Nats lock up Ruiz

[varoadking]

Fangraphs projects the Nationals to be 27th in catcher WAR this year (using a 50/50 mix of Steamer and ZiPS). Here's what they have to say about Ruiz.

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/2025-positional-power-rankings-catcher/

Our projections think Ruiz can hit like he did in 2023 and catch like he did in 2024.

I think I'm gonna win Mega Millions this year.  It hasn't worked out to this point, but I project that 2025 is the year...

[IanRubbish]

Right near the bottom in both pop time and catcher throwing the last two seasons.  2nd biggest beneficiary of Mini Me and Rizzo's play-the-contract philosophy after Patrick Corbin.


https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/leaderboard/catcher-throwing?game_type=Regular&n=q&season_end=2023&season_start=2023&split=no&team=&type=Cat&with_team_only=1&target_base=All

[Smithian]

Right near the bottom in both pop time and catcher throwing the last two seasons.  2nd biggest beneficiary of Mini Me and Rizzo's play-the-contract philosophy after Patrick Corbin.


https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/leaderboard/catcher-throwing?game_type=Regular&n=q&season_end=2023&season_start=2023&split=no&team=&type=Cat&with_team_only=1&target_base=All

Keibert Ruiz competes with Riley Adams and Drew Millas. Neither has earned the spot over him.

[varoadking]

Right near the bottom in both pop time and catcher throwing the last two seasons.  2nd biggest beneficiary of Mini Me and Rizzo's play-the-contract philosophy after Patrick Corbin.


https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/leaderboard/catcher-throwing?game_type=Regular&n=q&season_end=2023&season_start=2023&split=no&team=&type=Cat&with_team_only=1&target_base=All

Yup...which means they won't look to upgrade at catcher until he's gone...if then...

[IanRubbish]

Keibert Ruiz competes with Riley Adams and Drew Millas. Neither has earned the spot over him.

They’re all about the same, but Millas has never been given a shot.  Either way, a team that wants to win addresses the fact that it’s been near the bottom in throwing out runners the last two seasons.  But Mini Me and Rizzo put sunk costs over winning and urgency.

[imref]

4th in the NL in OPS in this young season.

[IanRubbish]

4th in the NL in OPS in this young season.

Cue the "M-V-P" chants next home stand

[Slateman]

Sub 2 second pop time this season

[imref]

Feeling a lot better about this extension. 

[IanRubbish]

Feeling a lot better about this extension.

M-V-P!

[IanRubbish]

We'll see how he does defensively as the season goes on, but I figured he'd back in the low 7's in OPS this year.  Maybe he'll end up better, seems like at some point he might have tuned out Darnell.

[welch]

Seems solid. Improving with experience.