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Who Will Be the Rockies' Back-Up Catcher in 2011?

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Yesterday, Miguel Olivo offiically signed his contract with the Seattle Mariners.  A year ago today, the Colorado Rockies signed Miguel Olivo to be Chris Iannetta's backup in 2010, which brought out quite the historic reaction on Purple Row.  As Bryan Kilpatrick will discuss later today, Olivo did not exactly perform like a back-up in 2010.

Rather than bring in a back-up that could unseat Chris Iannetta, Dan O'Dowd has elected to give Iannetta a legitimate shot in 2011 as a starter.  With Miguel Olivo being traded (read: sold) and Paul Phillips leaving in free agency, Colorado's back-up catcher in 2011 will be extremely foreign to most Rockies' fans.

Five candidates currently stand as possible backups to Iannetta.  Below are their career minor league statistics.

Minor League    Age     PA     Avg    HR    RBI    OBP    SLG    OPS
Michael McKenry     25   2048    .265     66    287    .357    .455    .812
Matt Pagnozzi     28   1956    .214     16    164    .292    .294    .586
Jose Morales     27   2376    .286     20    248    .341    .383    .724
Jordan Pacheco     24   1567    .310     23    235    .386    .439    .824
Wilin Rosario     21   1171    .273     40    168    .328    .445    .773

McKenry (homegrown prospect) and Pagnozzi (MiLB FA) are above average defensive catchers, Morales (trade) is average at worst, Rosario (homegrown prospect) has plus tools but raw, and Pacheco (homegrown prospect) is still improving after starting as an infielder in the organization. 

Rosario is still rehabbing from an ACL tear last August and is no liable to be rushed, and Pacheco has played just 20 games above A-ball.  That makes the most likely competition between the three catchers who have seen MLB time.  Morales has the lead at this point given his success at the MLB level, switch-hitting bat and lack of options.

Vote below.

                                                                                                                                                                                                               

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