Lucroy

[welch]

And thanks, JCA-CC, for reminding me of those immortal 2008-2009-2010 Nats teams. Just following Capps around led me to Jon Rauch, also a reliever for the 2010 Twins. Another Twins pitcher: Carl Pavano, who had a great year for the Marlins in 2004, signed a contract with the Yankees in 2005, and fell flat.

[Smithian]

Nationals have had a rough time behind plate this millennium, but most teams cycle through guys back there.

And the Capps-Ramos train remains a highway robbery. Not quiet Souza for Ross and Turner, but a robbery.

[aspenbubba]

Lucroy would be a better bat than Avila!!!

[imref]

Lucroy would be a better bat than Avila!!!

Lucroy is currently hitting .219 at AAA.

[welch]

Lucroy is currently hitting .219 at AAA.

Watching the end of the Rochester game tonight, I saw the Red Wings put in Blake Swihart as a pinch-runner. Trying to remember Swihart, and why the NESN announcers pointed to him as "someone we remember", I bumped into a grumpy discussion among Boston sportswriters and fans about Swihart, Christian Vazquez, and our ex, Sandy Leon. Summary: the Red Sox have no catchers, but Swihart was as good as the two they kept.

[Natsinpwc]

Watching the end of the Rochester game tonight, I saw the Red Wings put in Blake Swihart as a pinch-runner. Trying to remember Swihart, and why the NESN announcers pointed to him as "someone we remember", I bumped into a grumpy discussion among Boston sportswriters and fans about Swihart, Christian Vazquez, and our ex, Sandy Leon. Summary: the Red Sox have no catchers, but Swihart was as good as the two they kept.

I thought Swihart had some issue where he couldn't catch anymore? 

When the Phillies were looking into trading Cole Hamels, rumor had it that the Phillies wanted Swihart (or Betts) but the Sox would not part with him. 

https://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2015/2/25/8074311/blake-swihart-for-cole-hamels-red-sox-phillies-trade

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Watching the end of the Rochester game tonight, I saw the Red Wings put in Blake Swihart as a pinch-runner. Trying to remember Swihart, and why the NESN announcers pointed to him as "someone we remember", I bumped into a grumpy discussion among Boston sportswriters and fans about Swihart, Christian Vazquez, and our ex, Sandy Leon. Summary: the Red Sox have no catchers, but Swihart was as good as the two they kept.

Christian Vazquez is not a nothing. At the time, he couldn't hit. Now he's very good. He's coming off 2 .800 ops years with superior defense. A bit slower offensive start this year

[welch]

I thought Swihart had some issue where he couldn't catch anymore? 

When the Phillies were looking into trading Cole Hamels, rumor had it that the Phillies wanted Swihart (or Betts) but the Sox would not part with him. 

https://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2015/2/25/8074311/blake-swihart-for-cole-hamels-red-sox-phillies-trade

I read an article from a Boston sportswriter on trading Swihart for nobody. He had mangled an ankle, but the manager did not give Swihart consistent starts at catcher. Apparently a great athlete when Boston drafted him: could play several positions, good hitter, had pitched with 98 mph fastball, but preferred catching.

This article (Boston Globe?)

https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-red-sox/2019/04/17/blake-swihart-top-prospect-released/

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I read an article from a Boston sportswriter on trading Swihart for nobody. He had mangled an ankle, but the manager did not give Swihart consistent starts at catcher. Apparently a great athlete when Boston drafted him: could play several positions, good hitter, had pitched with 98 mph fastball, but preferred catching.

This article (Boston Globe?)

https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-red-sox/2019/04/17/blake-swihart-top-prospect-released/

yes, I think the team mismanaged his development.  I don't know if they were thinking that he could be like a Jim Leyritz and catch as well as backup positions.  The pitchers loved throwing to Leon, and Vazquez was always going to be a premium defensive catcher.  More or less, they would no trade a bit of D for what looked like a better offensive skill set.  Then Vazquez started to hit, so that was the end of it.  Right now, their backup is Plawecki, who you know.