Quality catchers that can reshape a franchise are extraordinarily tough to come across in baseball, namely because so few exist. This is why such a high premium is placed on the position, even if a player appears to be an option over just a short stretch of time. Each of the teams that call New York home have long been searching for a long term answer behind the plate and there is reason to believe that a viable option now exists for both teams, but it would appear, at least on its surface, that each organization is prepared to start that option in the minor leagues to begin the 2013 season.
If we’re to believe Brian Cashman, catcher Austin Romine will start the year at Triple-A for the Yankees. (Image Credit: Michael L. Stein-USA TODAY Sports)
The Yankees have coped with uncertainty ever since before Jorge Posada announced his retirement following the 2011 season, unsure who his eventual replacement would end up being. Some within the organization believed that answer would eventually come in the form of Jesus Montero, before questions about his defensive abilities arose and he ultimately was dealt to Seattle in what appears to be a failed move by the team. Others felt strongly that the team’s answer at catcher would come from Montero’s platoon-mate, Austin Romine. Most, however, merely assumed that the team would acquire an option on the open market.
Many in New York believed that Russell Martin was a solid fit with the Yankees, bringing much of what the team had been looking for to the table. He was reliable defensively, considering a solid game caller, but struggled from an offensive standpoint. Martin reached free agency with the end of the 2012 season and there were widespread expectations that the team would re-sign him to a multi year contract. They’d offered him a substantial deal just before the past season, which Martin turned down over concerns that he’d be able to extract more from the team with a big year. Instead he struggled over 485 plate appearances, batting just .211/.311/.403. He hit a career high 21 home runs on the year, which helped him land a two year, $17 Million deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates just a few weeks ago.
Now, left without a viable alternative option on the open market, the organizational focus has suddenly shifted back to Romine. According to quotes passed along by the New York Daily News, however, Yankees GM Brian Cashman believes that it’s more likely that Romine begins the season back in the minor leagues:
"I expect Romine to go to Triple-A. He missed all of last year, almost. I don’t expect him to be our everyday catcher out of the gate. He always has the possibility of taking it, but realistically, if I were in prediction mode, I’d say Triple-A. But he has a chance to alter that."
He’s long been viewed as a solid option defensively, but his bat hasn’t developed as quickly as some expected. Romine appeared in just 31 games this past season, thanks largely to a back injury that cost him nearly the entire season. He hit .243/.333/.408 over that stretch, but the injury nearly cost him a full season of development. If he fails to win the job outright during Spring Training (which appears to be the organization’s “preference”, at least initially) then the catching duties in the Bronx will likely be shared by Francisco Cervelli and Chris Stewart at the onset of the season.
Top prospect Travis d’Arnaud comes to New York with high expectations, but will likely begin the season in the minor leagues. (Image credit: Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports)
For the Mets, the unanswered questions about the team’s catching future have existed even longer, beginning with Mike Piazza’s departure following the 2005 campaign. The team has since trotted out the likes of Paul Lo Duca, Ramon Castro, Brian Schneider, Omir Santos, Rod Barajas, Josh Thole, Ronny Paulino, and Mike Nickeas in substantial roles behind the plate. None has done enough to give the team, or its fans, any hope that the revolving door of players would soon come to an end.
The Mets once again entered the offseason with “acquire a catcher” on their to-do list. Yet, as the Yankees saw once Martin left for Pittsburgh, there were few options available that were appealing. Instead, an unexpected opportunity became available when the team began negotiations to trade R.A. Dickey to the Toronto Blue Jays. Toronto possessed one of the top catching prospects in all of baseball in Travis d’Arnaud and few expected that he’d become available in talks between the two teams. Yet, as negotiations progressed, it appeared more and more likely that the Mets were standing pat in their demands for Dickey and d’Arnaud’s inclusion in the deal appeared inevitable.
Once the Mets had acquire d’Arnaud their fate behind the plate suddenly appeared much different. d’Arnaud is one of the rare catching prospects that scouts feel can do it all, but like Romine he saw his 2012 season cut short due to injury. He batted .333/.380/.595 this past season at Triple-A, over 303 plate appearances, before suffering a season ending knee injury. Had it not been for the injury there are some that believe he may have made his MLB Debut late this past summer with the Blue Jays. Like Romine, however, it appears as though the Mets are planning to start him back in the minor leagues at the beginning of the 2013 season, as ESPNNewYork.com’s Adam Rubin suggests, with the team’s catching duties being shared by John Buck and Anthony Recker initially.
Neither Romine nor d’Arnaud are guarantees to solve all of their respective organization’s catching needs long term and there is no certainty that they’ll help either team “move on” from the losses of Posada or Piazza. With both likely ticketed for Triple-A, seemingly no matter how strong a Spring they may have, the day they’ll take their presumed spots in the lineup remains uncertain. The pair do, however, represent the best options that either organization has had to date in their efforts to find a quality backstop for the future.