Let the Reds’ Devin Mesoraco, Johnny Bench Comparisons Begin

By Jordan Wevers |

Aug 29, 2014; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Cincinnati Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco (39) hits an RBI single against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the eighth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Cincinnati Reds recently spent time tidying up the financial details on an extension with one of their homegrown players, catcher Devin Mesoraco. Not homegrown in the sense he was born in the Cincinnati area, or even the state of Ohio for that matter. Homegrown in a sense both he and the great Johnny Bench were drafted by the Reds and developed into MLB talents within their organization.

$28 million over four years is a fair amount of money to commit to a soon to be 27-year-old catcher with only one strong season under his belt. Mesoraco would have been arbitration eligible for 2015, with a projected salary of $3.025 million being the likely outcome. He is now set to make a base $2.25 million in 2015 with various performance bonuses each year along the way through the expiration of the contract following the 2018 season.

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It became evident early on in Bench’s career that he was a potential Hall of Fame candidate. He won NL ROY honors in 1968 as a 20-year old. He really broke out two years later in ’70 when he was awarded his first of two MVP awards, hitting .293 and leading the league with 48 home runs and 145 RBI. In Mesoraco’s age-22 season, he registered at-bats in all three levels of A-ball and was a far cry from the major leagues.

Mesoraco’s breakout campaign last year saw him hit .273/.359/.534 with 25 long-balls and 80 runs driven in through 384 at-bats. In contrast, by the time Bench had wrapped up his age-26 season, he was a two-time MVP and both a seven-time Gold Glove recipient and All-Star.

Bench’s defense also separated himself from many other catchers of his day. His three best dWAR seasons came in ’72 (2.4), ’74 (2.1) and ’76 (2.0). Mesoraco’s total dWAR number through the first four seasons of his career is 1.0, so he has a lot of work to do if he ever wants to resemble the tactician the Little General was.

There will never be another Johnny Lee Bench. He was the engine that drove the Big Red Machine throughout the 1970’s to four World Series appearances, the foundation of a dynasty.

Mesoraco probably does not hope to be the next Bench, either. Such a remark would go far beyond ambition and could border on sacrilege in the Queen City. His steamer numbers have Mesoraco projected to fall off in 2015. He struck out in 23.4 pe cent of his at-bats in 2014, higher than the league average. Additionally, his career BAbip of .271 portends there might not be a significant spike in overall production for the remainder of his career.

Most importantly, for the Reds to get their money’s worth, he needs to play. Bench played 17 long years squatting behind home plate for the Reds. His 17 year average for games played was 127 and ABs was 450, pretty impressive marks for a catcher. In nine seasons he played in over 140 games for the club.

From 1978-82, Bench made $400,000 per year in salary, equivalent to a total earning amount of just under $4.4 million in 2014 currency.

Inflation is a crazy thing, and so is the free market. Four decades ago, the Reds had a Hall of Fame catcher leading their club for a five-year stretch for less money that it will cost them to merely pay off Mesoraco’s 2016 salary.

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