With the A’s, success is catching
Kurt Suzuki once caught 141 games in a season for the A’s. The next year, he caught 135.
I kidded him that the 2014 team needs three catchers to do what he once did.
The A’s do things differently these days, spreading playing time throughout the roster rather than depending on certain players to carry most of the load. It’s not rare for manager Bob Melvin to start catchers Derek Norris, John Jaso and Stephen Vogt in the same game, with Jaso serving as a designated hitter and Vogt playing first base or the outfield.
“That just goes to show how you’ve got to keep all those guys in the lineup,” Suzuki said. “The best athletes on the field.” Typical catcher. Suzuki is with the Twins, presumably a perfect fit. He’s an All-Star for the first time, signed a two-year extension last month and, like always, is his pitching staff’s biggest supporter. As Melvin said, “He’s all about the pitchers.”
Twins closer Glen Perkins said at the Minneapolis-hosted All-Star Game, “He’s been awesome for everybody all year, especially me.”
Suzuki is a catcher, period, not having played another defensive position in the big leagues. The A’s catcher resembling him the most is Norris, who replaced Suzuki in the summer of 2012, considers his predecessor a mentor and lockered next to him at the All-Star Game.
Suzuki sees Norris’ career blossoming.
“I think he can be a perennial All-Star,” said Suzuki, nearly six years Norris’ elder. “I’m just thinking out loud here, but hopefully he gets the lion’s share of the catching. I think he deserves the opportunity, and I think he’d take off with it.”
Suzuki wasn’t knocking Jaso and Vogt — in fact, he praised both for different reasons — but suggesting Norris ought to be more of a permanent guy. Either way, that would go against Oakland’s three-tiered catching format. Vogt, by the way, hasn’t caught since July 7, playing mostly first base. He is dealing with an injured right foot.
Norris is on pace to catch 101 games, not exactly Suzukiesque, but Melvin’s constant use of matchups throughout the lineup has worked. Check the standings. It might not be a passing fad. As Giants catcher Buster Posey said, “It’ll be interesting to see if that’ll trend, if a guy like a Vogt, who can play multiple positions and catch, becomes more prevalent. It gives the manager more options.”
Melvin has shuffled his catchers, first baseman, second basemen and, now that Yoenis Céspedes is with Boston, left fielders.
“Coming from an opponent, I like their chances,” Suzuki said. “They already had the best team in baseball before
“They already had the best team in baseball before making those additions (in July trades), and they definitely have all the pieces to go very far.” Kurt Suzuki, Twins catcher, on his former team, the A’s
making those additions (in July trades), and they definitely have all the pieces to go very far.”
Tuesday is the 20-year anniversary of one of baseball’s darkest days, when players went on strike amid nonstop chaos between Commissioner Bud Selig and union head Don Fehr and their respective underlings. It was Aug. 12, 1994, and it began a 232-day strike that deprived Tony Gwynn of a possible .400 season, Matt Williams of a possible run at Roger Maris’ homers record and the Expos of a possible road to the championship.
One of the worst marks on Selig’s legacy: the cancellation of the 1994 World Series. One of his best: 20 ensuing years without strikes or lockouts.
Gwynn’s average was .394. Doubt that he could have finished at .400 if there were no strike? He was hitting .475 (19-for-40) in August. The year before, he hit .434 his final two months. The media attention wouldn’t have been a distraction — on the contrary, he welcomed the press. A .400 average, the first since Ted Williams’ .406 in 1941, would be on his resume.
Matt Williams’ odd outburst at the media after being asked if Bryce Harper should be sent to the minors might have brought him back to his own early playing days and frustration with being shuttled between the Giants and Triple-A Phoenix because of his offensive struggles. If the Nationals’ rookie manager sees a little of himself in Bryce Harper, it’s perfectly acceptable.
Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner emerged as one of three finalists to replace Selig, the others being MLB’s lead lawyer Rob Manfred and top business official Tim Brosnan. Would be surprised if the A’s support Werner, who comes from an elite revenuegenerating team and is no fan of revenue sharing, getting fined $500,000 for voicing displeasure with the format.
Werner’s 2009 rant to the Boston Globe: “Change is needed and that is reflected by the fact that over a billion dollars have been paid to seven chronically uncompetitive teams, five of whom have had baseball’s highest operating profits. Who, except these teams, can think this is a good idea?”
We could have four California playoff teams for the first time. Sorry, Padres. They’re starting over again. Kevin Towers was the Padres’ general manager for 14 years, and now they’ve had four GMs in six years, including A.J. Preller, hired last week.