Email a copy of 'Cardinals Sign Eric Fryer, Jordan Schafer To Minor League Deals' to a friend
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By Steve Adams | at
Email a copy of 'Cardinals Sign Eric Fryer, Jordan Schafer To Minor League Deals' to a friend
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tim815
Three low-key, but fairly astute signings.
stl_cards16 2
Fryer will likely make the team as the backup catcher. They needed someoneon a minor league deal so they didn’t gave to make a 40 man roster move. Duke will go to the 60 Day DL and it’s a pretty good bet Fryer starts the year on the 25 man roster.
cardfan2011
Yippee!! Fryer was a solid backup catcher, happy to have him back
relic
I was thinking about Fryer last week when Mo said that Carson Kelly will likely be at AAA to get at-bats. So Fryer is a nice snag. And I agree – he should make the 25-man roster.
kaido24
good to see fryer back.
lesterdnightfly
With Molina’s steady decline, the Cards’ catching situation is “out of the frying pan, into the Fryer”.
ruthlesslyabsurd
I know you’re just making a silly pun, but he improved offensively in virtually every single category last year.. He slashed .365/.398/.529 in the second half
mojowo11
Not to rain on the Eric Fryer parade here, but Fryer actually slashed .175/.284/.206 in the second half last year. He was awful with the Pirates.
stl_cards16 2
He only had 92 PA in Pit. But yeah, he’s not being brought in for offense. He knows the pitching staff so he’s an easy plug and go guy. If anything happens to Molina and there’s regular playing time available, Kelly will be called up and be the starter.
Baghtru
Actually, Ruthless’ slash line was Yadi’s second half, after his hand was more healed…. i.e. he’s not in steady decline…
lesterdnightfly
His defense has been in steady decline. His foot speed is approaching his brother Benjie’s. He is not a power threat.
He may still have a few more years, but not good ones if Matheny makes him catch 140-plus games yet again.
stl_cards16 2
He’s a catcher in his mid-thirties that’s been behind the plate virtually every day he hasn’t had something broken for a decade… Of course his defense is declining. But the wrist was finally healthy last year and he put up his highest ISO since 2013. He’s fine and if he’s healthy, he’ll be behind the plate.
lesterdnightfly
A catcher in his mid-30s as you say….. and with all that mileage on him, and his ability to control the running game in a downward spin, playing him behind the plate for 140 games is counterproductive.
The Cards have been unable to find a capable backup / guy who can share the load behind the plate. Fryer isn’t the answer.
guinnesspelican
Fryer did a respectable job with the birds in his limited playing time last year. I was surprised we didn’t see more of him. Yadi needs 125 games maximum behind the plate. Fryer can catch the other 37 games.
Pena was supposed to be that capable backup last year and this year. That was a mess.
stl_cards16 2
With Kelly, the Cardinals catching situation is fine. They just want him to continue getting regular reps in Memphis. Molina had a pretty good year last year, too.
lesterdnightfly
Pretty good year with the bat, albeit no power threat. Defensively, he fell to around league average.
A'sfaninUK
Schafer was lowkey filthy last year, might be a legit 2-way guy for real. Him being an extra bat off the bench would make him pretty valuable even if he’s not-great at both, his career OPS is a lowly .615, but that’s still better than almost all pitchers, plus he can play all 3 OF spots. That’s a perfect 25th man.
resomnesbenefacere
He’d be especially valuable since the Cardinals don’t really have a fifth outfielder besides Jose Martinez, and the fourth outfielder, Pham, is probably going to be injured at some point
guinnesspelican
Pham just got hurt with your post.
cards1029
Super funny!
lesterdnightfly
Pham being out with an injury equals addition by subtraction.
AddisonStreet
He cant hit tho, which is the whole reason he started pitching.
JFactor
I didn’t know about Schaefer and pitching.
I assume he’ll be an outfielder for us. But could he pitch?
gobraves46
The Cardinals just have to do with Schafer the same thing they did with Rick Ankiel, but backwards…
Paul Molitor
Someone tell me that fryer is a beast
guinnesspelican
He approaches beastliness.