Kyle Skipworth might need a strong spring to win a chance, but could see some playing time in Miami with Jeff Mathis out. (Image Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports)

You’d never expect the loss of a backup catcher could garner as much discussion as the injury to Jeff Mathis has had around Miami. Talk around the team would seem to suggest any number of possibilities – including more than one reference to manager Mike Redmond serving as his own backup catcher, noting that he could make pitching changes from the plate – but the most logical option might actually be the one that some parts of the fanbase most want to avoid. Kyle Skipworth could benefit most from Mathis’ injury.

Skipworth’s name coming up is an obvious one, considering he’s already on the team’s 40-man roster. He’d be the easiest choice as it wouldn’t necessitate another roster move. Joe Frisaro of MLB.com would have to believe that Skipworth is the one “most ready” among the team’s internal options, though he does note the catchers lengthy minor league career to date. It would seem that Skipworth may have a fan in Redmond, as well:

I like him. He’s a big, physical guy for a catcher. He’s going to get a chance to catch. Obviously we’re looking for one of those young kids to step up. Any time you get guys playing time in Spring Training, you see what you’ve got. You see how they handle the pressures.

Now 22 years old, Skipworth was taken with the 6th overall pick in the 1st Round of the 2008 Draft and has largely been considered a bust. He’s a career .219/.282/.377 hitter across his minor league career in 1,807 PA. He’s hit just .210/.278/.371 at Double-A, a level he’s spent the past two full seasons at. He also hasn’t shown much patience at the plate, striking out nearly five times for every walk.

It’s important to remember, however, that Skipworth is just 22 years old. He started his professional career as an 18 year old and his development has been slower than expected. He could still develop into a solid option in Miami (or elsewhere) if he’s ever given a chance.

Not everyone appears enamored with the idea of Skipworth making this team. Placido Estevez at Marlin Maniac discussed the options, running through some of the team’s catching history to find an adequate solution. Ultimately he concluded that he’d rather bring back the original Marlins catcher, Benito Santiago, instead of taking a long look at Skipworth in the backup role behind Rob Brantly.

Mathis, for what it’s worth, will miss at least six weeks after breaking his collarbone during the team’s first game of the Spring over the weekend. If he sticks to that time frame then he’s only likely to miss about two weeks of the regular season. That’s not a significant amount of time, suggesting that there is little reason to make any significant roster-altering decisions in response. There’s no need to part with an asset to acquire a new backup catcher if he’s just going to be sent down to Triple-A when Mathis returns. The team can get by with an existing option for two weeks if they need to.

Maybe this is Skipworth’s chance to prove he’s not just another draft bust. Could there be another more low-pressure chance?

Jeff Mathis singled twice before having to leave today’s game with a broken collarbone. He’s likely to miss six weeks. (Image Credit: Scott Rovak-USA TODAY Sports)

Talk around Miami has mostly focused on the players dealt away from the Miami Marlins this winter, but those that the team acquired will be the ones hoping to shift the conversation once the regular season begins. One of those players, Jeff Mathis, will be slowed in his quest to win the team’s backup catcher role after breaking his collarbone in today’s Spring Training opener. He’s expected to miss at least six weeks.

Mathis was behind the plate for today’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals. During the 4th inning, Mathis took a foul ball off the bat of Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday. Holliday would walk and take first base before Mathis would leave the game, being replaced by Kyle Skipworth. Mathis had singled in both of his at bats prior to the injury. Miami would end up winning the game, 8-3.

Rob Brantly is penciled in as the team’s likely starter behind the plate, but Mathis had been expected to fill that backup role. Mathis came to Miami as part of the package of players received from the Toronto Blue Jays in the team’s blockbuster deal in mid-November.

Mathis, 29, hit just .218/.249/.393 with 8 HR in 227 PA this past season, his first with Toronto. In an eight year career spent mostly with the Los Angeles Angels he’s a .198/.256/.314 hitter.

Starting pitcher Brandon Morrow has the ability to be flat-out dominant on some days with his stuff, and this was one of those days. With Jeff Mathis (1-3, R) behind the plate, Morrow tossed a complete game shutout to help the Toronto Blue Jays win another one against the New York Mets. He allowed just three hits and a walk with eight strikeouts for a Game Score of 88.

The Mets starter was Miguel Batista, but he had to leave the game early due to a back injury. Jeremy Hefner was recently called up as the team’s middle/long reliever and could, I hope, take Manny Acosta‘s spot on the roster. The young reliever made his case by pitching five solid innings and allowed two runs, four hits, and no walks with five strikeouts. While he did get charged with the loss, Hefner was solid. (more…)

(more…)

Mother Nature had a hand in two of the events, while a certain catcher had a particularly foul Tuesday.

In this first odd clip, a member of the Colorado Rockies grounds crew is engulfed by the protective tarp during a 7^th inning rain delay.

Apparently the crew does not practice the Army Rangers’ motto, ‘leave no man behind’.

The announcers picked up on the event a little after the crowd, who gave the gentleman a standing O once he emerged from the covering.

The other weather related incident occurred in Minnesota, where the game between the Twins and Detroit Tigers was put on hold due to a hail storm that hit the area.

Twins players were determined not to let their 5-0 deficit to the Tigers ruin their fun.  Several teammates are shown on camera trying to catch ice pellets as they fell from the sky.  Gotta do something to pass the time.

I’m sure veteran catcher A.J. Pierzynski knows how it feels to have a ball or two fouled off against his body.  However, this experience didn’t deter him from returning the favor to not only the opposing catcher but also the ump in this four pitch sequence.

Pierzynski began the at bat by painfully fouling a pair of pitches off his feet.  A.J. must have wanted others to join him in his agony as he went on to foul two more pitches off against Angels backstop Jeff Mathis and home plate umpire Tony Randazzo.

The NFL Draft has been getting the lion’s share of the headlines (and rightly so) the last few days, but now that ESPN’s favorite marginal QB prospect, Tim Tebow, has been drafted maybe we can all move on.  [...] (more…)