Caught Stealing Percentage
The Major League average for throwing out base stealers generally hovers around 30 percent. As the following list demonstrates, however, the ability to create outs on the bases is a separator among catchers. The best can far surpass that 30 percent neighborhood.
Of the 30 exceptional catchers from the divisional era, here are the 10 best percentages. Let it be noted that the average of all 30 was about 33 percent, just slightly above normal for the position as a hole. This is a skill in which a great catcher can really make a difference.
Rank Catcher CS Pct.
1 Ivan Rodriguez 46
2 Thurman Munson 44
3 Johnny Bench 43
4 Jim Sundberg 41
5 Yadier Molina 40
5 Bob Boone 40
7 Lance Parrish 39
7 Charles Johnson 39
7 Manny Sanguillen 39
10 Darrell Porter 38
Rodriguez led his league in caught stealing percentage during nine seasons, an extraordinary number. In 1997, 86 runners tried to go on him and 49 lived to regret it. One year later he threw out 49 or 87, then 41 of 75, then in 2001 he pegged 35 of 58. For the runners, that’s a 60 percent failure rate. The league-wide failure rate was 29 percent.
By comparison, Bench was very good, but not that good. He threw out 57 percent of baserunners in 1969, building a reputation that sometimes exceeded actual performance. Leading the Reds to 1975 and 1976 World Series wins, Bench threw out 69 or 158 runners attempting to steal. That’s a solid 44 percent success rate…but it does trail Rodriguez at both players’ peaks.
We think of Munson as an offensive threat and an on-field leader. His arm was no slouch either. He exceeded the league average caught stealing rate every year of his life but one, topping at 61 percent in 1971. That year he erased 36 of 59 would-be stealers.