Should Rutschman stay at catcher?

[Sessh]

5 hours ago, Dark Helmet said:

Very true. And if Severino continues to hit, he will get paid above backup pay. Obviously Rutschman is the future. I'd sell high on Severino.

After seeing all the abuse Sisco and especially Severino have taken from balls to the head, you want to put our future back there? If Severino pans out to be a major league catcher, the wise thing to do is sign him and keep him as catcher so Rutschman can spend most of his time at a less hazardous position at first base and be a backup option instead of a full-time one. I don't want my best player routinely taking 95mph heaters to the head.

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, Sessh said:

After seeing all the abuse Sisco and especially Severino have taken from balls to the head, you want to put our future back there? If Severino pans out to be a major league catcher, the wise thing to do is sign him and keep him as catcher so Rutschman can spend most of his time at a less hazardous position at first base and be a backup option instead of a full-time one. I don't want my best player routinely taking 95mph heaters to the head.

He supposed to be a plus defensive player, he should be able to dodge more of those shots than Sisco.

[Sessh]

2 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

He supposed to be a plus defensive player, he should be able to dodge more of those shots than Sisco.

I doubt that. The ball is being tipped at the last possible second and redirected. No one has reflexes that good.

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, RZNJ said:

Dodging foul tips to the head?

 

1 minute ago, Sessh said:

I doubt that. The ball is being tipped at the last possible second and redirected. No one has reflexes that good.

Wow I got a two for one with that one.

Don't see those that often.

[Sessh]

Just now, Can_of_corn said:

 

Wow I got a two for one with that one.

Don't see those that often.

What can I say? You're a mildly exciting Can of Corn. It's bound to happen at some point.

[Dark Helmet]

11 hours ago, Sessh said:

After seeing all the abuse Sisco and especially Severino have taken from balls to the head, you want to put our future back there? If Severino pans out to be a major league catcher, the wise thing to do is sign him and keep him as catcher so Rutschman can spend most of his time at a less hazardous position at first base and be a backup option instead of a full-time one. I don't want my best player routinely taking 95mph heaters to the head.

Much of Rutschman's allure is that he's already a polished Catcher.  Who knows if the bat will translate...see Matt Wieters.

[DrungoHazewood]

1 hour ago, Dark Helmet said:

Much of Rutschman's allure is that he's already a polished Catcher.  Who knows if the bat will translate...see Matt Wieters.

Wieters' Georgia Tech teams scored/allowed an average of about 6.4 runs/game his junior year and he OPS'd something like 1.050.

Rutschman's Oregon State teams scored/allowed 4.7 and he had a 1.300 OPS.  

It's all hazy and non-definitive, but it looks like Rutschman may be a better hitter in the context of his last couple years of college.

[interloper]

5 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

Wieters' Georgia Tech teams scored/allowed an average of about 6.4 runs/game his junior year and he OPS'd something like 1.050.

Rutschman's Oregon State teams scored/allowed 4.7 and he had a 1.300 OPS.  

It's all hazy and non-definitive, but it looks like Rutschman may be a better hitter in the context of his last couple years of college.

I mean all you have to do is look at the swing, really. (Not really, but whatever.) It's going to be so much more competitive than Wieters's IMO. Compact, quick, better frame, less holes. 

[DrungoHazewood]

46 minutes ago, interloper said:

I mean all you have to do is look at the swing, really. (Not really, but whatever.) It's going to be so much more competitive than Wieters's IMO. Compact, quick, better frame, less holes. 

I guess, but if we just judged hitting on how pretty and fundamentally sound a player looks you might think, like, Mark Grace or Will Clark or somebody was the best hitter ever.

[jamalshw]

7 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

I guess, but if we just judged hitting on how pretty and fundamentally sound a player looks you might think, like, Mark Grace or Will Clark or somebody was the best hitter ever.

Well, Mark Grace had a 119 OPS+ for his career and Clark had a 137 OPS+ for his career. Honestly, I'd take either from AR along with being a solid backstop. Of course, that's not the point. I think the swing and fundamentals do well limiting the floor for a player. Some of the bigger/louder tools like power may not play up, but a cleaner swing with fewer holes does go a long ways to improving one's chances for success.

[LA2]

5 hours ago, DrungoHazewood said:

I guess, but if we just judged hitting on how pretty and fundamentally sound a player looks you might think, like, Mark Grace or Will Clark or somebody was the best hitter ever.

A decent defensive catcher who hits like Will Clark--that's fine with me. Both Grace and Clark, let us not forget, were also very good first basemen.

[Sessh]

4 hours ago, LA2 said:

A decent defensive catcher who hits like Will Clark--that's fine with me. Both Grace and Clark, let us not forget, were also very good first basemen.

Agree there. Grace finished his career with 46.4 WAR and 38.6 oWAR. Clark finished his career with a 56.5 WAR and 55.6 oWAR. If Rutschman hits like Will Clark, I'd be very happy.. and then very sad when his productive years are cut short because of the position people insist he plays full time.

[Can_of_corn]

4 minutes ago, Sessh said:

Agree there. Grace finished his career with 46.4 WAR and 38.6 oWAR. Clark finished his career with a 56.5 WAR and 55.6 oWAR. If Rutschman hits like Will Clark, I'd be very happy.. and then very sad when his productive years are cut short because of the position people insist he plays full time.

He'll be playing for someone else by then anyway.

[Sessh]

2 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

He'll be playing for someone else by then anyway.

You think so? This FO would let him get away if he's that good?

[Can_of_corn]

5 minutes ago, Sessh said:

You think so? This FO would let him get away if he's that good?

We might be operating under different views of ownership.

Elias's contract is scheduled to expire before AR is out of team control.

AR might not want to stay.

I'd say he is not likely to be here in say 10 years.