Orioles are aggressively looking for backup catcher.

[El Gordo]

My first reaction is how many catchers have had TJ surgery. The list can't be terribly long.

It happens.http://www.wholehogsports.com/news/2013/jul/24/catchers-optimistic-after-tomm-john/

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/09/02/marlins-catcher-john-baker-to-undergo-tommy-john-surgery/

http://www.beerleaguer.com/beerleaguer/2013/10/catching-prospect-andrew-knapp-to-undergo-tommy-john-surgery.html

http://mlbreports.com/tj-surgery/

[Guest]

Orioles Discussed Astros? Catchers

By Mark Polishuk [May 12, 2014 at 11:06am CDT]

Orioles executive VP Dan Duquette spoke with Astros GM Jeff Luhnow this past weekend ?gauging whether there was a potential match? between the two clubs on a trade for a backup catcher, MASNsports.com?s Roch Kubatko reports. The O?s are known to be looking for depth behind the plate with Matt Wieters on the DL, and Kubatko believes the Orioles could favor adding a right-handed hitting catcher to platoon with left-handed hitting Steve Clevenger.

Houston currently has catchers Jason Castro, Carlos Corporan and Max Stassi on its 40-man roster, with Stassi and Carlos Perez (both right-handed bats) at Triple-A. It seems unlikely that the O?s would make a move for an everyday catcher like Castro, though there is some uncertainly about how long Wieters will be out. The switch-hitting Corporan has only a .603 career OPS against southpaws and has mostly hit from the left side over his career, so he isn?t really a fit alongside Clevenger. Perez has some solid on-base numbers in the minors but he is pretty comparable to Caleb Joseph, the right-handed hitting catcher already on the Orioles? roster.

This is just my speculation, but Stassi might be the most intriguing option for Baltimore, as the 23-year-old posted an .863 OPS in 323 Double-A plate appearances last year. The 2014 Baseball America Propsect Handbook ranked Stassi as the 12th-best prospect in the Astros? system, noting that while Stassi has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, he has potential as an everyday starter in the bigs. There were rumors last winter that the Astros could clear a path for Stassi by trading Castro to one of several interested suitors. Adding a promising young catcher like Stassi could also give the O?s a future option should Wieters leave in free agency after the 2015 season.

Left-hander Troy Patton has been mentioned as possible trade bait for the Orioles, and Patton could help a Houston bullpen that ranks last in the majors with a 6.06 ERA. The southpaw was originally drafted by the Astros in 2004 (going to Baltimore as part of the Miguel Tejada trade package of 2007) and has a 3.06 ERA, 3.21 K/BB rate and a 7.1 K/9 in 139 career appearances, all but two of them coming out of the bullpen. Given Stassi?s potential, it may take more than just Patton to complete the trade if the Orioles indeed have the catcher in mind.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/05/orioles-discussed-astros-catchers.html

[El Gordo]

Orioles Discussed Astros? Catchers

By Mark Polishuk [May 12, 2014 at 11:06am CDT]

Orioles executive VP Dan Duquette spoke with Astros GM Jeff Luhnow this past weekend ?gauging whether there was a potential match? between the two clubs on a trade for a backup catcher, MASNsports.com?s Roch Kubatko reports. The O?s are known to be looking for depth behind the plate with Matt Wieters on the DL, and Kubatko believes the Orioles could favor adding a right-handed hitting catcher to platoon with left-handed hitting Steve Clevenger.

Houston currently has catchers Jason Castro, Carlos Corporan and Max Stassi on its 40-man roster, with Stassi and Carlos Perez (both right-handed bats) at Triple-A. It seems unlikely that the O?s would make a move for an everyday catcher like Castro, though there is some uncertainly about how long Wieters will be out. The switch-hitting Corporan has only a .603 career OPS against southpaws and has mostly hit from the left side over his career, so he isn?t really a fit alongside Clevenger. Perez has some solid on-base numbers in the minors but he is pretty comparable to Caleb Joseph, the right-handed hitting catcher already on the Orioles? roster.

This is just my speculation, but Stassi might be the most intriguing option for Baltimore, as the 23-year-old posted an .863 OPS in 323 Double-A plate appearances last year. The 2014 Baseball America Propsect Handbook ranked Stassi as the 12th-best prospect in the Astros? system, noting that while Stassi has been plagued by injuries throughout his career, he has potential as an everyday starter in the bigs. There were rumors last winter that the Astros could clear a path for Stassi by trading Castro to one of several interested suitors. Adding a promising young catcher like Stassi could also give the O?s a future option should Wieters leave in free agency after the 2015 season.

Left-hander Troy Patton has been mentioned as possible trade bait for the Orioles, and Patton could help a Houston bullpen that ranks last in the majors with a 6.06 ERA. The southpaw was originally drafted by the Astros in 2004 (going to Baltimore as part of the Miguel Tejada trade package of 2007) and has a 3.06 ERA, 3.21 K/BB rate and a 7.1 K/9 in 139 career appearances, all but two of them coming out of the bullpen. Given Stassi?s potential, it may take more than just Patton to complete the trade if the Orioles indeed have the catcher in mind.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2014/05/orioles-discussed-astros-catchers.html

Patton and Young for Stassi?

[Rene88]

Good stuff-thanks Birdland.

[nate22]

The Angels have no LH relievers in their bullpen. I'm just not sure what they have catcherwise in their organization. They probably wouldn't trade Conger or Ianetta. I'd love to get Derek Norris from Oakland but that's just wishful thinking.

[ExileAngelos]

It happens.http://www.wholehogsports.com/news/2013/jul/24/catchers-optimistic-after-tomm-john/

http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/09/02/marlins-catcher-john-baker-to-undergo-tommy-john-surgery/

http://www.beerleaguer.com/beerleaguer/2013/10/catching-prospect-andrew-knapp-to-undergo-tommy-john-surgery.html

http://mlbreports.com/tj-surgery/

Appreciate the research. Just confused why catchers usually can't return from the surgery.

[El Gordo]

Appreciate the research. Just confused why catchers usually can't return from the surgery.

Not sure they can't. It just may take longer than for other position players. Because they do more throwing during a game.

[Tx Oriole]

Rumor: Buck called Tea over the weekend just to hear his voice....

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Oh don't do that. It's mean to fans of the O's. ?

[scOtt]

The infornmation he passes on is what the Warehouse wants people to hear, and when he speculates on his own it is based on what he has reads on the message boards and is designed to prompt discussion, not necessarily a reflection of what he thinks. In fact my guess he really doesn't have any opinions that are not considered for their "media effect" and his ratings. Not really sure he is that much into baseball.

x

[El Gordo]

x

[scOtt]

True. Yours too.

[scOtt]

Patton and Young for Stassi?

I don't do the trade stuff too well but Young is a bit redundant.

[El Gordo]

True. Yours too.

I thought that was self evidemt. Roch is neither a sports reporter or an analyst. He is a sports personality. He reminds me of the local TV weather man who just tells you what the meteorologist says, wears cool suits and cracks corny jokes. The Bob Turk of BAL sports casting. In my experience people who spend that much of their free time pumping themselves up when they have a non physical job, are either narcissistic body builders, or Chippendale dancers.

[ExileAngelos]

Not sure they can't. It just may take longer than for other position players. Because they do more throwing during a game.

I was basing this on Weams' statement that catchers don't return from TJ surgery. Unless he was saying it tongue and cheek and it went over my head.

[NCRaven]

I thought that was self evidemt. Roch is neither a sports reporter or an analyst. He is a sports personality. He reminds me of the local TV weather man who just tells you what the meteorologist says, wears cool suits and cracks corny jokes. The Bob Turk of BAL sports casting. In my experience people who spend that much of their free time pumping themselves up when they have a non physical job, are either narcissistic body builders, or Chippendale dancers.

Roch spent over 20 years at the Baltimore Sun covering sports, primarily the Orioles. You are entitled to your opinion, but it would be nice if you didn't ignore facts. To say that Roch is not a "sports report or an analyst" is flat out false. Do you have to agree with him? Not at all. But, he is a career sports journalist who covered the O's professionally for years and continues to do so in his role for MASN and as a guest on local radio.