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Nick Evans, Catcher: Brilliant!


By Howard Megdal ~ October 1st, 2009. Filed under: Howard Megdal.

Lost among all the consternation over Francisco Rodriguez pitching terribly and Jose Reyes tearing a hamstring while running for no reason was this tidbit reported by Adam Rubin:

“Nick Evans has started only three games since an Aug. 25 promotion, but his idle time hasn’t been a complete waste. Evans has been working with coach Sandy Alomar Jr. on learning to catch as a way of increasing his versatility, although he wouldn’t appear behind the plate in anything but an emergency situation….”

While the Mets have displayed the initiative to move players in the past, they haven’t really followed through on it. Daniel Murphy, second baseman, is a great example- the Mets were going to send him to winter ball to learn the position, until an injury kept him from moving there. Suddenly he was the everyday left fielder, a position that doesn’t reward average offense the way second base does.

As for Nick Evans, catcher, the move would do several things. For one, the Mets have very little organizational depth at catcher. For another, it provides Nick Evans with an opportunity- as of right now, I understand he is at one of the classified Black Sites set up under the last administration. And the upside is significant.

In Nick Evans’ first 187 major league plate appearances over two seasons, he has posted an OPS of .670. Among catchers with 300 plate appearances this season, that would place 19th of 25.

But as recently as 2008, Evans hit for a .924 OPS at Double-A Binghamton. That OPS, of course, would be the best among any catcher in the National League (edited: thanks, Lou!) this season. Even the major league equivalent, .708, would be 16th of 25.

And this assumes no further improvement from Evans at the plate, which, considering he is just 23, is pessimistic in the extreme.

In short: seems like the Mets should listen to the person who suggested Nick Evans as catcher more, and the person who suggested Jose Reyes should keep trying to run on a torn tendon that already likely required surgery less. And if that’s the same guy, only listen to him when he’s sober.

Howard Megdal is the Editor-in-Chief of The Perpetual Post. He covers baseball, basketball and soccer for Capital New York, MLBTradeRumors.com, New York Baseball Digest and has written for ESPN.com as well as numerous other publications. He is the Poet Laureate for SBNation New York. His book about Jewish baseball players, “The Baseball Talmud,” is available for purchase on Amazon.com and wherever books are sold. His next book, "Taking The Field", is available for pre-order on Amazon.com and will publish in May 2011.
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8 Responses to Nick Evans, Catcher: Brilliant!

  1. Ceetar
    October 1st, 2009 at 11:41 am

    The article made it sound like the idea was Evans. Couldn’t hurt.

    Of course, if the organization/manager doesn’t change, this suggest Evans will be our new 8th inning guy next year.

  2. Ceetar
    October 1st, 2009 at 11:41 am

    No no, i’ve got one better.

    This suggests the Mets will sign Ivan Rodriguez on April 4th, 2010.

  3. nel
    October 1st, 2009 at 11:52 am

    a good way for the mets to continue being cheap. give the backup catcher job to an outfielder

  4. Ceetar
    October 1st, 2009 at 12:17 pm

    Oh come on? You want them to overpay for a backup catcher? People were screaming about 2mill for Cora.

  5. James K.
    October 1st, 2009 at 12:31 pm

    Good stuff, especially that last paragraph. Evans is just 23 with a similar minor league track record than Daniel Murphy and has barely played this year. Any way he can get on the field is worth a shot.

  6. Mike Silva
    October 1st, 2009 at 10:02 pm

    Couple of things I want to throw out there.

    1) I think Sandy Alomar Jr. does a nice job with instruction (so it seems)- you get all sorts of good reports about him. The man knew how to catch during his playing days. They should keep him around. Even when he played and couldn’t hit in 2007 he was their best defensive catcher IMO (perhaps an indictment on LoDuca/Castro)

    2) Interesting info I obtained on Pudge. I was told by agent that his client HATES throwing to Pudge. Why? Because Pudge, with runners on base, calls all fastballs so he has a better chance to throw out runners. Some of the younger pitchers won’t shake him off, even if its not what they want to throw. This guy actually will shake Pudge off, but the selfishness annoys him. Calling a game and work behind the plate is incredibly important. I rather have a solid defensive catcher and give up OPS. I think Piazza was underrated in game calling. You never heard any complaints. I will have to look more into that and see if my memory serves me correct on that.

  7. Lou
    October 2nd, 2009 at 8:50 am

    Have you followed baseball this year? Have you heard of Joe Mauer? That OPS would be over .100 less than the league leader (or more than 10%). So, yes it would have led the NL, but not all catchers.

  8. Howard Megdal
    October 2nd, 2009 at 10:36 am

    Thanks, Lou- have edited it. Meant to write National League.

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