If I start these previews now, hopefully I'll be able to finish in time for the start of the season! So I'll start my positional previews with the Catchers.First, there's Joe Mauer, of course. The man with the new $33 million deal. The reigning MLB Batting Champion. The man that I felt should have been MVP last season. Is there anything that Joe Mauer can't do?
As a 23 year-old catcher, all Joe Mauer did was win the Batting Crown, finish 3rd in the AL in OBP and 7th in the AL in SLG. And the man has not even found his power stroke yet. Seriously, he has an incredible eye at the plate, he's a good doubles hitter (which should develop into more HR power), and oh yeah, he's a Gold Glove caliber defender behind the plate. He's the best catcher in the MLB and should have another great year as long as he stays healthy.
Behind him, Mike Redmond was one of the best backup catchers in the MLB last season. In 179 ABs, he batting an astounding .341. Against lefthanders, he put up an astounding line of 443 AVG/467 OBP/543 SLG/1010 OPS. That's awesome, especially when you're talking about backup catchers, which usually more like Henry Blanco. Also, from all accounts, Redmond is great in the clubhouse, which makes him a perfect backup catcher.
So with Joe Mauer and Mike Redmond, the Twins catching position seems to be in very good hands going into the 2007 season.
1 comment:
Blizzard warnings were issued as a service to parts of Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin as snow socked the states in tandem with off the wind fart hear of gusts topping 45 miles (72 kilometers) per hour.
The blizzard -- 10 days in front the onset of winter -- took its greatest levy in Minnesota, where as much as two feet (61 centimeters) of snow had fallen in some locations, according to the National Ill Secondment (NWS).
The splendour's largest big apple Minneapolis was directed a blanket of off-white 17 inches (43 cm) profound, the worst snowfall to bat the city in more than 19 years and the fifth-biggest on record.
As an indicator of the storm's hardness, Minneapolis-St. Paul Universal Airport -- a traversing pivot with expertise in contending with foetid unwell -- was keep quiet down for the gold medal point in years.
Post a Comment