This time next year Adley/Basallo will be our catching duo. How valuable is that?

[sportsfan8703]

How much of an edge does that give us every single night over 162. We’ll go into 95% of games with a huge advantage at catcher. The boys can DH too. 

[Sports Guy]

Well most backup C are similar to McCann..can’t hit but provide some type of leadership, work well with pitchers, etc…

Basallo immediately becomes the best back up offensive catcher in all likelihood and he also has the better throwing arm vs Adley. How well he can mesh with the pitchers will be key but yes, Basallo here is a monster roster advantage on every team.

[Aristotelian]

Could we have an over/under of about 8 WAR from the position? Higher?

[gamiliel]

17 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

How much of an edge does that give us every single night over 162. We’ll go into 95% of games with a huge advantage at catcher. The boys can DH too. 

It might be 2026 this happens, but it will be a nice advantage.....wonder if a 3rd catcher will be needed if these guys DH when not catching.

[glenn__davis]

Certainly not a given that that will be the case this time next year.

Basallo is still just 19 and the Orioles aren't exactly known for speeding guys to the big leagues.  

[Just Regular]

All else being equal I think clubs don't love changing catchers in season, so next spring two big indicators for me are:

Is the backup somebody like Chirinos?    If I'm James McCann I haven't given up hope in my career for one more first string season and it is the slow Basallo timeline if McCann is back here.

By the first rotation turn in Graprefruit games, is Basallo catching some of Grayson/Povich/Kremer/Irvin?    We saw this spring some quotes about a big job being Adley and Burnes building a relationship fast.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

14 minutes ago, glenn__davis said:

Certainly not a given that that will be the case this time next year.

Basallo is still just 19 and the Orioles aren't exactly known for speeding guys to the big leagues.  

I think best case scenario is Basllo makes his debut second half of 2025. Orioles don’t speed rush prospects through the farm system and catcher is one of the hardest positions to learn.

Maybe this changes if Basallo absolutely tears it up this year while getting promoted to Norfolk. 

[Moose Milligan]

Haven’t you heard? We need to trade him or one of the other big 3 or we’ll never win anything!

[Orioles0615]

Press x to doubt. 

 

No way they promote him next year with how slow they promote guys

[sportsfan8703]

Back in 2014/2015 we had Wieters and Ramon Hernandez. It was nice not having to downgrade offense when the backup played. In fact, I think they did a 50/50 time share. 

If you think about the truly great Offensive Catchers, then I’m sure teams must’ve run into a similar situation with like Piazza, Pudge, etc…

[sportsfan8703]

24 minutes ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

I think best case scenario is Basllo makes his debut second half of 2025. Orioles don’t speed rush prospects through the farm system and catcher is one of the hardest positions to learn.

Maybe this changes if Basallo absolutely tears it up this year while getting promoted to Norfolk. 

Basallo likely plays the last 4-6 weeks of the season in AAA this year. He then gets a whole age 20 offseason prepping for MLB ST after experiencing AAA. All of MLB ST. Then a few weeks in AAA in 25’ to get the extra year of control. 

With Santa likely moving on, I think O’Hearn will be in the RF mix. Either way, maybe Mounty sits versus some RHP. So I could see Basallo catching 3 times a week and DH’ing twice. That’s a “full time” role. 

The defensive side of Catching is as least difficult as it’s ever been. 

1. Pitch comm.  The pitchers have more input in calling their own games. Analytics too.

2. Stolen bases are way down.

3. Robo ump/automated Strike Zone will be at the MLB level soon. So framing becomes less of an issue. 

Edited June 25 by sportsfan8703

[Greg Pappas]

37 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

2. Stolen bases are way down.

I'm not sure what you mean by this. in 2022 there were 2,400 SB's.  Since the new rule changes, stolen bases have surged to 3,500 last year and that same pace is ongoing this season. 

[fansince71]

Id say there is a better chance he's traded for a front line starter than him being in Baltimore next year.

[RZNJ]

2 hours ago, glenn__davis said:

Certainly not a given that that will be the case this time next year.

Basallo is still just 19 and the Orioles aren't exactly known for speeding guys to the big leagues.  

Really?   They moved Henderson pretty fast.  They moved Holliday pretty fast.   

[interloper]

There's basically no way Basallo is going to be the backup catcher by 6/25/25. I give a higher chance of the O's signing McCann for 1 more year.