Colorado Rockies: Is Drew Butera the Thanos of their offseason? | Rox Pile
There are a number of players available for the Rockies if they want to explore some different options at catcher. The plan seems to be that Tony Wolters will be the primary starter and he will be paired with a veteran backup. It would make sense for that other catcher to be someone with more offensive pop since Wolters is limited on that side of things.
It’s not exactly a hot take to say that Drew Butera is not the answer if the Rockies want to get more offense from their catchers. But, as Kevin Henry notes in this piece, Butera is familiar. He knows the pitching staff and he knows the coaching staff. The Rockies tend to value that kind of familiarity, so it is reasonable to think Butera might be back.
Unfortunately this is also probably an example of how the Rockies get in their own way. They simply cannot afford to have catcher be a black hole offensively again in 2019. Maybe they would be hoping for Dom Nunez to break through in camp if they made a marginal addition like Butera. Maybe that would work out. But if it didn’t work out, they might end up with Wolters and Butera as their catching duo. And that simply isn’t a combination that is going to be good enough if the Rockies want to bounce back and contend.
These catchers could suit Rockies’ needs | MLB.com
So what if the Rockies did in fact bring in a new face at catcher? Thomas Harding outlines some of the players who might be available. Wilson Contreras and Austin Hedges have been mentioned in trade rumors, but that doesn’t feel like a move the Rockies would make. Austin Romine is mentioned as an intriguing target, and he would make sense as a complement to Wolters because he’s got a little bit of pop in his bat.
The rest of the group is essentially a bunch of catchers between ages 33 and 35 who have track records and also have flaws. Maybe the Rockies should just sign Russell Martin so he can’t kill them again next year on whatever other team he might sign with.
How is WAR calculated, really? Breaking down a single play to find out | ESPN
This is a really fun read from Sam Miller on all the moving parts in a single baseball play and how the players involved get credit or blame for what happens in that play.