Just to further depress all of us that Kendall's getting everyday action and that we somehow chose the worst of 3 options this offseason (assuming there were only 3 options...) in giving Kendall the starting C job over Olivo and Buck, here's the 2009 and 2010 (projected) stats for our catchers. I'd say if anything, these are optimistic for 2010 because of the obvious wear on Kendall as he makes a run at the major league record for games caught.
The stats:
Offensively:
R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | BA | OBP | SLG | OPS | |
2009 | 72 | 162 | 32 | 8 | 31 | 99 | 6 | 3 | 30 | 167 | 0.270 | 0.310 | 0.504 | 0.814 |
2010 Projected |
47 | 141 | 24 | - | - | 49 | 15 | 9 | 49 | 54 | 0.265 | 0.331 | 0.311 | 0.642 |
(25) | (21) | (8) | (8) | (31) | (50) | 9 | 6 | 19 | (113) | -0.005 | 0.021 | -0.193 | -0.172 |
Defensively:
PB | WP | SB | CS | CS% | |
2009 | 14 | 89 | 114 | 39 | 25% |
2010 Projected |
5 | 45 | 118 | 46 | 28% |
So basically, we are MUCH worse off at the plate as we all probably knew, but we also probably overstated our disdain for the Buck/Olivo combination last season. Of all problems we had, getting a .270/.310/.504 out of the catching position wasn't exactly something that needed fixing. Of course, the other side of it is the MLB-leading 89 wild pitches thrown last season. This season's 33 are a little below the league average. I have no way to know how many of those are Olivo's, but from watching most of the games last year, I'd say a ton of them. There's no question we chose the worst of possible worlds with Kendall, but the atrocity that is his bat, especially in comparison to last year's production, is so egregiously one-sided, that no defensive contribution could really be relevant.