Yesterday we looked at the arbitration records for starting pitchers. Today let's check out the records for catchers who went year-to-year.
- First time: Russell Martin – $3.9MM (2009)
- Second time: Russell Martin – $5.05MM (2010)
- Third time: Ivan Rodriguez – $6.825MM (1997)
Martin owns two of the records, as he'd compiled excellent numbers through the '08 season. Once he got to a $3.9MM base, it was easy for him to remain on top even with a down '09. The arbitration process had Martin exceeding his free agent value during the most recent offseason, resulting in a non-tender by the Dodgers. I doubt Martin minded, since he was able to choose his team and get a guaranteed contract. The Yankees can retain Martin for 2012, as he'll still be arbitration eligible.
As MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith mentioned yesterday, the Cubs' Geovany Soto is currently on the year-to-year path after scoring $3MM in his first arbitration year. He'll need to top a $2.05MM raise in the upcoming offseason to beat Martin's second-time salary. That possibility is heavily dependent on what Soto does in 2011. Arizona's Miguel Montero is going year-to-year right now and Nick Hundley is heading for his first arbitration year, but they're not threatening any records.
I'm not sure about a fourth time record, but if tendered a contract the Rangers' Mike Napoli could be around $8MM. Martin probably won't be that high, plus his arbitration years were interrupted by free agency. Of course, Napoli is as much a first baseman/designated hitter as he is a catcher.
Mike Napoli is as much a catcher as Jorge Posada: yes they can (used loosely) play catcher, and they have played even recently, but their team will go through a lot of trouble to keep them riding the bench during the pitching half of the inning.
Honestly, I might even call that a slight to Posada. Sure, Posada’s always been defensively terrible, but at least he used to be able to catch 100 games a year and maintain his quality bat. Napoli’s bat seems to get progressively worse the more often he plays the field.
I am a big fan of Jorgie, and I appreciate the fact that he was a starting catcher for 16 years. That is a really long time to stick behind the plate, especially for someone as defensively inept as him. He actually seems to be doing worse as a DH now than as a catcher, but I’m sure that’s just a combination of age (no matter what position he plays) and small sample size.
True but playing in Arlington, he should be able to get 25 HR’s and 75 RBI’s even with a BA around .240 and being a backup. And that’s way better than having Chris Davis as the backup.
Posada’s had a controversial career as a catcher (look at all the pitchers who opted for a back up when they started) and has never exactly been feared in regards to throwing out base runners, but those offensive numbers speak for themselves. Like so many who love to play the game, Posada refuses to say his career is winding down or over. But to be honest, I would hope that a 16 season veteran with one club, who happen to be the Yankees, with 5 World Series rings and about $118MM in career earnings would find the grace and humility to call it a career without one of those sad, swan song seasons in a different uniform as he struggles to prove he’s still got it, or is relegated to an even smaller supporting role than what he has now.