OK, This ain't right!

[dsvitak]

I am a 21 year old catcher, with a very nice skill set.

Fast, good hitter, excellent defense, good eye at the plate.

I have little or no power....I wanted a Kendall type player, or Eli Marrero.

Fine, life is good....after 3 years (I started out of High School) I am in the Majors...

...just in time to see the big club (Braves) trade for a 5 star (blue stars!) catcher....who is just 2 years older than I am!!!

I am SOME KIND OF STUCK HERE PEOPLE!!!

Any thoughts? I play out each game...at this point, I have 60 at bats in 70 games, mostly pinch hitting, occasionally pinch running, and a once-a-week-start.

Is this to be my lot in life? I am only 21.

My hitting skill is 51, unmodified, with potential of 80.

My eye is 43, unmodified, with a potential of 60.

I expect, eventually, to have an OBP somewhere north of 40%, coupled with 100 for speed, and 101 for defense. This set of skills SHOULD see me into the HOF.

Problem is playing 135-145 games a year...and no real pop. I will score (hopefully) 100 runs every year, and may well end up in the top 10 all time in stolen bases.

If I can get into the starting lineup.

[Falcon]

Well, you should be great trade bait. I'd expect a deal in July, myself. I mean, they can get someone better suited to be a backup catcher and a few good prospects for you with those kind of skills.

[MZBKA]

If they're smart, they'll keep you around until you're due for a pay raise

[dsvitak]

Yeah....year three of picking splinters out of my sphincter.

Aged 22 now, with 66 (modified) in contact, and 44 in eye.

I certainly have the ability to be a productive player.

Toss in 103 speed, and 100+ defense....and I am your perfect #1 or #2 hitter....as designed.

[Pulse]

lol, u think thats bad...

Im a 23 year old 5 star C. Slow as mollases, but here are my important ratings...

81 contact (90 talent, just had a 10 point talent bump =P)
60 eye (60 talent)
73 power (90 talent)
80 gap (80 talent)
99 defence

Didnt spend much time in A or AA, about 150 at bats my first year, slugging just over .600. in AAA i am the backup C, they use me as a PH most of the time, with some occational playing time...about 200 at bats a year, i wouldnt mind so much if these wernt my AAA stats

237 AB, .308 avg .424 obp, .650 slg, OPS 1.074, 21 HR, 58 RBI

That was last year in AAA, this year i still have the same backup role, but now im slugging .720 and hitting .376. I was also used as a setember callup...considering the current ML C on my team is batting around .230, id say these are some good stats.

45AB .356 avg .463 obp, .578 slg, 1.041 OPS, 8 ebh. 10 RBI

Kind of got off on a rant here =P, but my point is, with these stats...why the hell would they not bring me up to the bigs yet? or, at the very least...make me the fulltime guy in AAA.

[Ankhiel]

well, pulse, i'd guess with such offense, you're defense stink badly, right?

[YoSoySean]

Originally posted by Ankhiel
well, pulse, i'd guess with such offense, you're defense stink badly, right?

He said he has a 99 rating in defense.

[bigcat]

I'll go out on a limb and guess he's not playing on horror level?

[dsvitak]

Normal level, not bad...I put a LOT of thought into the selection.

[Orrie]

To dsvitak

It's just one of those things; partly who's in the Bigs in your position and partly whether the computer logic thinks it needs you. I had a CF who was hitting .299 and with 12-15 HRs a year with 200-250 ABS who was platooning and hit only against Left handers in the NL. The incumbent and main CF was, unfortunately, a 40+ HR, All Star and he was apparently just hitting his prime.

You just have to wait it out until Arbitration is over. In my character's case, the incumbent CF eventually left as a Free Agent, and then, and *only* then did he have a breakout year.

There's no real way to get around it, dsvitak; like real life ballplayers, you're pretty much at the mercy of the ballclubs until you hit free agency (or they release you).

[dsvitak]

The catcher I am blocked behind has the highest OPS of any catcher in the major leagues.

The catcher I am blocked behind has a LIFETIME OPS, as a 26 year old, of 1.016.

I suppose I will just have to wait until I am eligible for arbitration, and refuse it....being a second string catcher sucks.

[Orrie]

To dsvitak

Well, you can't say that it's not unrealistic; to be stuck behind a great hitting Catcher. Imagine being the guy backing up IRod, or Piazza or even the HoF catchers, like Carter or Bench. One can say your experience does suck, but on the other hand, when you get out of arbitration, you can try to get some grim satisfaction if you can beat your old team. Something to shoot for.

[Pulse]

U should be on the Reds in my leauge dsvitak. i am now in my 5th year and i am STILL the backup catcher for my AAA team. I am leading the minors in RBI, HR, and R with half the at bats of any other player. last year i was slugging .843 in AAA and the team still feels i need more time in AAA.

[dsvitak]

I am a bit of a student of baseball history, a baseball junkie, and an insufferable baseball trivia hound.

I have read many, many stories of the old minor league systems.

Branch Rickey, of the Dodgers, had an ENORMOUS minor league system.

Imagine that instead of one AA team, you have 5 or 6.

And two AAA teams.

There must have been hundreds of players, who could have been great major league players, who never got the chance.

Players like Pete Rose, who while never spectacularly gifted, worked his ass off and became a great player.

Back in 1974, I was offered a minor league contract, class "D" in Gastonia, North Carolina. I was a pitcher, and threw hard. Real hard.

....unfortunately, I wasn't even the best pitcher in the tryout camp....and the scout told me it was unlikely that I would progress far in the system.

I was 5'10, 145 pounds.

Three years later, as a 20 year old, I was 5'11" and 190 pounds. Gotta make you wonder.

Perhaps that is why I have such sympathy for this player. To not be even given the opportunity is tragic.

I will complete his career, and print out and laminate his player card.

MAN, I love this game!

[Pulse]

A new low has just been hit....

Finnaly, i am in my last year under arbitration, and can negotiate with the owner, or become a free agent. The Reds organization im in has several stars, and could very well be a championship team if the right pieces were added, so i decided to see what they would offer me to stay. After dominating nearly every leaderboard in AAA the last 3 years, I sure as hell wanted alot of money though. We were willing to aggree on 15 million for the next 2 years. I am now the highest paid player in the leauge. With a monster contract like that, how could they not begin to start me on a regular basis?

April of the next year, i am finnaly playing on the active roster, but alas I am still the backup Oh well, at least im in the big leauges...and even with the limited playing time, i was still 3rd on the team in RBI's, not too mention, the fans had to love me. 2 out of the last 3 games, i was brought into the game in the bottom of the 9th, and ended it with a walkoff HR. The other game i started, threw out 2 baserunners, and was a double away from the cycle in a 4 hit, 5 RBI performance. May came..and I got a call from the owner.

Apparently my performance wasnt up to par with the Reds organization. Our 19-4 record, best in the leauge, just wasnt good enough. That 30 million dollar contract i signed, was nothing but a waste of money, because I was sent back down to AAA!!! For the rest of the AAA season, I was a monster. In 192 at bats i pounded in 29 HR and hit with a .401 avg, .528 obp and .984 slg.

Now its setember, and I just got my annual call from the owner The Reds are now 18 games back, with no playoff hopes at all. But still

Theres always next year

[dsvitak]

HEY PULSE!

I am happy for your player....BUT GET YOUR OWN THREAD...