Orioles' Chance Sisco Confident He Can Stick At Catcher

[BohKnowsBmore]

Who besides Wieters since the McPhail era?

Joseph was considered bat only while he was in the minors.

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[MDtransplant757]

Joseph was considered bat only while he was in the minors.

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Because he thought he could hit his way out of Bowie.

[Catch 8]

The article pointed out that Sisco was a SS until he decided to make the change to catcher while in HS - he's not a kid who grew up as a catcher or developed his catching skills in college. So he's still very much on the upswing of the learning curve. And now at just turned 22, let's see if that so-called fringey power improves.

Shortstop is a good starting point for a catcher! Catchers have the defensive skill set of the shortstop but without the foot speed and range. Plus, you save your knees quite a bit. Catching CAN be taught!

You need arm strength first and foremost. I recall informing Rudy Arias (one of the Orioles' bullpen catchers and an assistant coach) that my college converted me to catcher. His only question: How is your arm? I started to rattle off accomplishments/statistics and he interrupted me: "I don't care about all that, how is your arm?"

If he has the arm, I'd say another year or two of intense training and we will see his defensive ceiling.

Please teach him to frame.

[weams]

I noticed today that Baseball Prospectus has advanced stats on minor league catchers. Sisco rated at -11.3 in fielding runs above average. -6.2 framing, -3.2 throwing. http://www.baseballprospectus.com/card/card.php?id=102743

Keith Law says simply, "Can't Catch."

[Ruzious]

The question isn't if he can catch now; it's whether he can learn to catch. A year in AAA should make a big difference. As people have pointed out, Caleb Joseph was considered a poor defensive catcher in the minors, and he made himself into a fine defensive catcher. I'm guessing Sisco's tools are at least as good as Caleb's were when Caleb was 22, so it's more than a bit premature to write him off.

[Can_of_corn]

Keith Law says simply, "Can't Catch."

He also said Bundy is a relief pitcher.