Time to play GM

[ruby23]

<!--quoteo(post=65800:date=Oct 7 2009, 11:50 AM:name=Butcher)-->QUOTE (Butcher @ Oct 7 2009, 11:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=65789:date=Oct 7 2009, 11:09 AM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ Oct 7 2009, 11:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=65780:date=Oct 7 2009, 10:53 AM:name=jstraw)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jstraw @ Oct 7 2009, 10:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=65776:date=Oct 7 2009, 10:38 AM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ Oct 7 2009, 10:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=65769:date=Oct 7 2009, 10:14 AM:name=jstraw)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jstraw @ Oct 7 2009, 10:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=65767:date=Oct 7 2009, 10:09 AM:name=rok)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rok @ Oct 7 2009, 10:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=65766:date=Oct 7 2009, 10:03 AM:name=ruby23)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ruby23 @ Oct 7 2009, 10:03 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=65762:date=Oct 7 2009, 09:46 AM:name=rok)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rok @ Oct 7 2009, 09:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=65761:date=Oct 7 2009, 09:39 AM:name=Coldneck)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Coldneck @ Oct 7 2009, 09:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Cabrera's age is a huge concern. I really don't think he offers much more than Andres Blanco with the bat and Blanco is light years better in the field. Significantly cheaper too.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
That's the thing though. I'd be fine with a light-hitting slick-fielding SS as long as we had an above average bat at 2B, which we don't have right now and probably won't go out and get one. Either way, we need to improve our defensive and offensive consistency up the middle. That should be Hendry's #1 goal, but he's probably just going to spend the offseason chasing some elusive run producer for the middle of the order. Whoever that ends up being, he'd better be able to field his position and play either CF or SS.
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Or catcher.
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Yeah, I've thought about that as well, but I just think the higher ups feel Soto deserves one more chance to earn the everyday job again. The one thing we could do to improve that situation is go out and get a really good backup at C. That wouldn't be the end of the world, but we need to forget about having a .285/ 25 HR/ 85 RBI guy at that position, because chances are Soto isn't that guy.
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We have a really good backup at catcher.
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Nuh uh.
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What do you want from a backup catcher?
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Someone good.
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Hill calls a good game, plays excellent defense and throws out 40% of attempted basestealers (the same percentage Yadier Molina throws out). That's a good backup catcher.

Someone who does all that *and* can rake isn't a backup catcher. He's a starter.
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If Soto is the starter, the backup needs to be better than Hill, is my point. Like rok said, if 2010 Soto is more like 2008 Soto than 2009 Soto, then Hill is fine. I don't suspect he will be, so I'm definitely interested in an upgrade at catcher.