I mean, as a catcher, you would think the one thing he could do really well is catch. But the guy treats pitches like Rex Grossman treats handoffs. Another Barrett passed ball Thursday killed the Cubs.
And it's not just passed balls. He rarely hangs on during a close play at the plate (ie Pierzynski play last year), and he can't throw anyone out. Not a good combination.
I like Barrett as a hitter. As a catcher, he is mediocre at best. There are few, if any, elite teams who don't have an outstanding defensive catcher.
I question Hendry's wisdom in continuing to stick with him, and I rarely question Hendry's wisdom.
I would rather have defense at catcher, shortstop, and center field. That's the old model, and it worked pretty damn well. Give me defense up the middle and offense on the corners.
And, I have to say, as much as I hate AJ Pierzynski, he made a clean play in knocking Barrett over. It was an overreaction from a guy who seems to be a bit of a punk.
Barrett isn't a mediocre defensive catcher, as has been peviously posted...he is a bad defensive catcher. His dropped pitches are not isolated incidents. If you watch often, you see that for every one that costs us a run and makes the papers, there are probably 10 more that happen in meaningless situations. And alot of theses pitches are right around the plate. A few years ago Pudge Rodriguez was begging to come here...he would've filled our ever- present needs for both a defensive catcher and a 2 slot hitter. But the el cheapo Cubs made up some baloney about Pudge not being able to call a good game. And Barrett can? Duh.
Yeah, it worked pretty well for the 1996-2000 Yankees to sacrifice offense up the middle for defense. Wait, you mean the Yankees weren't hurt by having mediocre-to-poor defenders at catcher, shortstop, and center field in exchange for great offense? The probability that a bad-fielding catcher will give up runs is much less than the probability that a bad-hitting catcher will cost runs. Even the worst catcher can make the majority of plays and a few extra gaffes behind the plate are worth the gains at the plate.
OK, I understand everyone getting on Barrett for a couple of poor plays they see as routine, but let’s not hit the panic button just yet. Don't forget he is catching a lot of these guys for the first time in a real game. If communication is contributing to this (Which it almost certainly is) it will get better quickly as the season goes on.
We all know he's not an elite defensive catcher, but if he hits .300 like we all know he is capable of, all he has to do is improve a little bit defensively and he’s back to being a very valuable part of the team.
PS - Scoring 1 and 2 runs respectively in our losses should be on the front lines with this lineup, not a passed ball that cost a single run in a 3 run loss. Again, something that should iron itself out in the coming weeks.
What's really galling is that he had been supposedly working on these lack of fundamental skills w/Jody Davis. There's a reason his contract is not being extended and we are better off if we trade him as a DH-candidate to the AL for a real catcher. In 2006 Barrett was worst in MLB and/or NL in PB, % of runners thrown out, and fielding %. A defensive catcher provides value every day; Barrett only when he is hitting (which is not yet in 2007).
Your remark about the Pierzynski play is a cheap shot -- and an inaccurate one at that. Barret never had the ball (remember his famous line before he punched A.J.?) and, thus, had nothing to hang on to.
And, in any case, this whole notion of Barrett being a "bad" defensive catcher is a case of a mistruth being repeated so many times that people start accepting it as truth. Is Michael a great defensive catcher? Probably not. But he makes plenty of good stops behind the plate, and one passed ball in the third game of the season -- on a freezing cold day, no less -- certainly doesn't mean Barrett can't catch.
I like Barrett and tend to overlook his defensive shortcomings. People always say they want a defensive catcher when their team's catcher makes a critical error, but they seem to forget this when a defensive cather who can't hit comes to the plate in the 9th with two outs, the bases loaded, and the team down a run. Did you have faith that guys like Girardi and Damian Miller could come through in these type of situations?
Very few catchers are great offensively and defensively. By the end of the year, Barrett will help the team more than hurt them.
Finally after 3 years, fans are noticing that Barrett costs alot more runs at catcher than he ever produces as an above average hitter for his position. He was a converted 3rd baseman, who does not look like he will ever be a MLB level catcher.
He has certainly led the league in "wild pitches" allowed that would have been blocked by MLB catchers, passed balls (especially in innings 7-9), he never comes up with an outfield throw to tag anyone out at the plate, the worst stealing % in the league, and often chokes and does dumb things with the baseball at the most critical times. Yet this totally gets danced around by the Cub broadcasters, etc.
Something tells me it is not going to last long with Pinella. How about starting Blanco 70%, Barrett the back-up, and platoon Barrett in RF with Jaque Jones when LHPs are starting?
Finally after 3 years, fans are noticing that Barrett costs alot more runs at catcher than he ever produces as an above average hitter for his position. He was a converted 3rd baseman, who does not look like he will ever be a MLB level catcher.
He has certainly led the league in "wild pitches" allowed that would have been blocked by MLB catchers, passed balls (especially in innings 7-9), he never comes up with an outfield throw to tag anyone out at the plate, the worst stealing % in the league, and often chokes and does dumb things with the baseball at the most critical times. Yet this totally gets danced around by the Cub broadcasters, etc.
Something tells me it is not going to last long with Pinella. How about starting Blanco 70%, Barrett the back-up, and platoon Barrett in RF with Jaque Jones when LHPs are starting?
Always thought barrett was the cheapo choice by Hendry... Should have went for Pudge Rodriguez when we had a the chance.
Barrett can hit, but it doesn't out weigh his defiencies at catching.....
after reading the posts above it seems to me it's an even split between give him a break it's early in the season and throw the bum back. Kinda has the same flavor of the Rex Grossman controversy but without Piniella saying Barrett is our starting catcher. The fact of the matter is if he doesn't improve quickly Piniella will make a change because no team can expect to compete for a penant with a catcher that can't throw anyone out going to second or is unable to field a throw from the outfield for a play at the plate.
after reading the posts above it seems to me it's an even split between give him a break it's early in the season and throw the bum back. Kinda has the same flavor of the Rex Grossman controversy but without Piniella saying Barrett is our starting catcher. The fact of the matter is if he doesn't improve quickly Piniella will make a change because no team can expect to compete for a penant with a catcher that can't throw anyone out going to second or is unable to field a throw from the outfield for a play at the plate.
Barrett platooning in Right Field? Thank goodness your not the manager. Some of the responses on this board are completely insane. Michael Barrett has caught more young pitchers in the last year than most people catch in their career. He is a converted third baseman- yes. He has done a heck of a job learning his position despite all the young pitchers and power arms. Not to mention the fact that when most of our team was mailing it in last year, he was one of the few noticeably still trying to win. You say he doesnt make many outs at home plate? Maybe it because jacque jones cant throw the ball past first base from right field? Maybe its the fact that Matt Murton is absolutely brutal in left field? Starting Henry Blanco 70%? With our offense having pitchers who hit better than our 8 hitter will not work.
This is for the goof who called the Barrett sucker punch play cheapshot as inaccurate. Barrett attempted to block the plate without the ball, AJ slide in and knocked him down, it WAS a clean play by AJ. Catchers who block the plate without the ball do so at their own risk. Anyone who has caught at any level from T-Ball, Junior Miss, Triple A to the Bigs will tell you that. Barrett showed himself for the punk he is and finally more Cub fans are catching on.
Barrett is the least of our worries...move on please and get some speed in that lineup...like Pie and trade Jones, Cedeno and prospect to get another starting pitcher
As a "former" defensive catcher in the minors, my only question is does Barrett have the confidence of his pitchers to call a good game?
Jeremy, I know Jorge Posada and Michael Barret is no Jorge Posada. Not close.
I have a problem with some of the excuses for Barret on the board. Some of these are that he is handling a myriad of different and usually young pitchers, etc. Good catchers catch whoever is on the mound and still do their job well. If he can't do it, replace him with someone who can. It also sounds like he is going to be made the scapegoat this season if the Cubs don't do well. Face it, without Zambrano, this pitching staff is going nowhere fast. In fact, the only reasons they have a chance at the playoffs is the lack of improvment by the Cardinals and Zambrano.
The team as a whole needs to learn to score on something other than home runs. Perhaps they could take a lesson from Ty Cobb on how to play baseball properly. Well, I wish the Cubs good luck for the season and hopefully they will win the World Series.
Barrett is a decent hitter.His defense behind the plate? Probably the worse catcher in mlb.Hopefully cubs can score enough that a few pass balls or errant throws won't hurt them ? I agree with a couple bloggers. The current cub tv broadcasters announce games as if they are afraid to tell the truth about some of cubs failures.I didn't like Barrett's cheap shot on AJ either & Pudge would of been a much better fix behind plate. They should have a blog on how boring Kasper & Brenly are as TV broadcasters!
Yeah I was at that Crosstown game sitting behind home plate and Barrett was clearly blocking the plate and should have been bowled over. You want to stand in front of the plate, be prepared to get taken out. Part of the game folks plain and simple. Doesn't matter if Barrett had the ball or not. A.J. should have beat the snot out of him forthat cheap shot. I would have.
you mean they should have a blog about how only whitesox fans respond to the unintelligible subjects such as this. Perhaps in an effort to take away focus from their catcher, who incidentally, was put on the list of worst catchers of all time by a baseball fact checking company. That makes three: 1.) worst owner. 2.) worst announcer 3.) worst catcher. Thats why we perennially refer to the whitesox as the worst team in chicago-year-after year-after year.
I like Barrett as a hitter. As a catcher, he is mediocre at best.
And, I have to say, as much as I hate AJ Pierzynski, he made a clean play in knocking Barrett over. It was an overreaction from a guy who seems to be a bit of a punk.
Posted by: Jeremy | April 5, 2007 06:45 PM
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Jeremy, I thought I was the only one who noticed Barret was a good slugger who needs to go into boxing, and leave the catcher's mitt and shin guards alone.
My man, you nailed it! HE IS A GOOD HITTER! Just ask A.J. Pierzynski? Though Micheal Barret didn't knock him out, he had A.J. set up for the left upper-cup and a right hook to the body, and another right cross to the jaw. ....Match, Game, Set!....oops another sport....
He would have been down for the eight count. I doubt if A.J. would have gotten back up.
Cubs Win, Cubs Win.....at least in this scenario....
What you guys think?
As a Sox fan, I have always wondered why Barrett is the starting catcher. I mean he was definitely an offensive force when the team really had nothing as far as offense, but.......
I don't really see him being the starting catcher. Did the club just fall in love with his stats?
you mean they should have a blog about how only whitesox fans respond to the unintelligible subjects such as this. Perhaps in an effort to take away focus from their catcher, who incidentally, was put on the list of worst catchers of all time by a baseball fact checking company. That makes three: 1.) worst owner. 2.) worst announcer 3.) worst catcher. Thats why we perennially refer to the whitesox as the worst team in chicago-year-after year-after year.
Posted by: voiceofamericaii | April 9, 2007 02:16 PM
Yeah worst team in Chicago year after year after year that won the W.S. in 2005. I guess I don't understand your comments but then again why would i try and understand someone who probably roots for a team's attendance record over their "baseball win/loss" record year after year after year after year.......
no