The new behind

In 19th century parlance the catcher was referred to as the "behind" (as in the player behind home plate). Often, the behind was the most athletic player and the captain of the team and he was charged with calling the defense. The behind did not wear a glove until later in the 1870s. Pitchers (referred to as hurlers initially) pitched the ball underhanded until the latter 1870s. When pitchers began throwing overhanded the velocity of the baseball increased as did the swelling of the catchers' hands. The first glove was worn by catcher Doug Allison of the Cincinnati Red Stockings in 1870 ( Noah Liberman: Glove Affairs: The Romance, History, and Tradition of the Baseball Glove (Triumph Books).

Gloves did not catch on until Albert Spaulding began wearing them, and by the 1890s it was considered the norm to wear gloves. By the 1890s, the game was beginning to look quite a bit more like the game we know today.

Today, the catcher is still the anchor of the infield and has some control of the action on the field. The best catchers are the ones who can "call a good game" or "works pitchers" well and can throw out a good percentage (about 30% or more) of base stealers. A catcher may have to be like a hockey goalie if he has to catch for a knuckleballer (like Tim Wakefield) or a pitcher who throws a lot of breaking stuff. Many catchers go on to manager (a la Eric Wedge and Joe Torre, for example). They are indeed some of the most intelligent ballplayers on the field with few exceptions.

So, it is without any small concession that the New York Mets are courting Yorvitt Torealba from the Colorado Rockies, thereby cutting ties with Paul Lo Duca. Torealba is a significant catch for the Mets (no pun intended...well, maybe it was...) who were certainly looking for an upgrade defensively. Torealba was the cream of the crop in the free agent field this year. Here are the rest of the significant catchers who are available:

1. Paul Bako (Baltiomore Orioles in 2007): Not known for his, but John Smoltz seemed to favor him when he caught in Atlanta in 2000-2001. He was ranked as the lowest player in Yahoo fantasy baseball and made the final out in the 2003 NLCS when he played for the Cubs. He serves mostly as a back-up catcher.

2. Doug Mirabelli (Boston Red Sox in 2007): He's the personal catcher for Tim Wakefield. He's also known more as a backup and does not hit well. He'll probably re-sign with the Red Sox.

3. Jason LaRue (Kansas City Royals in 2007): He signed a heft contract after a "breakout" year in 2005 while playing for Cincinnati. One year after signing his 2 year $9 million contract he was dealt to the Royals for a player to be named later. His batting skills seem to be diminishing rather than improving (he batted .194 and .148 the last two seasons, respectively).

4. Jose Molina (New York Yankees in 2007): He's a career .243 hitter and a career back-up catcher who spent most of his career with the Angels.

5. Mike Piazza (Oakland A's in 2007): He's been used more as a DH than a catcher and was on the disabled list for part of 2007. Nonetheless, Piazza still batted a very respectable .275 in 83 games and brings a great deal of experience to any team. I think he'll re-sign with Oakland or some other AL west coast team.

6. Josh Paul (Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 2007): He was Seth McClung's personal pitcher in 2006 and is supposedly writing a chapter of a new book on "pitch selection" about McClung. Josh Paul has served primarily in a back-up role and is infamous for his gaffe in Game 2 of the 2005 ALCS when he was with the Angels.

7. Sal Fasano (Toronto Blue Jays in 2007): A career .219 hitter who is well-liked on his clubs. He serves as a back-up catcher and is a bit of a journeyman.

8. Jason Kendall (Oakland A's and Chicago Cubs in 2007): One of my favorite players in the game today. He's a career .297 hitter and player far better this season after being traded to Chicago. A good contact hitter, he rarely strikes out, and he plays hard at the plate. He's the premier free agent at catcher right now, but he'll probably sign again with Chicago who I expect will make a good offer.

9. Mike Lieberthhal (LA Dodgers in 2007): Lieberthal was a hot commodity when he was with the Phillies, but he was rarely used as the Dodgers' backstop. He was known as a great defensive catcher. He would be a great pick up if he can start more than the 38 games he played in Dodger Blue.

10. Damian Miller (Milwaukee Brewers in 2007): Damian Miller's value to the Brewers has dropped off after the Brewers acquired Johnny Estrada last season, and the Brewers have two young backstops that are eager to move up: Eric Munson and Mike Rivera. Damian has had some dramatic at-bats and plays well behind the plate, but the Brewers will want a cheaper alternative for their back-up.

11. Paul Lo Duca (New York Mets in 2007): Lo Duca is a good contact hitter and a four time All-Star (he started in the 2006 game). It's actually a bit surprising that the Mets are severing ties with Lo Duca, although base stealers have been wont to roam freely when he's catching. Lo Duca's age might be starting to show (he'll turn 38 in 2008) and he may be relegated to a back-up role if he goes to a premier team, unless he tries his glove at first base.

12. Rod Barajas (Philadelphia Phillies in 2007): His best season came in 2005 for Texas when he batted .254 and belted 21 homeruns and drove in 60 runs in 120 games. His production has dropped off fast since then. He backed out of deal with Toronto last year that allowed him to switch to the NL and play for the Phillies.

13. Michael Barrett (Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres in 2007): Michael Barrett is an "old school" player, but he is not afraid to clash with team mates in the clubhouse. Barrett was involved in volatile verbal exchange with Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano and later with Rich Hill. He was traded soon after to the Padres. Despite this, he's a respectable .266 career hitter, although his average dropped significantly last season.

14. Gary Bennett (St Louis Cardinals in 2007): Has had a respectable career mostly as a backup. The Cardinals bought out the 2008 seasons, though. He's a career .242 hitter.

As I see it, there are four "premier" catchers left on the free agent block: Kendall, Lo Duca, Piazza and Barrett. Kendall will probably be the more pricey of the three, especially since Piazza's time behind the plate has diminished significantly over the last few seasons and Barrett will have to convince suitors that he is not a "hothead". Lo Duca will not go too cheaply either, but Kendall will be the most expensive free agent among catchers.

How does this all of this fare for the Braves and the Brewers? It probably really does not matter to them. For the Brewers, it means that Damian Miller will leave and they can afford it with two very capable options. Brian McCann of the Braves is set and they have some depth at catcher in the organization. In any case, I'm always watchful of catchers because of their importance to the daily game.

I'll continue this blog later with my promise of a discussion of the Brewers and A-Rod and of course Barry Bonds (let's face it, I am sure everyone else is already discussing Bonds. If I wait another day I seriously doubt it will hurt!).