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2084 Offseason Preview- Free Agents, Part One: Catchers
1/30/2084
Al Vincent
Staff Writer
With baseball's free agent signing period about to get started, it's time to look at who is on the market this year, and who, if anyone, the Broncos might be interested. The main target for Denver is likely to be a backup catcher. The Broncos allowed last year's backup, Greg Lauritsen, to become a free agent, and serious doubts emerged about the capability of the anticipated successor, John Landon. After a solid campaign at AA in 2082, and a torrid start at the same level last year that earned Landon a promotion to AAA, the 24 year old catching prospect seemed a likely bet to make the jump to the big leagues this season to fill the role of Lee Chappel's backup. But Landon's promotion to AAA did not go smoothly, and he managed only a .634 OPS in 425 at bats at that level last year. Given his struggles at AAA, it is likely that Broncos' GM John Mounts would prefer a major league backup who is more reliable. Free agency may be the best avenue for acquiring such a player.
For teams looking for a starting catcher this offseason, there are three main choices. Larry Seishisai, formerly of Memphis, posted a .797 OPS last season and hit 21 homeruns, while drawing 77 walks. The 34 year old isn't known for his arm behind the plate, but for his career, he has an .840 OPS and 358 homeruns. Ex-Harrisburg catcher Errol McCullough is a bit of a poor man's Seishisai. Also 34, McCullough posted a .765 OPS last season with 38 doubles, 16 homeruns, and 81 walks. McCullough has a slightly better arm than Seishisai. For those who prefer a strong defensive catcher, Christopher Diemer is the answer. The 36 year old cannon-armed Diemer hit .339 with an .826 OPS last season, while collecting 24 doubles and 4 homeruns. For his career, Diemer has a .709 OPS.
None of these players are likely going to be on the Broncos' radar, as all will be looking to be starters. From the next group, however, may come the next backup catcher for Denver. The Broncos could, of course, bring back Lauritsen, who posted a .744 OPS in 124 at bats last season. It should be noted, however, that those numbers were the best that the 35 year old Lauritsen has produced in his career. His career OPS is a much less impressive .641. 36 year old Stephen Skiba is another possibility, though one who is not much better than Lauritsen, and possibly worse. Playing for Charlotte last season, Skiba mustered only a .678 OPS in 189 at bats. For his career, he has only a .657 OPS. Former Pittsburgh backup Raul Chapa may be a better option, despite coming off of a mediocre season. The 32 year old Chapa managed just a .675 OPS in 131 at bats last season, but did have a .385 OBP. Chapa has always had good plate discipline, and has usually hit better than last season's numbers. For his career, he has a .718 OPS. He also has a strong arm. Jerome Seldon didn't play much for Grand Rapids last season, collecting only 26 at bats, but the 34 year old has generally been a pretty solid backup in his career, with a .723 OPS in 867 at bats. He also has a pretty good arm.
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