McCann vs a Free Agent replacement?

[Aristotelian]

32 minutes ago, survivedc said:

What are the chances they just roll with Handley as the backup this year? Bad offensively last year but has had some good years batting.

I guess the real question is do they believe Basallo is ready by June?

Is Handley above Hunt? 

[sportsfan8703]

35 minutes ago, 1fingerwillie said:

My only concern with McCann is Elias won't DFA him IMO. I want a backup that the O's are happy to get rid of if Bassallo has another season like last one. 

I hear you, but when Basallo is ready, there’s a role for him with some PT at C and being the DH vs RHP over Mountcastle/Mayo or even O’Hearn.

We’ll just have to see how it plays out. 

[1fingerwillie]

38 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Is Handley above Hunt? 

He had a better 24 but Hunt has better career numbers I think.

[jabba72]

1 hour ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Were McCann’s defensive throwing runners out metrics down because he was Burnes’ personal catcher, and we know that Burnes didn’t care about the run game?

If Burnes is back, McCann is back. JMO. 

What are the odds Burnes comes back?

[Bahama O's Fan]

Basallo needs to be the every day AAA catcher to start the season. Ger him more reps there and then see how it goes.

[1fingerwillie]

19 minutes ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

Basallo needs to be the every day AAA catcher to start the season. Ger him more reps there and then see how it goes.

But that is the nut of the problem. We have a backup catcher that we can't block who is at least in the minors until July. But we also need a Backup that can go the entire season if need be. If we KNEW that Basallo would be ready by the ASB we would give the job to Hunt and save money. If we KNEW that Basallo wouldn't be ready until September at best then resign McCann. Unfortunately we can't know...thus the problem. 

[btdart20]

I tend to fall in the "don't stress on the back-up C" camp in general.  

Basallo's AAA PAs is currently 86.  That rhymes with Holliday's AAA PAs closing out 2023.  Lessons learned?  

I think they'll bring in someone with full-year expectations.  Fine by me if it's McCann.  I would rather McCann than some of the doppelgangers but whatever...

[theobird]

I can’t imagine getting a better #2 catcher than James McCann. And I am not real comfortable that we can resign him at all, because he may get a starters job elsewhere.

[Fiver6565]

Don’t we need to know if the ABS system is going to be in play, in any form, before this decision is made. 

I think framing is dumb and needs be ABS’d right out of the game, but I acknowledge that’s it’s a real thing, so until it’s full ABS time, give me one of these clowns who frames every pitch like it’s a Picasso to steal strikes all game long. Tired of watching other teams and hearing how great they are at stealing strikes against our hitters. 

[MurphDogg]

2 minutes ago, theobird said:

I can’t imagine getting a better #2 catcher than James McCann. And I am not real comfortable that we can resign him at all, because he may get a starters job elsewhere.

McCann was a starting catcher for 7 years (2015-2021) and averaged 1 rWAR per season. He is not getting a starting catcher job at 35 after three years as a backup.

[MCO'sFan]

1 hour ago, 1fingerwillie said:

But that is the nut of the problem. We have a backup catcher that we can't block who is at least in the minors until July. But we also need a Backup that can go the entire season if need be. If we KNEW that Basallo would be ready by the ASB we would give the job to Hunt and save money. If we KNEW that Basallo wouldn't be ready until September at best then resign McCann. Unfortunately we can't know...thus the problem. 

Basallo should be in AAA most, if not all of 2025. If we learned one thing this year is that you can't count on guys with little to no AAA experience. In hindsight, maybe Westberg didn't spend too much time at Norfolk.

Edited October 15 by MCO'sFan