greensboro and in 154 at-bats had a .299/.354/.442 slash line. His performance in the AFL against some of the game's top prospects will help determine how soon he can fill the club's third base void.

What is the big deal about Jarrod Saltalamacchia? Based on the contract you'd be willing to give him, they might as well just go after Brian McCann.

 

Saltalamacchia is not worth nearly as much as you seem to think.

I'd much rather have McCann than Salty personally.

What is the big deal about Jarrod Saltalamacchia? Based on the contract you'd be willing to give him, they might as well just go after Brian McCann.

 

Saltalamacchia is not worth nearly as much as you seem to think.

 

 

I hope you're right, that means we should be able to acquire him for less than my educated guess... and that would make me ecstatic.

 

Would I rather have McCann? YES. Do I think that's likely? Not even by a small margin. At least Salty is a hometown kid with ties to the area, that could help bring him in. And he hasn't been with the same organization his entire career like McCann, so he's probably not as attached.

What is the big deal about Jarrod Saltalamacchia? Based on the contract you'd be willing to give him, they might as well just go after Brian McCann.

 

Saltalamacchia is not worth nearly as much as you seem to think.

 

 

I hope you're right, that means we should be able to acquire him for less than my educated guess... and that would make me ecstatic.

 

Would I rather have McCann? YES. Do I think that's likely? Not even by a small margin. At least Salty is a hometown kid with ties to the area, that could help bring him in. And he hasn't been with the same organization his entire career like McCann, so he's probably not as attached.

 

 

You wrote that you'd be willing to give Salty 4/50 (although you also said that was a joke). But then you wrote 3/30 and seemed pretty serious about it.

 

3/30 for Saltalamacchia would be a terrible contract. For that, just give McCann something like 3/40 and get an elite catcher.

 

For comparison's sake, Russell Martin got 2/17 last offseason. I cannot see Saltalamacchia getting much more than that. He really should get less than that.

 

If you take away his career year this year (which has some red flags in it), Saltalamacchia has had quite an abysmal career. You don't overpay for a career year. Especially for someone like Saltalamacchia who has a potentially terrible floor (like, for example, the fact that he still strikes out 30% of the time).

 

And despite the fact he's a switch-hitter, he's basically Jeff Mathis against left-handed pitching.

Neither of those guys is going to sign with the Marlins unless the team severely overpays, also both play for winning organizations so unless one of them wins a championship I can't see why they would leave that atmosphere

What is the big deal about Jarrod Saltalamacchia? Based on the contract you'd be willing to give him, they might as well just go after Brian McCann.

 

Saltalamacchia is not worth nearly as much as you seem to think.

 

 

I hope you're right, that means we should be able to acquire him for less than my educated guess... and that would make me ecstatic.

 

Would I rather have McCann? YES. Do I think that's likely? Not even by a small margin. At least Salty is a hometown kid with ties to the area, that could help bring him in. And he hasn't been with the same organization his entire career like McCann, so he's probably not as attached.

 

 

You wrote that you'd be willing to give Salty 4/50 (although you also said that was a joke). But then you wrote 3/30 and seemed pretty serious about it.

 

3/30 for Saltalamacchia would be a terrible contract. For that, just give McCann something like 3/40 and get an elite catcher.

 

For comparison's sake, Russell Martin got 2/17 last offseason. I cannot see Saltalamacchia getting much more than that. He really should get less than that.

 

If you take away his career year this year (which has some red flags in it), Saltalamacchia has had quite an abysmal career. You don't overpay for a career year. Especially for someone like Saltalamacchia who has a potentially terrible floor (like, for example, the fact that he still strikes out 30% of the time).

 

And despite the fact he's a switch-hitter, he's basically Jeff Mathis against left-handed pitching.

 

 

 

 

Actually, the joke was 5/70.

 

My guess for what it would take for us to land him was 4/45 or 5/50.

 

And it was a career year for a switch-hitting catcher that OPSd .804, at 28 years old, entering his prime.

 

Russell Martin is a bad comparison, not only was he older when he signed that deal, he just came off a season in which he hit .211 (Salty hit .274), posted just a 1.5 WAR (Salty is 2.9), and had an inflated .704 OPS from 21 HR's at Yankee Stadium (Salty was .804 and Fenway is rather neutral for a switch hitter).

 

I may be off, which is why I asked you to take a stab at his value, but I do think he will realistically get 3-4 years from someone like us that's in desperate need of a catcher and some pop and will probably get $8+ Mill per year at least coming off this season. If the Marlins could sign him for less than I anticipate, like 3/24 or 4/32, I would be very excited about that.

What is the big deal about Jarrod Saltalamacchia? Based on the contract you'd be willing to give him, they might as well just go after Brian McCann.

 

Saltalamacchia is not worth nearly as much as you seem to think.

 

 

I hope you're right, that means we should be able to acquire him for less than my educated guess... and that would make me ecstatic.

 

Would I rather have McCann? YES. Do I think that's likely? Not even by a small margin. At least Salty is a hometown kid with ties to the area, that could help bring him in. And he hasn't been with the same organization his entire career like McCann, so he's probably not as attached.

 

 

You wrote that you'd be willing to give Salty 4/50 (although you also said that was a joke). But then you wrote 3/30 and seemed pretty serious about it.

 

3/30 for Saltalamacchia would be a terrible contract. For that, just give McCann something like 3/40 and get an elite catcher.

 

For comparison's sake, Russell Martin got 2/17 last offseason. I cannot see Saltalamacchia getting much more than that. He really should get less than that.

 

If you take away his career year this year (which has some red flags in it), Saltalamacchia has had quite an abysmal career. You don't overpay for a career year. Especially for someone like Saltalamacchia who has a potentially terrible floor (like, for example, the fact that he still strikes out 30% of the time).

 

And despite the fact he's a switch-hitter, he's basically Jeff Mathis against left-handed pitching.

 

 

 

 

Actually, the joke was 5/70.

 

My guess for what it would take for us to land him was 4/45 or 5/50.

 

And it was a career year for a switch-hitting catcher that OPSd .804, at 28 years old, entering his prime.

 

Russell Martin is a bad comparison, not only was he older when he signed that deal, he just came off a season in which he hit .211 (Salty hit .274), posted just a 1.5 WAR (Salty is 2.9), and had an inflated .704 OPS from 21 HR's at Yankee Stadium (Salty was .804 and Fenway is rather neutral for a switch hitter).

 

I may be off, which is why I asked you to take a stab at his value, but I do think he will realistically get 3-4 years from someone like us that's in desperate need of a catcher and some pop and will probably get $8+ Mill per year at least coming off this season. If the Marlins could sign him for less than I anticipate, like 3/24 or 4/32, I would be very excited about that.

 

 

 

Saltalamacchia has had a career year, but a career year doesn't automatically mean he will sustaiin his success going into the future. You'd definitely be taking a huge risk giving him that big of a contract. Russell Martin just turned 30 when he signed with the Pirates last offseason. Salty will turn 29 a month into the season next year so their age difference ends up being pretty small. That and Martin is considered a pretty good defensive catcher while Salty is pretty much the opposite. The Pirates knew what they were getting when they signed Martin. An average hitter with good defensive. Saltalamacchia still has a lot of question marks surrounding him, and if he reverts back to his previous hitting ways, you're stuck with a guy who is a below average hitter and a below average defender.

Saltalamacchia still has a lot of question marks surrounding him, and if he reverts back to his previous hitting ways, you're stuck with a guy who is a below average hitter and a below average defender.

 

No doubt. That's kinda the definition of Free Agency today... Question marks. It's a huge risk to sign a guy like Salty coming off a career year, but it is what it is. This team needs offense, and the catcher position is the ONLY hole that cannot be filled internally now or even 3 years from now...

Saltalamacchia still has a lot of question marks surrounding him, and if he reverts back to his previous hitting ways, you're stuck with a guy who is a below average hitter and a below average defender.

 

No doubt. That's kinda the definition of Free Agency today... Question marks. It's a huge risk to sign a guy like Salty coming off a career year, but it is what it is. This team needs offense, and the catcher position is the ONLY hole that cannot be filled internally now or even 3 years from now...

 

 

That doesn't mean you pay 4/50 for the guy. That would be an absurd contract especially considering what Loria is paying the rest of the team.

 

Instead of spending that type of money on an average at best catcher, I would rather not acquire a free agent and instead extend the contracts of some of the players currently on the team (Stanton, Cishek, etc.).

Also, Boston is not a neutral park.

Saltalamacchia still has a lot of question marks surrounding him, and if he reverts back to his previous hitting ways, you're stuck with a guy who is a below average hitter and a below average defender.

 

No doubt. That's kinda the definition of Free Agency today... Question marks. It's a huge risk to sign a guy like Salty coming off a career year, but it is what it is. This team needs offense, and the catcher position is the ONLY hole that cannot be filled internally now or even 3 years from now...

 

 

This is really dumb. If the Marlins need offense so badly, why would you overpay for a mediocre player having a career year at one of the most offensively deprived positions in baseball.

Saltalamacchia still has a lot of question marks surrounding him, and if he reverts back to his previous hitting ways, you're stuck with a guy who is a below average hitter and a below average defender.

 

No doubt. That's kinda the definition of Free Agency today... Question marks. It's a huge risk to sign a guy like Salty coming off a career year, but it is what it is. This team needs offense, and the catcher position is the ONLY hole that cannot be filled internally now or even 3 years from now...

 

 

Not true we have the great Kyle Skipworth ready to take over catching doodies at the drop of a hat!

Saltalamacchia still has a lot of question marks surrounding him, and if he reverts back to his previous hitting ways, you're stuck with a guy who is a below average hitter and a below average defender.

 

No doubt. That's kinda the definition of Free Agency today... Question marks. It's a huge risk to sign a guy like Salty coming off a career year, but it is what it is. This team needs offense, and the catcher position is the ONLY hole that cannot be filled internally now or even 3 years from now...

 

 

That doesn't mean you pay 4/50 for the guy. That would be an absurd contract especially considering what Loria is paying the rest of the team.

 

Instead of spending that type of money on an average at best catcher, I would rather not acquire a free agent and instead extend the contracts of some of the players currently on the team (Stanton, Cishek, etc.).

 

 

 

 

Again, I never said 4/50. You can't seem to get my numbers right once. And what Loria is paying the rest of the team is irrelevant, they aren't FA's yet.

 

I would love to extend those guys... AND sign some FA's.

 

 

Also, Boston is not a neutral park.

 

 

For a switch hitter? Kind of. Can't really judge the offensive numbers, anyway, Boston has the best offense in the game.

 

This is really dumb. If the Marlins need offense so badly, why would you overpay for a mediocre player having a career year at one of the most offensively deprived positions in baseball.

 

 

 

They would overpay because that's the only way they land a FA. His 2013 season was not mediocre, it was one of the best by any catcher in baseball at an age that he is supposed to enter his prime. And the fact that he plays an offensively deprived position, one that we desperately need to fill, is even more reason to over pay. In fact, it's the EXACT reason why teams overpay...

St. Louis had the best offense in the Majors.

Saltalamacchia still has a lot of question marks surrounding him, and if he reverts back to his previous hitting ways, you're stuck with a guy who is a below average hitter and a below average defender.

 

No doubt. That's kinda the definition of Free Agency today... Question marks. It's a huge risk to sign a guy like Salty coming off a career year, but it is what it is. This team needs offense, and the catcher position is the ONLY hole that cannot be filled internally now or even 3 years from now...

 

 

This is really dumb. If the Marlins need offense so badly, why would you overpay for a mediocre player having a career year at one of the most offensively deprived positions in baseball.

 

 

 

Because they're the Marlins... John Buck ring a bell anyone?

@ Wild Card

 

 

Sorry about getting your #'s wrong. There's not much difference though. 4/50, 4/45, 5/50...they're all terrible deals.

 

Also, I don't understand how Boston is a neutral-park for switch hitters. I don't even think I've ever heard someone say such a thing about switch-hitters before. The park either favors lefties or righties or both. Are you saying Fenway puts one side of the plate at a disadvantage or something? How do you think his #'s would translate over to Marlins Park? Based on his career and the fact he's had one good year, I'm going to venture to guess he'd be pretty mediocre here. I think I'd rather trade for John Buck than give all this money to Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

At least Salty is a hometown kid with ties to the area, that could help bring him in. And he hasn't been with the same organization his entire career like McCann, so he's probably not as attached.

 

 

I don't get what this has to do with anything. If the Braves want McCann back, then he'll likely sign there but most reports are that they will let him walk.

 

Are you saying that McCann is less likely to sign with us because we're a rival of the Braves?

St. Louis had the best offense in the Majors.

 

 

100% incorrect. http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/bos/boston-red-sox

 

Red Sox ranked 1st in Runs, OBP, and Slugging, and 2nd in BA. That is, without a doubt, the best offense in baseball.

 

In fact, it's not even close... http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/stl/st-louis-cardinals

 

 

@ Wild Card

 

Sorry about getting your #'s wrong. There's not much difference though. 4/50, 4/45, 5/50...they're all terrible deals.

 

Also, I don't understand how Boston is a neutral-park for switch hitters. I don't even think I've ever heard someone say such a thing about switch-hitters before. The park either favors lefties or righties or both. Are you saying Fenway puts one side of the plate at a disadvantage or something? How do you think his #'s would translate over to Marlins Park? Based on his career and the fact he's had one good year, I'm going to venture to guess he'd be pretty mediocre here. I think I'd rather trade for John Buck than give all this money to Jarrod Saltalamacchia.

 

 

I think we can all agree that Fenway favors right-handed hitters, and is pretty neutral for lefites being shallow down the line but pretty deep beyond that. Considering switch-hitters obviously hit LH the majority of the time, he doesn't have a lot of opportunity to take advantage of the Green Monster... Making Fenway rather neutral for him. I think he would be fine at Marlins Park, he's not really a big power guy (14 HR), more of a gap-to-gap hitter (40 2B), and those types of hitters (Jose Reyes comes to mind) seem to succeed at Marlins Park. His HR rate may decline, but he'll hit the gaps.

 

 

 

At least Salty is a hometown kid with ties to the area, that could help bring him in. And he hasn't been with the same organization his entire career like McCann, so he's probably not as attached.

 

 

I don't get what this has to do with anything. If the Braves want McCann back, then he'll likely sign there but most reports are that they will let him walk.

 

Are you saying that McCann is less likely to sign with us because we're a rival of the Braves?

 

 

The Braves can say whatever they want, but if they didn't let him walk last year coming off shoulder surgery with an $11 Million option, they certainly aren't gonna let him walk now...

I didn't say I'd be right with my Cardinals statement, I just wanted to see what it was like to just throw something out there with no backing evidence.

 

It was kinda fun!

I didn't say I'd be right with my Cardinals statement, I just wanted to see what it was like to just throw something out there with no backing evidence.

It was kinda fun!

 

When I say something without statistics behind it, it is an opinion, and I don't try to make it out to be fact.

 

You said the Cards have the best offense in baseball as if it were fact, and it is not.

 

I'm sorry but you didn't really make a point.

You can't post something incorrect yourself and then veil it under the cloud of "it's an opinion." Pretty hypocritical post there.

You can't post something incorrect yourself and then veil it under the cloud of "it's an opinion." Pretty hypocritical post there.

 

I don't post incorrect facts, rather disputable opinions.

 

You posted a fact that was absolutely wrong.

 

Not the same thing.

But you yourself post them as fact. You can't get on me for that when that's all you do.

 

In that case, though, my Cardinals post was an opinion. I think the Cardinals offense is better than Boston's. You may dispute this disputable opinion.

But you yourself post them as fact. You can't get on me for that when that's all you do.

 

I don't, but that's fine.