Comments on: Quick Hit: Drew Butera and Twins Catchnig

By: Jim Crikket

Jim Crikket — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 20:53:58 +0000

Yet, by the time he left the Mets, I think most Mets fans would have gladly taken Butera (or a bag of used baseballs) back if the Twins would have taken Castillo off their hands. Of course, it wasn’t trading for Castillo that the Mets did wrong, it was re-signing him for way too much money over way too many years.

By: Eric Pleiss

Eric Pleiss — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 20:46:44 +0000

.299/.357/./363 from Castillo with the Twins. I’d give me left arm for the Twins to have that kind of production from a middle infielder today.

By: James

James — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 20:40:24 +0000

I think it all boils down to this: Terry Ryan is still trying to defend dumping salary back in the day by trading Luis Castillo for Butera

By: Jim Crikket

Jim Crikket — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 19:20:58 +0000

I don’t consider your post to be “screaming” Eric. I was referring to the almost non-stop Butera ranting that goes on over at TD and other similar sites.

Whether Butera’s roster spot could be better utilized in light of Doumit’s presence is certainly a fair issue for discussion. I’ve never understood Gardy’s phobia regarding losing his DH for a few innings of one game, either. Of course, just because Butera was tendered a contract doesn’t lock him in to a 25-man roster spot either. It just retains him as an option.

For me, if Butera is getting a bunch of PAs in May and June, I’ll get excited about addressing that kind of insanity then. I just think he gets a lot of very personal anger from fans because he’s not something he never claimed to be and I think that’s unfortunate.

By: Eric Pleiss

Eric Pleiss — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 19:06:34 +0000

Jim,
I agree, Herrmann needs to play everyday if he has any shot at being the Twins future catcher, even if he’s only a placeholder while Josmil Pinto develops.

But I would say that my screaming about Butera is less about who Butera is, and more about what the Twins are doing with that roster spot. Why even carry a 3rd catcher that hamstrings the roster if you have one available on the 40man roster to call up when warranted? If Joe Mauer goes down again, sacrificing the DH (Doumit’s primary position) for one game while they call someone up is not going to be the biggest issue. Instead use that roster spot to carry a base stealer, a solid bench bat, a defensive specialist (especially someone who could play excellent middle infield defense), or as the Twins often do, put an extra arm in the bullpen. No sense in hamstringing themselves just to fall in love with a Butera-type.
But you’re right, way bigger issues than who fills up the 25th spot on the roster. Like who fills up 4 spots in the starting rotation.

By: Jim Crikket

Jim Crikket — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 14:42:38 +0000

If indeed Herrmann is a potential starting catcher for the Twins, then he needs to catch every day in Rochester to improve his skills, not sit on the Twins bench and play once or twice a week.

I don’t really understand all the screaming we hear about Butera. He is what he is, a backup catcher that you really don’t worry about getting rusty because he isn’t playing much. I REALLY wish the biggest problem the Twins had right now was their backup catching situation.