Best Player Series: MLB Catchers

[Rhonda Rousey's Sports Bra]

This is the second in a series of threads about the best players in the MLB at their positions. I'm going to use the past 5 years as the criteria, that eliminates one hit wonder and life time acheivement award type players.

Catchers will be the second position in the series.

The question is who do you think the best catcher in the MLB is and why?

Be ready to defend your choice.

Joe Mauer

Year Games AB Runs Hits 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS Avg. OBP SLG. OPS

2005 131 489 61 144 26 2 9 55 61 64 13 1 .294 .372 .411 .783

2006 140 521 86 181 36 4 13 84 79 54 8 3 .347 .429 .507 .936

2007 109 406 62 119 27 3 7 60 57 51 7 1 .293 .382 .426 .808

2008 146 536 98 176 31 4 9 85 84 50 1 1 .328 .413 .451 .864

2009 138 523 94 119 30 1 28 96 76 63 4 1 .365 .444 .587 1.031


I'm going with Joe Mauer because if you look down his stat sheet it really explains itself. The guy hits for an amazingly high average and he has started to hit for power last season. He has won the AL MVP aswell as a couple Gold Gloves and Silver Sluggers. Joe Mauer has been the best catcher in recent years.

 

[Theo Mays]

This one is a no brainer to me. There is no doubt it is Joe Mauer. The guy should be a two time MVP (Mornaeu is good, but Mauer should have won that year). But he is consistently a threat to compete for the triple crown categories. Plus he is a good defensemen and isn't a liability behind the plate. Another plus is he can bat anywhere in the lineup and produce. He is just that good.

 

[Stormtrooper]

yeah, unfortunately this one Best Player Series won't be as good as the Pitchers one before it, because it is practically impossible to say anyone OTHER then Joe Mauer. He is not only a good defensive catcher, but I would argue he is the best starting defensive catcher in Major League Baseball. A 2 time (I think) batting champion (something catchers RARELY accomplish), a should be 2-time MVP, and someone the Twins felt they could not live without, and gave a monster contract to, not Johan Santana (who surprisingly got no love in the Best Pitcher thread) or any other Twin.

I have a feeling the 1st Baseman one won't be as fun either. I can guarantee 2nd base will be a good debate though.

As for the other catchers, the only guys I can SEE maybe getting some thought besides Mauer are Brian McCann and Jorge Posada, but neither one can touch Mauer with a 873427232366 foot pole.

 

[Rhonda Rousey's Sports Bra]

I'm afraid you are right Trooper, so for shits and giggles I will try to make a case for Yadier Molina. We can all go ahead and agree Joe Mauer is the best catcher, so why don't we just have a debate on who is the next best

Ok here we go.

Yadier Molina could be called the next best catcher to Joe Mauer, because he is probably the best defensive catcher in the league bar none, even Mauer. Molina changes the running game so much that almost everyone is scared to run on him. I'm going off the top of my head with this stat but I think he throws out 40% of all attempted steals. Yadi has also started to pick up the offense as of late, he was the hero in the 2006 post season and hasn't slowed much since then.

If anyone wants to make an arguement against Joe Mauer by all means do it.

 

[The Brain]

Sorry I'm not going to offer a differnet idea here, but I'll chime in anyway. Mauer is the obvious choice. Three batting titles and an MVP award for a catcher. Enough said.

Honorable mention: Brain McCann and Victor Martinez, but Mauer is the man.

 

[The People's Peep]

i dont even think we should have this thread. the obvious answer is Mauer. The guy is probably already the best hitting catcher in history. he just has it. if anyone wants to try to argue for someone else, its only to make this thread interesting. Lets move on to 1B (although i can assume that thread would be the same as this one: a no brainer).

 

[Rhonda Rousey's Sports Bra]

i dont even think we should have this thread. the obvious answer is Mauer. The guy is probably already the best hitting catcher in history. he just has it. if anyone wants to try to argue for someone else, its only to make this thread interesting. Lets move on to 1B (although i can assume that thread would be the same as this one: a no brainer).

Well it is a series on the best players at their respective positions so I don't think I can leave catchers out just because Mauer is great. Also just because the guy is the best hitting catcher doesn't automatically make him the best catcher, there is the whole defense and calling the game part to the position. I'm not going to say he isn't great defensively too, because he is, but to say a player is the best at their position solely because they can hit sounds like an arguement from an AL guy

So to make this interesting and fun, like it should be, I have stated a case for Yadier Molina, I could also make a case for Pudge, Posada, McCann, Martinez, Martin, and maybe a few others that I can't think of right now. So please humor me and make a case for someone because I'm not moving on to the next position for about a week.

 

[Baller]

Joe Mauer, as the consensus says, and we can add another tally next to his name.

Here is a simple way to put it.

Batting Titles + MVP as a catcher = Best Catcher in MLB

Joe will probably be the best hitting catcher of all time, and he has a good glove to help solidify him as the best catcher in the MLB, and possibly when he is done one of the best of all time.

 

[The People's Peep]

Well it is a series on the best players at their respective positions so I don't think I can leave catchers out just because Mauer is great. Also just because the guy is the best hitting catcher doesn't automatically make him the best catcher, there is the whole defense and calling the game part to the position. I'm not going to say he isn't great defensively too, because he is, but to say a player is the best at their position solely because they can hit sounds like an arguement from an AL guy

So to make this interesting and fun, like it should be, I have stated a case for Yadier Molina, I could also make a case for Pudge, Posada, McCann, Martinez, Martin, and maybe a few others that I can't think of right now. So please humor me and make a case for someone because I'm not moving on to the next position for about a week.

i know i know. its just that his hitting is sooo good that it puts him above anything else done by any other catcher.

If this was for the last 10 or 15 years, i think that a case could easily be made for pudge. He also has an MVP as a catcher. but it isnt . So to make this interesting, Ill make a case for Jorge Posada. Over the last 5 years, he has hit around the .270 which isnt bad for a catcher and even had one year where he hit .338. He puts up 20 HRs a year as well. His defensive game isnt the best, but he is very good at calling games. one thing that sets him aside though, is his clutch hitting. Over the last 3 years, he hit .299 with runners in scoring position and .305 with runners on. With the bases loaded, he hit .488! There is his case.