The Phillies have agreed to sign catcher Brian Schneider, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter). The deal, which Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports caught wind of yesterday, is pending a physical. Schneider gets a base salary of $800K and could earn another $200K in incentives, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
Schneider, 34, spent the past two seasons as the Phillies' backup catcher. He struggled at times in 2011, posting a .176/.246/.256 line in 139 plate appearances and preventing just three of 23 stolen base attempts against him. Schneider has spent his entire 12-year career in the NL East with the Expos, Nationals, Mets and Phillies.
How much money?
Would rather have Shoppach or someone else that is younger. Oh well, it’s only the backup catcher.
Schneider had way too many at bats last year to be unconcerned about his pathetic hitting.
This once again confirms Amaro’s inability or unwillingness to fill reserve positions with effective bats. Valdez, Martinez, Schneider…lucky if they hit a combined average around .200. Good field/no hit players are a necessary evil but only bon a very limited basis. Not as a rule throughout the roster. There are too many alternatives.
Most GM’s with money to flaunt can find talent on the level of a Halladay or Lee. But it takes a clever, top notch baseball man with ingenuity to seek out the less ballyhooed players necessary to comprise a truly championship caliber team.
I can think of around a dozen free agent catchers and non-tender candidates that I would rather have than Schneider.
Rube likes his player slightly above freezing….mid to upper 30’s.
I see what you did there, you compared Schneider’s age to the degrees above freezing, tricky!!
Schneider is a great veteran to have off the bench. Not the best hitter but nows fundamentals and has insightful knowledge.
So does Tim McCarver, but I don’t want him on my team either at his age.
McCarver has insightful knowledge? Since when?
Eh, I was reaching for an old catcher, and his voice was fresh in my head from watching the Series…
I apologize, I’ll do better next time.
There are better catcher out there that would help us better.
There are better catcher out there that would help us more. Got what we got guest we will have to deal with it
you shouldn’t have tried to fix your first post. the second attempt is much worse. but i guest we will have to deal with it.
Yeah, they should have traded for Brian McCann to back up Ruiz.
3 Years in a row the Phillie have taken a step back in the playoffs. This was an oppurtunity to bring in a fresh personality and possible an upgrade at the back-up catcher position. Rube seems happy with the status quo but if I were Phils GM I would be proactive and looking to change things any chance I had.
The idea that a backup catcher is the reason the Phillies are going backwards in the playoffs is ridiculous. When’s the last time Schneider started a playoff game? Schneider and the playoffs having nothing to do with one another.
His point is that this team is the oldest in the league, and if Rube does not feel comfortable enough handing the backup catching duties over to someone younger, well then where DOES he feel ok injecting youth into this roster?
Bastardo and Stutes showed a lot of promise this year, by signing Paplebon to that type of deal, he effectively removed any chance that either will get a chance to close barring injury for the next four years. I think its fair to ask if THAT signing was necssary, given the fact that offense, not pitching or defense, was the reason we lost Game 5 of the NLDS.
Phillies record in games Schneider started last season: 27-8
Speaks for itself…no?
You’re right…last five year win totals for the Phillies:
89, 92, 93, 97, 102
Definitely doing something wrong.
He’s basically the Vanimal’s personal catcher. Looking forward to him framing that beautiful two-seamer to Lefties all year.
That whole ‘playoff regression’ is beyond stupid. I’d rather look at the fact that 3 years in a row they have improved their record and 2 straight years have had the best record in baseball. Funny you bring it up in a post about a backup catcher. Someone who gets 0 playoff exposure.
“He struggled at times,” is a bit of an understatement. Unless “at times” means all of 2011.
No need to be so grumpy with this signing. Back up catchers rarely hit unless you wanted to sign Posada…which wasn’t happening. Name another back up catcher available you want…difficult to do. Yes, Schneider didn’t hit but the pitchers loved him…thats all that matters. He was solid behind the plate and called a great game…who cares if he hit.
Philly phans love to whine but this is an acceptable signing as the pitchers loved to throw to Schneider as he called a great game. Solid defense also. Who else would you prefer? Posada would be too much money, Doumit is a nightmare behind the plate…this signing is solid and glad it is done.
You define a catcher with 11% success in throwing out base stealers as having “solid defense”?
Applying the same logic, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but your college girlfriend was FAT, not big boned…
He’s worth bringing back as a means to try to ensure Worley’s sustained success for another year. They work well together, Schneider is solid on Defense, and I assume he came rather cheaply. Sure, they could’ve let Erik Kratz take a shot, but Worley and Schneider were a very good team, and allowed Chooch to rely on having every 5th game off. Why fix what isn’t broke?
“Schneider gets a base salary of $800K and could earn another $200K in incentives”.
You might as well scratch off that $200K in incentives.
You never know, the incentives might be “show up for every game” and “throw out 3 or more base runners.” That last one might be tough, but he has a shot at it.