What can we count on from Caleb Joseph?

[Frobby]

2014: .618 OPS, 1.2 rWAR in 77 starts

2015: .693 OPS, 2.2 rWAR in 93 starts

2016: .413 OPS, -1.0 rWAR in 40 starts 

2017: .700 OPS, 1.6 rWAR in 69 starts

One thing about Caleb is that he’s prone to pretty severe slumps.    In 2017, from July 23 to the end of the season he hit .177/.210/.333 in 100 PA.   In 2016, his entire year was one long slump.   In 2015, he had a 146 PA stretch of a .555 OPS.  In 2014, he finished the year in a 3 for 46 slide.  

Still, if you take 2016 out of the equation, Joseph has given us pretty good bang for the buck.  What’s your guess as to how many games Joseph will start in 2018?    I’m guessing it’s very close to a 50/50 split, with Joseph perhaps catching 85 games.

[Beef Supreme]

21 minutes ago, Frobby said:

What’s your guess as to how many games Joseph will start in 2018?    I’m guessing it’s very close to a 50/50 split, with Joseph perhaps catching 85 games.

Might the Orioles sign a catcher? If so, I would guess Joseph would start between 25% - 50% of games.

If Sisco is the backup, I would guess Joseph would start 60% - 75% of games. Maybe a little higher if Wynns...

[Aristotelian]

The bigger question is how many games to Sisco start. That will determine how many Caleb starts.

[Luke-OH]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

2014: .618 OPS, 1.2 rWAR in 77 starts

2015: .693 OPS, 2.2 rWAR in 93 starts

2016: .413 OPS, -1.0 rWAR in 40 starts 

2017: .700 OPS, 1.6 rWAR in 69 starts

One thing about Caleb is that he’s prone to pretty severe slumps.    In 2017, from July 23 to the end of the season he hit .177/.210/.333 in 100 PA.   In 2016, his entire year was one long slump.   In 2015, he had a 146 PA stretch of a .555 OPS.  In 2014, he finished the year in a 3 for 46 slide.  

Still, if you take 2016 out of the equation, Joseph has given us pretty good bang for the buck.  What’s your guess as to how many games Joseph will start in 2018?    I’m guessing it’s very close to a 50/50 split, with Joseph perhaps catching 85 games.

I think a reason for that is he has a long swing and average at best bat speed.  So when he’s not seeing the ball well he doesn’t have bat to ball talent to fall back on.

I’d like to (if Sisco is looking like he’s continuing to improve behind the plate) see a straight platoon between Sisco and Caleb.

[wildbillhiccup]

I can live with Joseph as our starting catching in 2018. This teams has much bigger needs, like improving the starting pitching. 

[Bahama O's Fan]

I think the more regularly he plays the better he hits.

[Can_of_corn]

22 minutes ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

I think the more regularly he plays the better he hits.

That would explain why he never played more than 98 games at Catcher in a single season.  He'd hit too well and make everyone else look bad.

[sportsfan8703]

I think Sisco is going to have a huge ST and we see a situation where they catch every other day. Joseph might come into some close games as a defensive sub. 

[weams]

2 hours ago, wildbillhiccup said:

I can live with Joseph as our starting catching in 2018. This teams has much bigger needs, like improving the starting pitching. 

I'd trade Joseph and make Sisco the starting catcher. Trial by fire. 

[Luke-OH]

12 minutes ago, weams said:

I'd trade Joseph and make Sisco the starting catcher. Trial by fire. 

I'm all for this if they can get an interesting prospect or two in return.  I'm not really sure how other teams would value Joseph but he's probably a back-up catcher upgrade for pretty much every team at least.

[Legend_Of_Joey]

7 minutes ago, weams said:

I'd trade Joseph and make Sisco the starting catcher. Trial by fire. 

Then what, veteran back up or Wynns?

I think the amount Joseph plays depends entirely on Siscos progress, Joseph's hitting and, of course, their durability.

[OFFNY]

5 hours ago, Frobby said:

 

What can we count on from Caleb Joseph?

 

o

 

2018: l At least 1 RBI.

 

o

[Frobby]

19 minutes ago, weams said:

I'd trade Joseph and make Sisco the starting catcher. Trial by fire. 

I would not consider that at all.   I’d much rather have Sisco paired with a veteran catcher who knows the staff and is known as a team-first guy who will help his teammate.  

[Luke-OH]

31 minutes ago, Legend_Of_Joey said:

Then what, veteran back up or Wynns?

Wynns. He’s as ready as he’s going to be, why not see what you got.

[Legend_Of_Joey]

20 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I would not consider that at all.   I’d much rather have Sisco paired with a veteran catcher who knows the staff and is known as a team-first guy who will help his teammate.  

Especially with 3 (or more) new starting pitchers.