https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/01/18/nationals-veteran-catcher-analysis/Jesse D discusses whether the Nats might bring in a veteran catcher as a backup to Ruiz. The idea is that an old hand would be able to work with him and to work with some of the young pitchers. To some extent, this is Henry Blanco's job, but the role of a player is different than the role of a coach. There's also a feeling that Pineda, 22, is ahead of schedule and could be sent back to AAA, while Adams is a bit of a question mark after an off year. Some of the names kicked around include Robinson Chirinos, Kevin Plawecki, and Roberto Perez. It might even be a guy who is really only around in the Spring, if Adams and / or Pineda beat them out. Primary purpose would be to benefit Gore, Cavalli, Gray, and relievers like Harvey.
If the Nationals added a mid- or late-career catcher on a similar deal, he could teach and push Adams and Pineda in the spring, then perhaps crack the Opening Day roster alongside Ruiz and an impressionable pitching staff. Two members of the organization endorsed the idea, though each noted how catching and strategy coach Henry Blanco — once a journeyman catcher himself — serves a similar purpose and has been great with Ruiz in particular. A teammate is different from a coach, though, and could be an extension of Blanco when it comes to game-calling and working with pitchers. At the end of the 2021 season, for example, Adams went on and on about the influence of veteran Alex Avila, who was about to retire.
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Now, if the Nationals stand pat with what they have, the year will be an important test for Adams, Pineda and maybe even Millas, who should start in the upper levels of the minors. There’s both immediate and long-term opportunity to complement Ruiz, who arrived as the centerpiece of the return from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the trade for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner. Adams has the inside track because of his 95 career appearances. Pineda, having hit 16 homers in 2022, holds intriguing upside.
But last April, the Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal wrote that Chirinos, signed to help break top prospect Adley Rutschman into the majors, “quickly ingratiated himself with the team’s pitchers, coaches and analytics staff.” That’s the crux of the idea here — and something the Nationals could give a look.
OF course, Jesse D raises the question of whether the Nats have tapped out their budget for veteran adds and priorities. I think Plawecki in particular has been effective in recent years but is younger and probably would cost more. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I like Blanco a lot, and it's mentioned he's been particularly good with Ruiz. I would also not want to impact adversely Adams development, even if I like Pineda more. I guess this is something to watch. If it is truly a matter of a limited budget for the bench, then I still would rather have a lefty hitting OF added as an extra guy.
