Samuel Basallo 2024

[Frobby]

On 6/26/2024 at 1:36 PM, Frobby said:

I do have questions about Basallo’s progress as a catcher.   By my calculations, the Baysox have allowed 5.68 runs/game when Basallo has caught (25 games), 4.11 runs/game when others have caught.  We know that stats like CERA have a lot of noise in them, especially in a small sample, but 1.57 runs/game is a huge margin.  He’s also committed 4 errors and 4 passed balls in 25 games at C, and has caught only 22% of runners (8/36).   By comparison, Silas Ardoin has started 31 games at C and has only 2 errors and 2 PB, and has caught 40% of runners (16/40).   

These are all superficial numbers, but they raise questions in my mind and I’d need someone who watches Basallo a lot and knows how to evaluate catchers to tell me how he rates behind the dish.  
 

Just to update this, since July 1 Basallo has caught 11 games and the team has allowed 5.45 runs per game in those.  In the 14 games he hasn’t caught, they’ve allowed 3.57 runs per game.  That’s consistent with the trend from my prior post, and to me, it’s very worrisome.  

On the plus side, in the most recent 11 games he’s played catcher, he’s thrown out 6 of 9 runners who’ve attempted to steal, raising his overall CS% from 22% to 26%.  But, he’s had 3 errors and a passed ball in those 11 games too.  So, that’s 7 errors and 5 passed balls in 37 games.  

[sportsfan8703]

12 hours ago, Frobby said:

Just to update this, since July 1 Basallo has caught 11 games and the team has allowed 5.45 runs per game in those.  In the 14 games he hasn’t caught, they’ve allowed 3.57 runs per game.  That’s consistent with the trend from my prior post, and to me, it’s very worrisome.  

On the plus side, in the most recent 11 games he’s played catcher, he’s thrown out 6 of 9 runners who’ve attempted to steal, raising his overall CS% from 22% to 26%.  But, he’s had 3 errors and a passed ball in those 11 games too.  So, that’s 7 errors and 5 passed balls in 37 games.  

Keep in mind that @Tony-OH has pointed out that Adley isn’t the best game caller. 

You raise a good point. Good post. He is only 19 though. With the pitch com, and analytics, how much does game calling even matter versus it just merely being a starting point/suggestion for the catcher to throw out there?

I always think of how Maddux loved Fernando Lunar because he wasn’t the offensive catcher they had at the time, and because Lunar was so young/lucky to be in MLB that he went with Maddux’s game plan. We sort of see Burnes liking to throw to McCann over Adley up here. 

Game calling is a good point. Maybe this is why we move Basallo off Catcher because that part of the game takes time to develop and the bat is being held back. Just my two cents. I’ll defer to the catcher experts. 

[Frobby]

2 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Keep in mind that @Tony-OH has pointed out that Adley isn’t the best game caller. 

You raise a good point. Good post. He is only 19 though. With the pitch com, and analytics, how much does game calling even matter versus it just merely being a starting point/suggestion for the catcher to throw out there?

I always think of how Maddux loved Fernando Lunar because he wasn’t the offensive catcher they had at the time, and because Lunar was so young/lucky to be in MLB that he went with Maddux’s game plan. We sort of see Burnes liking to throw to McCann over Adley up here. 

Game calling is a good point. Maybe this is why we move Basallo off Catcher because that part of the game takes time to develop and the bat is being held back. Just my two cents. I’ll defer to the catcher experts. 

I don’t know if the run differential is caused by pitch calling, framing, blocking, some combination, or pure coincidence.   I just know it’s a very big differential and deserves careful scrutiny.  

[Tony-OH]

I'll be honest. If I'm moving Basallo off catcher, it's to 1B so I can protect his knees and keep his bat fresh, not because I think he would be a terrible catcher. 

I still like the idea of 2026 shared catcher duty between with Adley. Maybe even by the end of 2025. I do not think he will be ready by the beginning of 2024.

Either way, Basallo plays a decent defensive 1B and will get better with more time over there so that is also an option.

[Aristotelian]

He's got a reverse split with .890 OPS vs LHP, which is interesting. 

[Can_of_corn]

1 hour ago, Aristotelian said:

He's got a reverse split with .890 OPS vs LHP, which is interesting. 

Probably speaks to the quality of the opposition.

[Aristotelian]

4 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Probably speaks to the quality of the opposition.

I am sure that is part of it, but seems like a good sign nonetheless?

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, Aristotelian said:

I am sure that is part of it, but seems like a good sign nonetheless?

Sure.

[glenn__davis]

48 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

I am sure that is part of it, but seems like a good sign nonetheless?

Hyde will still go to the righty.

[CaptainRedbeard]

2 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

I'll be honest. If I'm moving Basallo off catcher, it's to 1B so I can protect his knees and keep his bat fresh, not because I think he would be a terrible catcher. 

I still like the idea of 2026 shared catcher duty between with Adley. Maybe even by the end of 2025. I do not think he will be ready by the beginning of 2024.

Either way, Basallo plays a decent defensive 1B and will get better with more time over there so that is also an option.

It sure seems like they’re using him now like they plan to use him at the MLB level - catching enough to be Adley’s backup but also not so frequently that he needs more rest days like a typical starting catcher. They’re catching him as much as they can while still being able to keep him in the lineup regularly.

[sportsfan8703]

@Frobby pointed out in the Fabian thread that Fabian is leading the Eastern League with 17 HR. Basallo is 5th with 15. Basallo is 9th in OPS at .821. 

Pretty nice for a dude that doesn’t turn 20 until 8/13 and struggled with a .716 OPS the first month of the season. 

Wood will graduate from prospect lists his next AB. Holliday is about 2.5 weeks away from graduating. That would put Basallo only behind Camienero on some lists. 

[Frobby]

41 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

@Frobby pointed out in the Fabian thread that Fabian is leading the Eastern League with 17 HR. Basallo is 5th with 15. Basallo is 9th in OPS at .821. 

Basallo also leads the league in total bases (165).

Edited August 11 by Frobby

[Just Regular]

Basallo adjacent, the Red Sox this afternoon announced AAA bumps for all three of Mayer, Anthony and Teel, their guys near his level.

2021 Rutschman was 80 Bowie and 43 Norfolk games, though he was much more experienced even then.

[Say O!]

35 minutes ago, Just Regular said:

Basallo adjacent, the Red Sox this afternoon announced AAA bumps for all three of Mayer, Anthony and Teel, their guys near his level.

2021 Rutschman was 80 Bowie and 43 Norfolk games, though he was much more experienced even then.

All 3 RedSox guys with ~.850 OPS and well regarded tools.  On fangraphs current prospects “Board” they rank 6 (Mayer) 14 (Anthony) 49 (Teel) respectively.  Basallo is at 4.  With that cheap talent, I kinda worry about RedSox as stealth bidder for Burnes this offseason since Kenley, Martin, and Pivetta come off the books ($32M total).  And then only one more year of Giolito at $18m. 

[sportsfan8703]

I’m thinking Basallo has a good shot at Eastern League MVP. Not that it matters. Last year they let him play 9 games in Bowie after A ball. Bowie’s season ends on 9/19. Norfolk on 9/22. Maybe we see it be similar to last year with Basallo and they give him a week or so in AAA at the end of the year. 

Our last two Eastern League MVPs were Pickering and Lou Montanez. That’s just going off memory though, so I could be wrong.