1:51pm: Despite moving to release Triple-A backstop Erik Kratz, the Mariners are not “close” to a deal to add a new catcher, multiple sources tell Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times (Twitter link). He does add that Seattle has been looking for a new reserve behind the dish, though it has found the prices unreasonable.
12:23pm: While the Braves have had talks with Seattle regarding A.J. Pierzynski, he is not the backstop who is close to being acquired by the Mariners, Morosi tweets.
12:09pm: The Blue Jays are not involved, says Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca (on Twitter). Toronto backstop Dioner Navarro has long looked like a strong trade candidate, but it appears he isn’t the player being pursued by Seattle.
9:54am: The Mariners are close to striking a deal for a backstop, Jon Morosi of FOX Sports reports on Twitter. The report does not give any indication of the identities of the player or the other team involved in talks.
Seattle, of course, has already traded for a catcher this year, acquiring Welington Castillo from the Cubs. But Castillo has since been shipped to the Diamondbacks as part of the Mark Trumbo deal.
Mike Zunino, who is only 24, still looks like he could be a long-term piece for Seattle. But his struggles have become rather pronounced: his batting line sits at .160/.223/.292 after 277 plate appearances on the year. While Zunino is well regarded as a pitch framer, and Defensive Runs Saved is a fan (+7) of his work behind the dish. But Baseball Prospectus does not rate him highly in its measure of Fielding Runs Above Average.
The addition of Castillo seemed like an effort to supplement Zunino, and it appears that the Mariners are about to undertake another such attempt. Of course, it is entirely unclear at this point what kind of addition is under contemplation. MLBTR’s Steve Adams recently provided a complete breakdown of this year’s trade market at the position.
Let the dealing begin!
Castro, Carter and Appel for Felix. (I can dream)
Add Corea and more and maybe Settle picks up the phone.
Seriously, it would take Correa and Springer just to get the conversation started.
That’s not even close to enough. You would need a current MLB pitcher at least because Seattle is still in the wildcard hunt and would probably like to add, and not subtract.
Correa, Springer, Appel, Castro, McHugh even. That would get Seattle more interested.
Maybe they’ll keep whomever they get for more than 5 minutes this time. Zunino really needs some help.
Cubs trade Kyle Schwarber to M’s for Tijuan Walker, mid-level prospect
Navarro for J. Happ!
Yankees have a few catchers available, namely Murphy and Romine.
How about the Orioles trade Weiters for Walker and whatever prospect the M’s will throw in
Doesn’t Weiters walk after the season? Why would The M’s want to lose Walker for that?
And Wieters is coming back from major surgery (TJ).
not to mention there is no way Seattle gives up Walker let alone any additional pieces for Wieters
It’s Pierzinski from Atlanta
had the same thought
Good guess although I believe its Bryan Pena
This wouldn’t surprise me at all…
By quantity of deals, ATL would make the most sense, but they’re also in the market for a catcher and rely quite a bit on the aging veteran while Bethancourt has been relegated to the minors and ATL has scrounged the waiver-wire for backups.
But who would ATL use?
That’s it. Ryan Lavarnway is the only other C on the roster…and the only way he gets duty behind-the-plate is if we truly are looking for someone other than Bethancourt and we’ve lost hope for 2015.
Have to wonder as a Jays fan if this is FINALLY when Navarro goes. This season they planned to use him quite a bit but that just hasn’t happened.
Hopefully Avila is going bye bye
Actually, I was thinking Bryan Holiday, but Avila might work, too. The Tigers have always been impressed by Wilhelmson. I would like to see them get Furbush back.
Roberto Perez to the M’s?
Navarro, Ruiz, Ellis? I don’t think they’d trade the years of control of Walker for a rental or a backup catcher. If they trade Walker, Elias or Montgomery it better be for a Schwarber type but I think they still want Zunino long term. Maybe Happ and a bullpen piece for a Ruiz or Navarro type of guy?
Gonna be Steve Clevenger, so hold onto your seats…
Walker isn’t getting traded. Hoping for Navarro or Vogt maybe
Navaro for Happ
And apparently it isn’t Navarro now
Vogt isnt getting traded for anything other than a massive, massive overpay.
Victor Martinez……
Boston would have offered him a contract the 1st time he became a FA if they thought he could still catch, the problem was he couldn’t even then, or barely and Varitek had to give him a crash course when he got to Boston on the fundamentals of the job on his arrival to begin with. He was an atrocious catcher that just couldn’t do the job, they let him go though 50m for a catcher would have been a great deal? Boston knew he would never, ever last more than 1.. Maybe 2y if that behind the plate.
what about jesus montero?
I heard someone offered him a cake-pop and he got so mad, he renounced his role as a catcher.
Last time he caught was in 2013 and he tore a muscle in his leg, he’s done caching and his a 1B/DH now
He’s lost a ton of weight and is in great condition. He’s not the same guy as he was in 2013. He really should go to Tacoma for a month and get his catcher legs back.
Montero was the worst receiving catcher in 2013 according to Fangraphs and most of us watching too. I think he was considered the worst framing catcher followed by Ryan Doumit, who was an outfielder mainly. He did catch the combined no hitter but Jaso caught the Felix perfect game. Montero was the DH that day. I’m excited to see what Montero can do with his bat but he shouldn’t step behind the plate again unless he becomes an umpire.
Bryan Pena starts the Reds fire sale
The only way Pena is traded is if a lesser catcher is included in the return. Mesoraco is out for the year and they would need someone to catch the rest of this season. Their owner might eventually be convinced to sell, but I doubt he will ever be convinced to be completely non-competitive. Perhaps Jesus Sucre and a bullpen prospect would work though.
Sucre is so awful with the bat and made 3 mental mistakes last game he caught, I doubt you want him catching the bulk of those games.
Tucker Barnhart would catch the majority of the games. I was thinking of Sucre as a back up.
If Barnhart is starting 3/4 out of every 5 they can use anyone of the AAAA catchers they’ve accumulated as a backup for the rest of the season. A season in which they are destined to lose 90+ games.
Pena is a FA at year’s end, he would be good for the M’s. The Reds have Barnhart who is doing well.
Boston is the team with too many catchers ATM.. They have Sandy Leon, who has the cannon arm frames pitches fairly well, but can’t hit. Ryan Hannigan who gets on base, frame pitches well and just got off the DL after breaking his hand and Blake Swihart on a rehab assignment who will be coming off any day now and then? Vazquez, the starter from last year who had TJ this spring.
They could easily move Leon and might even move Hannigan, never know.
Mariners really brought Zunino up too early and it showed both last year and this year. It’s unfortunate they didn’t let him develop more in the minors. Hopefully, whoever they acquire allows them to give him that time.
If it’s an established starting catcher they could send down Zunino and use Sucre or Kratz as a backup
It’s Wellington Castillo for Mark Trumbo. Dave Stewart is on a quest to confuse the galaxy. He’s on the lookout for a low obp power bat…looked at the dback team yearbook and realized he must have traded Trumbo…and doesn’t realize how Wellington Castillo got on the roster.
I want Guerrero and Reinheimer back, too.
It could be the Reds moving Brayan Pena, who would cost very little in terms of prospects even if the Reds pick up most of his remaining salary.
I often envision Dave Stewart waking Billy Beane up at 3am
“Hey Billy…whatcha up to?”
“It’s 3 in the morning, I’m sleeping…this had better not be about Ron Hassey again.”
“Billy, I’m just showing my interest… Is he available?”
“Dave…I’m going back to sleep now..he’s not on the roster”
“Glen Hubbard, Billy….how’s about Glen Hubbard”
“Done, Dave…now go back to sleep.”
Elias, Farquar, Montero and Ackley for Vogt and Reddick….
A’s could get an absolute bounty for those two, not 3 scrubs.
Yeah I’m just dreaming. Elias would be a good pickup for them and Ackley or Montero might be a good reclamation project but not at that price. Unless the M’s want to dip into the DJ Peterson/Marte area of the farm they don’t have a lot of trade bait for frontline talent.
I’m not sure Ackley can even be considered a reclamation project…he’s never done anything to be reclaimed. He was #2 overall and that’s it
The players are only part of the problem. Management is doing their fair share between unhelpful trades and the lineup merry-go-round. I just hope Jack Z doesn’t trade away our entire farm system trying to save his job before he gets sacked.
Braves pull the plug on Bethancourt? AJP is the more likely one to go, of course.
Let my favorite part of the season begin!
If the M’s deal any pitching on their major league roster it will be Happ. I know he doesn’t have that much value, but the article only says the M’s are dealing for a catcher. It says nothing about it being a good catcher. He only has to be better than Zunino is now.
Happ for Navarro!
I’d really be surprised if they just gave up on Zunino’s catching ability and power for a higher average hitter. I think they are looking more to replace Sucre’s zero power and .038/0 RBI. If you can ignore Z’s .160BA and just look at the 9HR’s and 20 RBI’s from the bottom of the lineup that part isn’t too bad. Z wouldn’t look as bad if the rest of the lineup was hitting with RISP.
Obviously Sucre would be a goner, but I think Zunino loses at bats to a new catcher as well. Right now he’s catching 6 out of 7 games. It would probably go down to 5 or even 4 out of 7, depending on who the new backstop is. The one trade I read here that makes a ton of sense is Happ going to Toronto for Navarro.
I agree. I think that Z would continue to catch Felix and Iwakuma but if Navarro came on board he would probably get equal or maybe even the bulk of the at bats. Zunino is Stellar behind the plate and handles the staff like veteran. I don’t think Mike gets sent down no matter who comes on board though.
Unless it is Navarro or Ruiz I see it being another backup type of guy. Only because I don’t really see what the M’s have to trade beyond Happ or a glut of mediocre outfielders. I don’t see them trading prospects away when Zunino is the catcher of the future. I could see Kuma going to a contender but then what contender has a good catcher that they’ll trade in the middle of contention? So in my opinion it has to be Happ for Navaro, lower prospects for Ruiz or a trade for a backup catcher for a PTNL type of guy.
Has to be Navarro, right?
lol guess no
My Guesses
1st- Dioner Navarro for Mayckol Guaipe
2nd- AJ Pierzynski for Luis Liberato
3rd- Carlos Ruiz and $8,000,000 for Justin Ruggiano (As more salary offset), Jesus Sucre and Tyler Pike
4th- Brayan Pena for Zach Shank
If that’s all it takes for Navarro, sign me up.
As much as I think it will be someone like Navarro, it would be interesting to see something done for Lucroy. The Mariners are essentially going all out for the next couple of years, so I could see them trading from the farm and future for the present. That would probably start with Zunino going to the Brewers, plus a lot more.
I don’t foresee the Brewers moving Lucroy this season, if for nothing more than other FOs disagreeing on value. Even though he’s been turning it on as of late, I don’t see teams willing to give up 3 top 10 prospects and a mid-level for him (which is what I think it’ll take) when he’s slashing .241/.307/.325… maybe I’m wrong and someone will bet on his stellar track record, but I think it will end up making more sense on Milwaukee’s end to hang onto him.
I hope it’s Carlos Ruiz, but I doubt it.
So what started out as a vague report, is now only slightly less vague with 2 catchers that it is NOT. I can break a report too. “Blue Jays are close to acquiring a pitcher” – it will happen eventually.
I would assume it is an MLB-ready catcher with experience to either split time or take over the starting role for Zunino. The options probably are:
1. Navarro
2. Pierzynski
3. Norris
4. Soto
5. Mathis
6. McKenry
7. Hundley
8. Avila
9. Bethancourt
10. Rosario
11. Leon/Hanigan
1 and 2 are apparently out. It’s almost like a game of clue, where you eliminate one player at a time.
Lucroy
Bryan Holiday was with the Tigers when Lloyd McClendon was. He was the back up all of last year, so he is experienced. I don’t know if the Tigers want to move Avila quite yet. Plus he is their only lefty bat after Victor.
You forgot Plawecki. Mets could make him available in the right deal and then go get a defensive backup to replace him. I don’t see Mets keeping TDA and Plawecki, long term. TDA can’t stay healthy, but Plawecki’s defense won’t work with their pitching staff. They could REALLY use a guy like Leon back there, and Boston does need pitching.
Not saying it will happen, but if the M’s wanted Plawecki badly enough, I could see something shaking out that way. Mets move Plawecki to Seattle and then Mets move pitching to Boston for Leon. Guess this is the long way of saying, you might have missed one.
Austin Hedges for Chris Taylor and Danny Hultzen
I don’t think the M’s want to lean on two young catchers. I expect Jack Z acquires a vet. Whether it’s one who splits time with Zunino or supplants him is more of the question.
Wouldn’t mind Norris though.
Miguel Olivo FTW
If pierzynski and Navarro are out I see Pena or hundley as most likely headed to Seattle. With Norris or lucroy as the possible surprise targets
The M’s need to fire the GM now and not allow this guy to trade any more prospects. Zduriencik traded for Trumbo when he had Montero hitting in AAA. Montero lost a ton of weight showing he was committed this year. They also traded Gabby Guerrero and Jack Reinheimer in the Trumbo deal. This GM is throwing away prospects because he was unwilling to give Montero a shot. Fire Zduriencik now!
Hmmm, I wonder if the Cubs might move Montero seeing as everyone loves Schwarber so much and his bat is more than ready…
Padres trade Norris to Mariners
I would like to see this. I wonder what it would take to acquire him though.
Do the Padres really start a fire sale already though?
Not a fire sale.Norris for James Paxton.Padres have two young catchers that are better defensively.
Mariners won’t be trading Paxton or any of their young pitching anytime soon.+
I know this may seem like a stretch, but what about Carlos Ruiz? He’s an experienced catcher who knows how to handle aces, and he wouldn’t cost much in terms of prospects. The only obstacle would be his contract, but I’m sure the Phillies would be willing to eat most or all of it.
I’m sure he’s available but he’s still owed $4 mil this year, $8.5 mil for next year, and a $4.5 mil team option/500k buyout. That’s a minimum of about $13 mil owed to Chooch so I guess the Phils would have to kick in at least half of that and then they’d still be lucky to get a lower-level, low tier prospect in my eyes.
Chooch can still handle a pitching staff, but his defense has gotten worse as I guess you’d expect with his age. I expected the offense to drop off, but didn’t expect the defense to this quickly since that was always his bread and butter.
Is it possible that the Tigers are discussing Alex Avila?
Yes, rumor was they shopped him before the season. That may have just been posturing for contract negotiations.
I could realistically see Nick Hundley as a guy they would target because he is cheap and the Rockies are out of contention. Sure he’s not an everyday catcher but I don’t think they need an everyday catcher with Zunino.
I’m guessing Hector Sanchez from the Giants.
I could see it happening… Who would the Giants get back?
I’d mark out if it was Lucroy, Norris, or Vogt. I don’t think it’s either of them though. Mariners probably won’t have enough for Lucroy, I don’t see San Diego selling yet, and I’m guessing Oakland doesn’t want to trade Vogt for cheap. Though if the Mariners could swing a deal for Vogt/Zobrist, man I’d be soooo happy.
LuCroy for Walker/Montero
Lol.
M’s released Kratz. Are they making room for Sucre to go to AAA? That makes me think the catcher in question is on a team that isn’t asking for a catcher in return. A team that has three on staff or with an easy call up from triple A.
So we have nothing but a created news story? Reporter one fills space by mentioning something…reporter two comes back later and denies this citing sources. All in a good day of web and social media hits. Then when a trade DOES occur it seems to blindside them.
Correct. And you’ll notice we’re following along like lost sheep because there is NO BASEBALL game today. 🙂
Wasn’t it Morosi that always used to “report” that Felix was going to the Yankees without proof? Seeing that Ryan Divish and Bob Dutton have no intel on this at all makes it sound like JP was jumping too far ahead on a rumor.
Some of these jokers actually get paid by views. I’m just saying this news ONLY exists in the realm of conjecture.
Maybe its john jaso
He doesn’t catch.
Ryan Hanigan from Boston.
Ryan Hanigan
The fact that the latest update says that the asking price is high for the M’s makes me think it’s Ruiz. Sounds like Amaro dealing…I don’t know that he’s a full time catcher anymore, but pitchers love throwing to Ruiz. Would be a good pickup for the M’s in my opinion. I don’t know much about M’s farm system but I’d expect maybe an 11-15 rated prospect plus the Phillies kick in some cash.
Add in Paps , and we can really Kill two Birds with one Trade
Hopefully it is Bethancourt from the Braves. All we want in return is a couple of autographed Jay Buhner jerseys and the rights to name Edgar Martinez as our next hitting coach
Its amazing that a discussion of who the back up catcher in Seattle might be, ends up with over 100 comments, including this one.
Carlos Ruiz of the Phillies is Still serviceable and relatively Cheap !
Thanks for all the false hope Morosi…also my f5 key is now broken.
Alex Jackson was taken out in Everett after just one at bat. Hmmmm.
Matt Wieters?