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I generally don't have catchers with PC ratings as low as Velazquez's, so I'm curious what you guys think.

I'd start Velazquez. I could be wrong, but a PC of 62 isn't the end of the world. Higher is better, obviously, but the sim lists 50 as "average".

I agree with volk. 62 is definitely playable.

I would go with Post.  Has a higher PC, is a lefty hitter, and his eye is superb.  I would go with what I know would count, the defense, and then hope batting oppo with his eye would get me a .400 OBP for the game by drawing a walk or two.

42 contact, 47 vR and 99 eye = not a good hitter. Oh yeah, and what is it, 30 power? Go with the offense. 62 PC is plenty good when combined with the extra offense.

The answer is, sometimes one, sometimes the other.

Velazquez has DUR=68.  He'll need a bunch of rest... rest him and start Post when the opposing pitcher has relatively high VsR-VsL, say, 12 or more.  This will always be against an RHP.  Also, set your defensive replacement settings to have a quick trigger. 

In the playoffs, though, it's Velazquez all the way.

Posted by dedelman on 7/12/2012 5:51:00 PM (view original):
The answer is, sometimes one, sometimes the other.

Velazquez has DUR=68.  He'll need a bunch of rest... rest him and start Post when the opposing pitcher has relatively high VsR-VsL, say, 12 or more.  This will always be against an RHP.  Also, set your defensive replacement settings to have a quick trigger. 

In the playoffs, though, it's Velazquez all the way.

This.

"when the opposing pitcher has relatively high VsR-VsL, say, 12 or more."

i don't understand what this means. 12 or more what?

Posted by mchalesarmy on 7/12/2012 8:16:00 PM (view original):
"when the opposing pitcher has relatively high VsR-VsL, say, 12 or more."

i don't understand what this means. 12 or more what?

Sorry-- when the VsR is 12 or more greater than the VsL, giving a greater than average advantage to an LHB.

Posted by boogerlips on 7/13/2012 3:38:00 AM (view original):
I'd expect their OBPs to be about the same so it comes down to 20pts of PC vs 50pts of Pwr. If you're lacking a leadoff hitter, I'd play the defensive guy.

So that brings up a good point - I have a lot of guys who can hit for power...I'm not exactly lacking when it comes to slugging, home runs, etc.  Does that change anyone's mind?

They are not rookies so there is plenty of evidence of how they will preform. One has a lifetime OB of .325 the other .375 and catcher is the only position other than Pitcher that has an effect on every single at bat.

But we also know that Velazquez's career OBP is suppressed by his time in Seattle. he won't draw as many walks and his OBP will always depend on getting enough hits, but last season in Cincy his OBP was .360 and it is not unreasonable to expect that he will continue to produce more toward that number than his 320 OBP in Seattle. If he offers a 340-350 OBP with 580 sluggin percentage, why would you play the guy with a 723 OPS just because he offers 10-15 more points of OBP? Those extra points of PC better be pretty valuable because you are now talking about a difference of about 40-50 runs created over the course of a season. I cannot remember the math on this, but I do not think 20 points of PC rating is going to save you that many runs. Maybe I am wrong, but go with the 62 PC and the 290/350/550 batting line and leave your 83 PC guy for defensive replacements and the occassional rest versus lefties.

20 points of PC is roughly equal to a difference of  .250 in ERA.

So, pretty much no way he overcomes the offensive deficit. Give Velazquez a conservative 30-run advantage on offense, that would require 1080 innings caught with a -.250 ERA to equalize the differential, or 120 complete games. With 70 durability I don't think he can catch that many innings a season. Give Velazquez a more realistic run differential of +40 and the innings requirement jumps to 1440, or 160 complete games...that just is not happening.

Play Velazquez, unless he proves incapable of producing near the level he did last season.