Bryan Smith, reputable prospecting type, discusses Adam Moore and proposes that he could be a 2 WAR catcher, and has a 1 WAR "floor".
Incidentally, that was roughly what I was aiming for in the Annual, excepting the fact that I opted to use more traditional metrics in an effort to make it "accessible."
Just out of curiousity...
where do Rob Johnson and Josh Bard fall? I’m sure it’s been discussed, but I need a refresher.
basebliman - March 12, 2010
In terms of WAR?
Rob Johnson was 0.3 WAR in 2009, -0.3 WAR in 2008.
Josh Bard was 0.5 WAR for the Nats last year, and 3.2 in his big year with the Red Sox/Padres and 2.8 the year after with the Friars. Hasn’t been all that much aside from that.
JY - March 12, 2010
Those numbers are a bit unfair to RJ though
Given a starting job I guess he’d bring in something like 1-1.5 wins. I get that everyone was pissed at him for edging Kenji out of a starting job while sucking, but he was a rookie, and he was injured. So I’m gonna assume he’s not going to be epically bad given his AAA record.
Bearskin Rugburn - March 12, 2010
Right.
Moore is a better option overall though. I’d say that he has the ability to make an all-star game or two, but we’re in a league that has Joe Maurer, Vitor Artinez, Matt Wieters, and Carlos Santana and Jesus Montero soon enough, to say nothing of Kurt Suzuki who has a chance too. More likely he’s going to end up slightly underappreciated and roughly around the median in terms of value, but still a pretty good player.
JY - March 12, 2010
Nothing to add
Except that I think the Kenji situation, which was not really Johnson’s fault, has led people to an irrational hatred of Johnson. At least until someone signs on as LastFanofRobJohnson and, through patient, gentle prodding turns everyone around on him.
Bearskin Rugburn - March 13, 2010
YuniForm didn't work out so well.
JY - March 13, 2010
YuniForm didn't have a case
and wasn’t nearly as charming.
Bearskin Rugburn - March 13, 2010
I think most people's hatred of Johnson is as rational as hatred for an athlete can get.
He fucking blows and lots of people love him, which is annoying.
Aaron Campeau - March 13, 2010
And has nothing to do with the Kenji situation
I had no memory of that until Jeff (Mathew?) brought it up recently. My dislike developed over the course of last season based entirely on watching him play.
wandergeist - March 13, 2010
That's the irrational part
how many major league PAs has he had? And why should he be faulted for getting a lot of playing time in a season when Johjima is injured and none of the pitchers want to throw to him once he’s back?
I’m not going to assert that Johnson is a better player than Moore – he may be in the future but he isn’t now and it’s unlikely – but I don’t think he’s half as bad as most posters here think and I bet he could be a nearly average player given a starting job.
Bearskin Rugburn - March 13, 2010
It's not irrational at all
The minute he stops sucking ass is the minute people stop hating him, until he does that the hate is pretty well justified. Yes, he’s probably not as bad as he appeared last year. But what people hate is that he has somehow earned this great reputation with a lot of people despite being awful in just about every way imaginable in the majors so far. He doesn’t deserve that kind of love until he shows something to prove he’s not worthless, it’s that love that is irrational, not the hate, and it’s that kind of irrational love that leads to shitty players getting playing time they shouldn’t be getting.
OlSalty - March 13, 2010
It's not irrational.
He wasn’t that impressive in the minors and I don’t think he could be anywhere near average in the majors. I think he fucking sucks, and unless someone gives me a reason to think otherwise I will continue to do so. If I’m wrong, great! I’d love to be wrong about this. But I see no reason to think I am. He fucking sucks and I fucking hate him.
Aaron Campeau - March 13, 2010
He isn't Jeff Clement so I hate him
Graham MacAree - March 13, 2010
My preference for Moore over Johnson
Began with a comparison of their minor league numbers. Moore’s sample size is smaller than you’d like, but it’s large enough to make you fairly confident he’s a better offensive player than Johnson. And that’s even before you get to their defense issues. I had no opinion of Rob Johnson whatsoever until I looked at his numbers and then watched pitches go sailing past him. If those two things improve my opinion will change. I fail to see what is irrational about that.
wandergeist - March 16, 2010
If he was a backup like he's supposed to be I probably wouldn't give a shit about him
OlSalty - March 13, 2010
Sounds about right
I feel that Kurt Suzuki is a good comp for Moore. Some power, reasonable contact skills, .320-ish wOBA. Suzuki has a better reputation defensively, but otherwise I feel they’re pretty similar.
JLC - March 12, 2010
Only less asain.
SethGrandpa - March 13, 2010
Size matters?
Bearskin Rugburn - March 13, 2010
Drayer on the pre-game today
Said Moore had “won the position” (starting catcher). Given Johnson’s current health, that shouldn’t be surprising… but it still is.
wandergeist - March 13, 2010
Not really.
The organization has a long-standing man crush on Moore and he’s improved his defense enough of late to justify the respect given to him.
JY - March 13, 2010
Well yeah, but
Wakamatsu had an irrational mancrush on Johnson all last season, so…..
wandergeist - March 13, 2010
Awesome.
Goose - March 13, 2010
Well, it was Drayer opining
Not reporting a decision or announcement made by the team. So I wouldn’t take it as a done deal yet. But she has a pretty good finger on the pulse of the clubhouse so that’s probably the direction they’re leaning. You never know until somebody says something official, though.
wandergeist - March 13, 2010
No, she said he'd won a job on the big league team
Clayton had asked her about the back-ups on the team.
msb - March 13, 2010
I took it to mean that he'd beaten out all the vets they'd brought in, like Bard, for the back-up job.
msb - March 13, 2010
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