Journeyman Kratz used to short stays
Not only can Erik Kratz list, in order, every one of his major league stops, but he can recall the approximate length of each stay.
There are many. Many were short visits.
"Pirates," he starts. "Phillies. Blue Jays. Royals. Red Sox. Back to the Phillies."
"I was with the Mariners, but I never made the big leagues."
"Padres spring training; never made the big leagues. Astros. Pirates again."
"I was with the Angels for three weeks. I was with the Mariners for 12 days. And I've been with the Blue Jays three times, the Phillies twice and the Pirates twice."
Such is the life of a backup catcher, the quintessential journeyman. There is always demand for Kratz's services, but the need is fleeting. His time with an organization always has an expiration date.
"You hope to latch on somewhere," he said. "It's a unique position."
It explains why Chris Gimenez has had three tours with the Indians, why Kratz has rejoined teams for a second or third time and why the Indians value Roberto Perez so highly, and also stow veterans Adam Moore and Guillermo Quiroz in the pipeline.
Playing catcher takes a toll; every team needs insurance.
"It can turn on one foul tip, one play at the plate, that you're going to need someone else," Kratz said. "Backup catchers bounce around a lot. Guys are hawking positions from guys. Whatever organization I'm going to, I'm trying to better that organization in more ways than just what I do on the field. That's hopefully where there's a lot of value."
The Indians reached out to Kratz last offseason, but he opted to sign with San Diego. Of course, the Padres then flipped him to the Astros four months later; the Astros severed ties with him two months after that; the Angels scooped him up five days later; and the Pirates claimed him two weeks after that before they released him and he caught on with the Blue Jays.
Kratz used to think his newest home would be his haven. It didn't take long to ditch that line of thinking.
"When I was in Philly, I thought I'd never go anywhere else, and I got traded," he said.
"When I went to the Blue Jays, I thought I'd never go anywhere else and I got traded. Kansas City, same thing. Pretty much on down the line.
“After KC, I understood that after that, it was going to be year to year, sometimes month to month. It doesn't diminish anything that I put toward the team. I think it's great to come in with the experience that I have."
Kratz isn't naive, though. He knows Perez and Yan Gomes are destined for the opening day roster. He isn't in camp as a homewrecker.
He owns a career .200 average and .610 on-base plus slugging percentage across parts of seven seasons. He has totaled 24 home runs and 25 doubles in 599 career at-bats.
"The No. 1 offseason idea is to get past Game 162," he said. "That's where my value is, whether I'm here or at triple-A. If I get called up, hopefully it's not because they get injured, but because they see a spot among 25 guys where I can help at that time, whenever it happens."