I might try putting this guy behind the plate this season. I've always wanted catchers with decent PC ratings, so I have no idea what to expect with this guy. Anybody else have any insight into using a catcher with a PC rating under 40?

https://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerRatings.aspx?pid=8960322

I'm in the AL, so I could use him as my DH. But with a 96 durability, that seems like a waste. And I could put him in RF, but I already have a good right fielder. So I'm kinda at a loss with this one.

Rule of thumb is about .125 difference in ERA per 10 points of PC.
So at 37 you should expect an increase of a little over a half run in staff ERA versus what you are getting with Jones behind the plate.

I'd play em. The arm is good enough to keep guys from stealing and your pitchers will make up for the difference in ERA. If I have a guy like that starting I have a backup catcher for defensive replacements/ rest. My second catcher will typically have an over 85 pitch calling (for me typically over 90) but can't hit the side of a barn. Helps keep those saves from being blown.

Id play the guy in rf no issue. Id be afraid to use him at catcher unless in a bind. Im interested in how this works.

This is the closest I remember using in limited role. He had more errors at c then rf and only 10 minus plays.

Player Profile: Louie Trevino - Hardball Dynasty Baseball | WhatIfSports

Right now my starting C isn't as good as your guy in terms of arm or hitting. A bit better PC but not enough to notice and he has been fine.

https://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerRatings.aspx?pid=7235650

Then Louie Jose comes in to do the heavy lifting.

https://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerRatings.aspx?pid=8631190

I use two low PC catchers and my pitchers do just fine in both worlds.

https://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerRatings.aspx?pid=7220527

https://www.whatifsports.com/hbd/Pages/Popups/PlayerRatings.aspx?pid=8912672

You guys are getting me more optimistic about using one of these guys at catcher!

Sal Hensley
Brian Mitchell

I don't get what these guys are talking about.
Obviously it is a personal decision, but "Just fine" is subjective.

I am strictly talking data, and last season you were already a half run above league average, playing in a pretty heavy pitchers park. You're now going to add another half run?

Bottom line i guess is, does the guy's bat compensate for giving up a half run per game?

"Bottom line i guess is, does the guy's bat compensate for giving up a half run per game?"

Yes, this is the key question. With this guy, I'd say it is. I'm hoping so, anyway.

Posted by mtanton07 on 1/16/2019 12:09:00 PM (view original):
You guys are getting me more optimistic about using one of these guys at catcher!

Sal Hensley
Brian Mitchell

I'd play both of these guys easily at C. If it were me I'd make Sal my starting C and put Brian in RF with a good backup catcher.



As to what Vitamin C was talking about, I predominantly make my teams D based with good pitching and I play in SD so I can afford to have a catcher with pitch calling of 0. Obviously you can't cut corners if you do it everywhere but typically I'll have between 4-6 Shortstops on my team and have them playing 2B, 3B, CF, SS and 2 on the bench with above average players everywhere except for either LF or RF (not both) and 1B. This is on top of a team where I value pitching first (target in FA, trade for P and typically pick P prospects above hitting unless the guy is glaringly obviously better)

You can't just slot a DH into C and say 'he will be fine'. What makes this game so great is you have to have a game plan. If you do that, you can cheat certain spots.

Posted by bjschumacher on 1/16/2019 12:29:00 PM (view original):
"Bottom line i guess is, does the guy's bat compensate for giving up a half run per game?"

Yes, this is the key question. With this guy, I'd say it is. I'm hoping so, anyway.

Very few are worth a half run per game over replacement. Let's say a trash hitter is like 8 HR 40 RBI, is your guy going to find an extra 80 RBI? Probably not. Half a run for one hitter is a huge amount

But I do agree with you and hockey that you could try. Iowa City is heavily pitcher friendly, makes less of an impact. The only bad pitch caller ive ever used was a long long time ago in Seattle, Player Profile: Nolan Krivda, in his prime he was 71 AS 38 PC and he was about 3.5 ERA, his OPS was in the 800s but nothing special. The guy I replaced him with Player Profile: Damaso Castillo was about a 2.75 ERA guy and had about the same career OPS anyways. No way was Krivda half a run better than a replacement player

Mike used to say .12 per 10 points of PC based on some data he ran. I ran some similar data and found a smaller number (around .09 per 10 points of PC'ing below 90 and then a little more above 90). The point it is that was a real effect. I would guess that pitchers with multiple strong pitches would see less of an affect, but I have not done any analysis to back that speculation up. Assuming he catches 1300 innings, that's roughly a 1.3 runs a season per point of PC.

In this case I project Zealous with about 104 runs created based on the 1300 innings listed above. A catcher with a 50 PC would need to create 87 runs to be equitable. One with an 80 PC would need to create 61 runs to be his equal.

UPDATE: Zelous had a spring training ERA a full 2 points higher than my other prospective ML catchers. Granted, a very small sample size. But that was enough to scare me off. I put him in RF and moved my previous starting right fielder to left. And 2 games into the season, Zelous has a homer in both.

Spring training is SSS with terrible pitching. You do you but that is not enough games with big league talent.