Catching Strategy

[Jerlins]

I actually have this platoon in another league, but at 18 games in, way too early to analyze, however, they've begun the season at a .416 OBP clip. I'll keep you all posted.

[hechojazz]

My Wrigley team started the season with a catching platoon of John Buck and Torvit Torrealba. About halfway in, I saw that Torrealba was just stinking up the joint, Buck was hitting lefties much better than he was, and maintaining that platoon just wasn't making sense. So I dumped Torrealba and picked up Matheny for his D. Torrealba got picked up by another team, and continued to stink his way through the season for that guy. Buck meanwhile was getting the silver slugger for his position, up until he went down for 15 games with 5 regular season games to play. I'm starting the playoffs tomorrow night, and it just sucks to have to start Matheny...I'm not due to get Buck back until after game 2 of the finals...but getting that far without a guy who'd been hitting in the 4 hole for me against righties will be no easy feat. But if I was starting Torrealba instead of Matheny, I don't think it would be making me feel any better. The injuries just eat you up in this game.

[Jerlins]

I feel your pain Hechojazz. After being up 2 to 0 in one playoff semifinal, I had to start Ross, Amezaga, Gomez, and Raines over Ford, Guerrero, Lawton, and Estrada. Needless to say, even Randy Johnson going in game 5 didn't help. Amezaga in RF, imagine that!

I hate injuries, so much so I've passed on guys with great cards just because they don't have the 600 PA's. Mabry, who would do wonders for my Safeco teams, has been forgotten ever since I lost him for 42 total games, including a 15 gamer, two at bats, and then another 15 gamer. Its one of the reasons I decided to try out the "indestructable" good catcher theory. Having either Pratt or Estrada in my lineup vs either side pitcher gives me comfort knowing I'm not missing a beat no matter which of the two are injured. At 5.14 million its fairly expensive, but so is Kendall and any .50 catcher at 5.1 million.

I'm just giving food for thought for those always wanting the Pudges, Variteks, and Posadas. For my money, I'll take the Pratt/Estrada platoon over any of the plus 4 million catchers and their catching partners. There are less expensive options for sure, especially in certain ballparks, Buck being one of them (in Wrigley for sure), but the point of this thread was for those who feel the need to have one of those high priced catchers on their team. I'm suggesting another option for them.

[1crazycanuk]

I am glad this thread was posted. Very useful information.

As for passing a player by if he has less than 600 PAs, no matter how good the card, that is something new to me. It makes sense...the challenge is finding the talent though eh?