Seattle Mariners: 3 mistakes Jerry DiPoto made with M’s player pool
Tom Murphy, Seattle Mariners. (Photo by Dinur via Flickr)
Need veteran catchers
Catching is going to be a big problem for every team this year. Playing 60 games in a condensed time frame is an issue, to begin with. Then count on several doubleheader days to add to the catchers’ workload. Depth at the position is of premium importance.
As expected, Tom Murphy and Austin Nola are the team’s primary catchers. Behind them are three players who are huge question marks. Joe Hudson, Brian O’Keefe, and Cal Raleigh might as well go by the call signs, What’s His name, Who’s That, and The Other Guy.
Combined, the three extra catchers have nine games and 13 at-bats of Major League experience, all by Hudson. O’Keefe and Raleigh have never been above Double-A. MLB requires all teams to travel with a three-player taxi-squad. That group includes an emergency catcher in case of injury or positive COVID-19 test, to a rostered backstop. None of the three younger players are qualified.
Aside from the catcher’s inexperience, the Mariners invited many young pitching prospects to camp. That’s another reason why the team needed a veteran. Someone who could fill in when necessary as well as work with the up and coming pitchers.
According to Yahoo, only one team in the last decade used only two catchers for an entire season, the 2016 San Francisco Giants. Over two-thirds of teams (202 of 300) used four catchers. And on average, eight teams per season used five or more. Even though this season is only 37 percent of a normal one, expect many third and fourth-string catchers to see some action.
New York Yankees GM Brian Cashman recognized the need for veterans. He signed Chris Iannetta, Erik Kratz, and Josh Thole to bake up his two regular catchers. Obviously, the Yankees are in a different situation than the M’s; they are in the World Series hunt. Even so, he recognized the importance of having enough experienced catchers on the roster. DiPoto must not have thought it was that important.
The GM has to find a way to get another catcher. Russell Martin is the big fish among available free agents. He’ll likely go to a team that has a good shot at contending. Other veterans such as Jose Lobaton and Jesús Sucre can be had on the cheap and come with at least 240 games of Major League experience.