I’m going to go out on a limb and predict that neither Brian Schneider nor Omir Santos will be attending the 2009 MLB All Star game.
While starting pitching, first base and corner outfield are all obvious flaws in this current Mets team, I believe that the catching situation, from an offensive standpoint, is equally dismal.
Some people seem to believe that it is alright to have catchers who can’t hit a lick, and there is some truth to this notion. Teams can afford to have a catcher who produces very little offensively when they are getting production out of their corner outfielders and first baseman.
Of course, due to injuries and poor planning on the front office’s part, the Mets are getting very little out of what are traditionally big power positions. For this reason, the Mets need offense anywhere they can find it, and the 1-2 punch of Brian Schneider and Omir Santos should not be counted on to pick up the slack for an extended period.
For some reason, Schneider was acquired to be the answer at catcher last offseason, despite the fact that he has never been a competent major league hitter; he was coming off a season in which he hit .235 with a .326 OBP and an OPS of .661. Schneider is a career .252 hitter with a career OBP of .325 and an OPS of .700. These meager offensive numbers seem in line with those of a defense-first backup catcher. The problem is, Schneider’s defense is just good, not great.
Omir Santos has had some of the team’s’ biggest hits this season, but there is a reason the former 21st round pick has been a career minor leaguer. He has been much better than anyone could ever have imagined, and I will always have the memory of watching his homerun ball travel over the Green Monster, but I just can’t believe that he can continue to hit the way he has.
He has managed only 5 walks in 130 career major league plate appearances, for a measly .285 on base percentage. In nine minor league seasons, his batting average is just .258 and his OPS is .650.
I hate to be a Negative Nancy, but my gut feeling is that Omir Santos has peaked as a major league baseball player.
While it is only a pipe dream of mine that the Mets front office will see the need to replace Schneider and Santos, I will list a handful of catchers that could possibly be acquired to help the Mets’ patchwork offense.
Mike Napoli- I have no idea why the Angels would trade him, but a recent article at MLBTradeRumors suggested that they would listen to offers for him. Of all the players on this list, Napoli is easily the most desirable, as he might be the most underrated catcher in the league. In only 866 career at bats, Napoli has 54 homeruns and a .849 OPS, which is fantastic for a catcher (Jorga Posada’s career OPS is .859, Russell Martin’s is .787). He is only 27 and could probably hit 30 homeruns over a full season.
AJ Pierzynski- With the White Sox playing in the weak AL Central, it is possible that they will hold on to all of their players thinking that they have a legitimate shot to make the playoffs. But if they decide to sell, Pierzynski would be a nice fit with the Mets. For those who believe the Mets are lacking a gritty, fiery leader, Pierzysnki is one of the most vocal (and hated) players in the league. He is not the best hitting catcher, but he should be good for 15 or so homeruns and a .280 average.
Bengie Molina- With first round pick Buster Posey likely to be ready as early as next season, the most offensively gifted Molina could be available if the Giants deem themselves out of it (although they are currently the NL Wild Card leaders). Molina is slow as molasses, but he is a better than average hitting catcher.
Ramon Hernandez- The Reds are looking like contenders, but if they should hit a rough patch and fall out of it, Hernandez would probably be available as a salary dump. He has not been having a great season, but his track record suggests that he is a substantial upgrade over Schneider/ Santos.
Chris Snyder- I don’t believe the Diamondbacks would trade him, as he is relatively young and signed for a few years at a good price. But with Arizona falling out of it, everyone outside of Webb, Haren, Scherzer and Upton could be available. Snyder is a very good defensive backstop with patience and power. He has legitimate 20-25 homerun pop if given a full season. He missed time last year with what has to be the most gruesome injury in the history of baseball.
Miguel Montero- Snyder’s backstop-mate, Montero had been the subject of trade rumors all offseason. While he is struggling with the bat, he is still only 25 and should be an average starter who showed both patience and power in the minors. Surely the Diamondbacks would make one of their catchers available.
Max Ramirez- With an abundance of long-named catchers (Saltalamachia, Teagarden), the Rangers can afford to deal Maximiliano (this is his given name) Ramirez. Although there are still questions as to whether he can stick at catcher in the majors, few doubt that his bat is for real. He is struggling in AAA this year, but he is a career .306 hitter with a .901 OPS in the minors. He has the potential to hit for significant power, and if he cannot stay behind the plate, his bat is probably good enough for him to be an above average first baseman, something the Mets could use right now.
Pete Lappin (3)
