JULY 12: Cervelli now says that he does hope to return to working behind the plate. (Post via Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, on Twitter.)
“Saying that I quit from my catcher responsibilities is inaccurate,” he writes. “My hope is to catch again.”
Cervelli goes on to explain that he is merely staying out from behind the dish for the present as “part of the process of recovery from several concussions that have forced me to stop and think about my health beyond my baseball years.” The long-time receiver says he loves the game too much not to try to “reinvent” himself and keep plugging.
There’s certainly some ambiguity here. Whether he was prompted to clarify his stance based upon contractual concerns or a genuine desire to get back behind the plate, there’s no doubting Cervelli’s heart. At this point, though, it seems uncertain at best whether he will again don the mask in the majors.
JULY 7: Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli is giving up his career-long position because of chronic concussion issues. The 33-year-old told Dejan Kovacevic of DKPittsburghSports.com that he will no longer catch.
“That’s enough,” Cervelli stunningly revealed to Kovacevic. “This time is different. I can’t live like this.”
Cervelli has been on the injured list since suffering a concussion May 25. It’s at least the sixth he has incurred since his major league career began with the Yankees in 2008, Kovacevic notes. It’s unclear which position Cervelli will take next, though he emphasized to Kovacevic it was his decision – not the Pirates’ – to leave behind catching. Cervelli added he hopes to begin a rehab assignment at the Triple-A level in the coming weeks.
Cervelli, a Pirate since 2015, had been a respectable starting catcher for the club when he was healthy enough to man the position. He was at his best in 2015, a season in which he logged a tremendous 5.9 fWAR in 130 games. That compelled Pittsburgh to extend Cervelli in May 2016, when it awarded him a three-year, $33MM guarantee. Cervelli lived up to that pact as recently as last year, hitting .259/.378/.431 (125 wRC+) with 2.6 fWAR in 404 plate appearances and 104 games. Thanks in part to injuries, though, he got off to a slow start this season. As of now, he owns a .193/.247/.248 line (47 wRC+) across 123 PA.
With no obvious position anymore and Cervelli’s contract set to expire at season’s end, it seems likely this will be his final year with the Pirates. Speculatively, if he does return in 2019, he could try his hand as a reserve corner infielder. The Pirates have one of the majors’ premier first basemen, Josh Bell, and a capable starter at third in Colin Moran. Regardless of whether Cervelli shifts to either of those spots, it doesn’t seem he’ll garner much more playing time this year, and will now cede his customary position to Elias Diaz and Jacob Stallings.
Could he become an outfielder? Or maybe he could try what Christian Bethancourt did and try to be a pitcher.
I’m surprised it’s taken this long. Honestly, shame on the Pirates for not making this happen sooner. This transition should have started last year when Cervelli suffered 2 concussions. Long-term health is more important than anything else.
How do you know they didn’t try and he refused?
Cervelli doesnt fill out the lineup card or sign his own checks. If the Pirates really pushed for this earlier then Cervelli wouldn’t have had a choice.
Regardless of anyone’s social/political/moral perspective of an employer and employee relationship, facts are that he is being paid more than ten million dollars for one years worth of work and if his boss, or bosses, wanted him to not be a catcher he wouldn’t be a catcher. Especially for the Pirates where 10 million is roughly equivalent to at least 15 million to the rest of the league.
So they should have let someone else get the other 2 concussions instead? This whole soapbox makes no sense. It’s a dangerous job for anyone, not just Francisco Cervelli. What were they supposed to do, just not have a catcher and ask opposing teams to be nice?
Please direct your effort at real solutions, like better gear or rule changes that minimize the risk of these injuries happening to anyone.
He did in fact refuse initially per various reports here in Pgh.
nice
be Josh bells shadow?
All I can say is, it’s a shame that he will not be able to play full time any more.
Whoa. Cervelli has a few career appearances at 3B and 2B, but those were many years ago. Other than the occasional appearance at 1B, he may end up mostly pinch-hitting for the rest of the year.
Hello American League.
He’s not a good enough hitter to be a primary DH.
How many AL teams even have a regular DH anymore? Nelson Cruz, Ohtani, Khris Davis, Miggy Cabrera and…Jorge Soler?
Stanton when healthy?
He can say whatever he wants, but the Pirates signed him to be their starting catcher, and at a relatively high price for their market. He should have to suck up the rest of the season then present himself however he feels fit on the Free Agent market this off season. I realize his health is at stake, but if Pittsburgh felt mutually something would have already happened. The Pirates are also just 3.5 games out of their division. Comes as a huge blow if one of their core pieces isn’t going to plan. Red Sox were lucky to win it all last season with how Blake Swihart was played.
His long term health is more important than this game. Your comment is pathetic to be honest. He’s not trying to be a vegetable after baseball and you’re concerned with the pirates standings? News flash they aren’t going anywhere
Wahwah Boohoo, it’s 2019 and if I signed a contract I don’t have to commit to it. If his health is truly a concern the Pirates and Cervelli should have came together and came up with a solution (mutual decision to restructure or void deal since Cervelli isn’t upholding his side of the deal)
Keep going, you’re only making yourself look like more of a jerk.
he signed a contract to play baseball with the pirates. he was never locked into catching. he can’t play baseball at a high level if he continues suffering concussions while catching. this is best for the player and team
run very hard and headbutt a concrete wall. repeatedly. you’ll learn some important lessons to be very rich.
Okay sure, should I be provided with Major League approved catching gear and a $31 million contract before I do so?
you just seemed to be so bravado to do it without money or protection.
No sir, just a fan of the game giving my opinion. If I made a commitment to an organization, I’d fulfill what I promised through the end of the deal, even if I told the organization to step down into a reserve catcher role. He needs to stay on the IL or be a catcher.
every team has an obligation to protect its players. players with multiple concussions should never be in a position to suffer even more. that’s all.
Why stop there? He should in fact be forced to play. Right? He is franchise property after all. Nothing like forced labor to get the job done… Wow.
I love when people attempt to make a moral argument concerning obligation, yet fail to also protect the player. Not only did Cervalli sign a contract knowing the potential downside, but so did the Pirates especially with Cervalli’s history. If there were no long term health implications involved, you may have some leeway, but the simple fact is this is not an overtly selfish move. It is a move made, because we all know the potential devastation that could come.
If you don’t think the league would chew him up and spit him out come another concussion, then you are lying to yourself. Athletes know their bodies and capabilities better than anyone so excuse me for rolling off my eyes when you attempt to make this into a “I would situation,” because you probably couldn’t handle the daily grind through the serious impacts of multiple concussions along with everything that comes from that position.
“run very hard and headbutt a concrete wall. repeatedly.”
It appears that “hpafs” already has.
Agreed. I understand Cervalli’s wishes to switch positions, but he should understand his contract was for him to play as catcher. I would ask for him to restructure his contract so the Pirates can go out and find a replacement.
He’s played several games at 1B and DH for the Pirates. Wasn’t an issue moving him away from catching then, shouldn’t be now for a health concern.
Hpafs,I would say that you have no idea how getting hit in the head with multiple foul balls and home plate collisions feels like. Your argument and opinion are defenseless in this case.
I agree with your first two sentences jdice.
They are 2 1/2 games back in the tightest division perhaps of all time.You May or may not be right about your third sentence.
They’re idiots and couldn’t run a club well if they’re life depended on it. He’s under no obligation to jeopardize his health no matter what he signed. He should have been traded after 2015. They had Diaz and others coming up.
Agreed, Pirates never act like their contending or rebuilding, always happy in that middle ground. Having a 12 million dollar position-less player stuck on the roster doesn’t help them at all at this point!
“He should have to suck [it] up.”
We’re far beyond this nonsensical old-schoolery when it comes to concussions. The data is out there. This isn’t a “suck it up” type situation.
If he has issues with concussions, there is a special 7 day IL for players with his concerns. He signed a lucrative contract to be the starting catcher in Pittsburgh, and unless a doctor deems it unsafe he should have to finish his commitment,
Six career concussions, discussed at length the detriment they’ve had on his career. I’m hoping the 7 day concussion list recommendation is a joke. Regardless, you have an extremely cold, utilitarian viewpoint. These are people, ya know. And, uh, brain issues are sensitive, ya know.
Nope, the 7 Day Concussion IL is a real thing buddy! It sounds like he could use some extra time on it. I don’t find my comments cold, I think they’ve been taken out of context. If the Pirates organization or a team doctor made the recommendation for Cervelli to stop catching, great, I’d be all for it. But here you have a player who signed a deal with a team to be their starting catcher, now saying he won’t catch but still intends to play. It creates a highly unnecessary roster crunch to a low budget team that is certainly still in the playoff hunt. He’s a person, you’re a person, I’m a person and we all have our opinions. But I guarantee if you or I told our bosses we were concerned about doing our jobs for health issues, I guarantee we’d be out the door and our position would be filled by someone who doesn’t mind the health concerns.
Lol it’s obviously a real thing, I suggested that your recommendation that a 7-day stint is enough is a joke. You also have no insight into what the doctors have told him about his health. Regardless, concussions are not comparable to other physical injuries. The severity and impact of concussions is difficult to quantify from third parties, and thus Cervelli should be believed and supported. The dude has had 6 damn concussions, man.
Neither of us has actually read Cervelli’s contract, but I guarantee you that nowhere in it does it state that he is required to play catcher. Yes, when he signed the contract, the understanding was that he would play catcher. But it would not be in the team’s best interest to make a guy play a position that further jeopardizes his health. This is an exceptional circumstance. If the Pirates are really unhappy with him then they can trade or release him, but it’s nonsense to suggest that Cervelli should feel obligated to play a certain position when players are asked to change positions all the time without redoing their contracts.
I see “hpafs” has no response to your logical concussing of his argument.
Good thing he didn’t sign a contract to uphold his ridiculous position, huh?
But I love how he acts like he’s making a totally valid point. Maybe Jeff bezos or Trymp would agree with his heartless and unnecessary “profit at all human cost” like comments, but most decent people that aren’t sociopaths have this little thing called empathy
@hpafs Maybe you’ve never had a concussion. The symptoms don’t just “go away” like a boo boo. If this were his very first then maybe I could sort of understand your view but concussions can have a massively destructive effect and he’s had at least 5 others. A catcher is at rish on every pitch. A foul tip to the mast. A batter with an extra long back wing. Or, a collision at the plate. I understand his apprehension in wanting to go back to that.
Hpafs, your off on that comment. Not sure where you work, but the majority of companies have HR departments that are obligated to work with health concerns. Your are definitely sticking to your argument, but you are looking losing reason in the comment. It’s a two way contract, and all teams and the league are responsible for the health of their players just as much as the players are responsible for their own health. Just drop it.
So… You say that he made a commitment to be the pirates starting catcher based on his contract.
So on the flip side, the pirates made commitments to him to be their starting catcher… But we see teams all the time make deals with players and something better comes along and the starter is now moved to the bench. So… the team can back out and no longer start the player but the player can’t change position based on his best health interest?
hapfs… You are a joke
No roster crunch at all. If you take all the health/concussion issues away like you seem to want to ignore, and make it purely about making the best baseball
move then just dfa Cervelli since Diaz and Stallings have been much better than Cervelli when he has played this year anyway.
Everyone is responding to the same dude, no one is actually telling him to “suck it up”, hope he finds a spot to keep playing, get well soon.
Says the person who probably calls out sick from work every time they have a runny nose.
You’re comparing a runny nose to multiple concussions and it’s coming off really stupid. Would you suffer long term bodily damage for your job? If they would ask you to do that, chances are your job doesn’t care about you at all.
I think he’s talking about the original poster being that type haha.
Maybe I do, maybe I don’t. Just have it known that I didn’t sign a contract to do my job, and my job happens to come with sick days that I may use as I please. You’re talking apples and oranges.
“I realize his health is at stake, but…”
Anything after that is idiotic and irrelevant.
Even if he signed a contract under the premises that he would play Catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates through the end of 2019. Ah that’s right, it’s 2019, contracts ARE idiotic!
Does his contract state that he must specifically play catcher and can’t move to another position? If not, which I’d bet my paycheck it doesn’t, you look like more of a fool than you already are.
I doubt it does say he must catch, you are correct in saying that. Nowhere in the article though does it say the Pirates agreed to this change of heart from Cervelli. It states “he emphasized to Kovacevic it was his decision – not the Pirates’ – to leave behind catching”
Despite the contract not specifically stating he must catch, I’m sure the Pirates had intended him to catch for the 3 year period and I’m sure this was verbally mentioned during negotiations. I feel the Pirates have every right to void the contract, make him catch, or restructure the deal. What if he said, I’m going to start at 1B and uproot Bell? Would they have to do that to because Cervelli feels more safe at 1B???
Dude, u are a freakin whack job
You would make a contracted truck driver that had an accident and went blind OTJ keep chuggin..
The difference is this is a concussion. You can’t rub Robitussin in it and think it’s going to be cured. He’s likely living with little things that are a byproduct of a concussion and wouldn’t even know it. It’s like Mohammed Ali. It wasn’t 1 concussion and it wasn’t immediate. 5 concussions is a lot. I’m shocked he pushed it this far.
He lost me at “wahwah, boohoo”. When you start your comment with that you show your true colors, and inability to form a legitimate argument.
He has to be trolling, but I’ll bite.
Cervelli got his injuries, multiple concussions in this case, playing for the Pirates as a catcher. He honored, and is continuing to honor his contract. But because of the injuries he sustained, playing for the Pirates, he can no longer catch. Why is this confusing?
With his argument the Angels should void Ohtani’s deal because he signed up as a pitcher and hitter, and currently can’t pitch.
Betances signed up to be a pitcher, but currently can’t do so because he’s injured, guess they void his deal too?
As someone who has sustained one, concussions are a real thing. They are awful. And Cervelli is more susceptible to getting one as a catcher, hence he shouldn’t catch.
The article doesn’t state that team professionals and doctors agreed to this or recommended this. It says Cervelli say’s he won’t do it anymore.
Ohtani is recovering from Tommy Jonh surgery in an effort to turn him back into the remarkable player he signed as. Betances is also recovering from injury, with all intentions to return to the Yankee’s bullpen.
If you don’t want a concussion, don’t be a catcher! Plain and simple. If all catchers just suddenly said this, the pitcher would playing soft toss with the umpire
Not all catchers have had seven concussions. Why is this lost on you?
Ohtani has been back for a while, but he can’t pitch, only hit. I guess they should void the deal, he signed up as a two way player and he currently can’t do so.
And Cervelli isn’t recovering from an injury?
I give up. This has been a waste of time. You’re speaking a different language then the rest of us.
I agree with hpafs that it isn’t up to the player to make a statement like this. He takes away any trade value the Pirates may have thought they had, especially three weeks from the deadline. He can elect not to catch, obviously. If he cleared all concussion protocol, that creates some weird labor/ union type gray areas. He’s not a talented enough offensive player to commit to desensive liabilities at a new position. I love Cervelli as a player/catcher and wish the Yankees never moved him. I remember a couple NY concussions. They were rough
so all of this nonsense is because the article didn’t specifically state that Pirate doctors concur with his decision to change positions?!
Usually when a player states specifically that they have made a major medical decision, team doctors are well aware of the situation and have made a similar assessment. The players make the statement to prove to the public that they are on board with the decision and that they weren’t forced to make it.
I didn’t see anything that said the Pirates were in disagreement with Cerveli’s assessment or decision…u seem to be the only one.
So hpafs, are u so new to sports that you haven’t encountered this yet, or just such a stickler for detail that nothing is real unless specifically stated?
I think everyone would like to know at this point
Most catchers retire and can’t walk without a limp, or can’t make a strong grip., etc. A concussion is much different and when you’ve taken 5 your basically a bad ass and much more of a man than me and I’ve taken quite a few blows to head as a New Yorker playing on concrete whether it was baseball. football or basketball. I’ve had reoccurring headaches and blurred vision. It’s not at all comparable to arm related injuries. n
Elias Diaz is better anyway
You missed your calling, hpafs. You’d have been a great Gilded Age coal baron or union-busting steel magnate with that view of contracts and workers’ rights.
Funny you should mention that, my stance looks out for the majority. Doctors and mental health specialists are staying busy while tending to Cervelli. If Cervelli were to return, who gets optioned? Who looses their roster spot because it won’t be a catcher that’s for sure. And when they get optioned their pay stops, and their service time stops. And then that person gets inserted into the AAA lineup. Who looses their playing time at AAA, who looses development to become a better ball player? This continues down the line through the whole organization. Or you know, he could sit on the IL for the remainder of the season instead of changing who he is as a player. This whole organization takes a hit because their most expensive player says he does’t want to do his job any longer because of what could happen. I’d be more okay if he said I’ll catch twice a week and do whatever the other 4 or 5 days. He has become a burden to the organization by announcing this.
“Loses” and “looses” have different meanings.
Once it’s a typo, three times it’s entirely different.
Appreciate your concern of my grammar. Sorry if you think that makes my point invalid. I am more of a number cruncher than a writer.
Many items make your point invalid. Others in addition to myself have proved that. That’s just one item that points to other things.
Stating you’re a number cruncher is a weak defense. I am as well, but that’s pretty basic grammar. We all mistakes, but you spelled the same basic word wrong three times.
I think you are failing to understand the severity of multiple injuries to his brain. He has earned the right to be smart about it, hopefully it’s not too late. He’s not retiring, he is simply making a decision not to catch because of his head injuries.
Okay, Cervelli aside…
I have typed 980 words so far in this thread. You counted 3 grammatical errors, and Microsoft Word has found 2 additional spelling mistakes leaving me with a 99.5% accuracy rate on a comment section that isn’t even worth my time. I think I’ll sleep okay tonight
I’ll be right back, going to go engrave a trophy for you and your amazing spelling percentage.
This isn’t worth your time yet you went back and figured out you typed 980 words and came up with a nonsensical percentage. Your time is that valuable that you went back and did that? This is fantastic.
Again, we all make mistakes, not trying to be the grammar police. But you spelled “lose” wrong three times, most would take anything you say subsequently with a grain of salt.
Congrats on the .995 fielding percentage, but it’s clear to all of us you have no range.
Haha!
Mic drop
Cervelli probably won’t sleep well tonight due to the 6th documented concussion of his career that he sustained about two months ago
No range. Hilarious (and true).
This stance is ridiculous!
Exactly. Your health is much more important than your job, regardless of the details of that job or contract. It’s literally that simple. It’s beyond me how hpafs refuses to understand that.
So Cervelli should be forced to risk more concussions because he originally signed his contract with the Pirates as a catcher? This take is so unbelievably tone deaf, it’s actually kind of impressive.
Don’t all catchers take that same risk when signing with a club?
Of course they do, but not all of them have suffered 6 concussions. Was it a problem when Joe Mauer became a starting 1B when he was signed to a monster deal to catch? No. Everyone was perfectly okay with it and Mauer couldn’t even hit. Cervelli probably won’t be a starter and probably isn’t even looking to do so. He’ll come back and be a bench bat/reserve corner IF. Fans honestly that’s enough for the last half of the last year of a cheap contract. It’s like, 4 million left on his contract? In today’s game that’s nothing. He made good on what he’s gotten already in my opinion.
Mauer Am was a premier offensive player at the time. The last few years, his no power and low run production hurt the twins a lot. I think Cervelli should accept a minor league assignment to work on corner infield and outfield defense.
I was really hoping (still holding out hope), that they are trolling.
Argument has been, and continues to be easily defeated. But they keep on going.
Ever heard of CTE? Man ppl like you p*ss me off with your ignorance. You wouldn’t have lasted 2 concussions before calling it quits, contract or not.
Go reevaluate life. You need to.
I don’t care what my contract says. If a certified health professional tells me that if I keep playing this position, I am putting myself into high risk of affecting my mental health, short term, and long term memory, I’m not playing the position again.
Hpafs you’re an awful human being. You should be ashamed of yourself
What’s wrong with you guy? This is real life stuff, not about a game..6 concussion’s, I’m sure more. Pretty much guaranteed CTE and your worried about the contract he signed. Pathetic!
convert him to reliever, super utility. hes got a gun on him. If he can do it resign him on a league min deal next season.
pirates where trying to get him days off + a few games at first the past couple seasons to help reduce the chance of injury…. didn’t work out.
Hopefully he can still play, if not hes got a fun personality for TV/radio.
He signed a contract to play baseball, not specifically to catch. If they don’t want him tor that, they can designate him accordingly.
Next.
Correction … you can say whatever you want…. if “He” doesn’t or can’t play catcher that’s it! Game over ! (He said NO, means doesn’t care about the money or contract). Anyway… let’s see!
Is this moron for real? Every single thing he’s said his total garbage and shows he’s just got a screw loose. Maybe HPAF has had too many concussions himself???
You have obviously never suffered a concussion or played sports.
2 way player? Utility infielder plus part time reliever? I’m assuming his catchers arm is strong enough to throw 90 mph. I could see rays taking a chance since they love to experiment
Best of luck to him. Hopefully he can transition to another position and contribute. I just hope he doesn’t suffer the effects of his injuries once his playing career is over.
Sorry to hear it, but honestly he should just call it quits in general. His bat doesn’t play as a corner player and his defense will not make up for it. So sad as he was one of my favorite catchers.
And you know his defense won’t be good enough because?
Well, that’s entirely up to him, and the teams that might want to sign him. I’m not saying Cervelli is Craig Biggio, but Biggio had success at 2B and in CF after his catching days were behind him. Catcher is the most difficult and demanding position on the diamond, so it’s not crazy to think Cervelli could be an effective defender elsewhere. 3B would make some sense IMO, and his bat would easily play there if he stays something like a 10% above league average hitter.
I’m guessing he signs a minor-league deal in the offseason with someone and then is a back up or possibly out of the league after 2020….he’s just not a good enough hitter to stick around
Wow…..you guys are harsh. He’s a .269 lifetime hitter at the highest level and that’s mostly as a catcher which depresses the average. Now he should just hang them up? He may never be a regular but surely he’s good enough to play somewhere.
I’m just having to assume that his a AVG will regress due to his current situation. Even if he does keep hitting at that same clip if he comes back, there are only 2 position players currently on the Pirates with a lower batting average (Polanco and Kang). I’m just not sure if there is any room for him on this roster anymore.
it would be interesting if the Pirates rework his deal to a minor league pact with the same financial terms so he can stay in the minors to work on a new position while making the same cash. would never happen, but would probably be a good idea.
My guess is that if Cervelli and the team are interested in him sticking around, they’ll agree to keep him on the IL and commence his rehab assignment late enough into August that Cervelli will complete that assignment just as rosters are expanding in September.
Utility man written on his face
UTILITY SERVICEMAN’S ASSISTANT written on your cap?
Good for him. I wish more players would think about the health implications over false bravado.
Great comment, but what’s with your username – what do you have against OBP?
I think it’s a word play on the old-school rap song “Down with OPP” by Naughty by Nature… and if it is, it’s an absolutely brilliant user name.
One of the very few examples of a catcher moving from behind the plate late in his career with any success is Johnny Bench. In the last 3 years of his career Bench lined up as C only 13 times. The majority of his playing time came at 3B, 1B, and OF. Bench continued to produce at the plate from ‘81 – ‘83, but he was a clear cut Hall of Famer which Cervelli is not. He’s had a better than average career, and it may be time to hang it up altogether.
His best year was 2015??? The Phillies are already on the phone.
Remarkable thread going on here, as one commenter wishes to punish Cervelli for his concussions, and can’t let it go. This isn’t going to be the first time a player is signed to a multi-year contract and suffers a debilitating injury that keeps him from manning his initial primary position. Catching, in particular, is a tremendously difficult position. Some, like Joe Mauer, had to move to first, others became DH’s. Yet, it’s Cervelli who brings out the anger, with a just half a season to go on his deal. One wonders whatever other motives go into this explosion.
Mauer was different. Team medical staff told him he couldn’t do it anymore and the organization had him move to 1B. I don’t recall Mauer actually wanting to do it and it can be seen in his final game that he always wanted to catch. Cervelli has announced that he won’t do it without the Pirates influence.
He’s had six concussions. Ever had one–a significant one? Might change your view–literally. Blurred vision, nausea, sensitivity to light, particularly strobes, LED, etc. Difficulty focussing. Doesn’t just “go away” after a couple of minutes “oh, he got his bell rung, but he got right back up on his feet”?
You really think the Pirates legal staff wants them to insist he catch?
Maybe he was the caller I heard yesterday wondering why Trevor Williams was going to miss his start for paternity leave when he (the caller) didn’t even miss his American Legion game for the birth of his child as he bragged.
Sometimes, people want to prove that they are “old school” and simply end up proving that they are “no school.”
BTW….the Pirates have tried to talk Cervelli out of catching for a while. So his point is pointless. The Pirates are not and have never demanded that Cervelli risk his health.
Well I’m just assuming that the caller wasn’t very intelligent based on the fact that he had a child at such a young age. You’re like 16-18 years old in legion ball.
This has been a concern with him for years. In fact, I remember that it was a pretty big concern when he was with the Yankees. I’m shocked every season when I see him still catching. No team in almost a decade has paid him for his services not knowing the story. I hope the best for him.
I agree with hpafs as far as and if the players negotiated agreement allows or doesnt allow a player to tell the manager where to play him. Does his contract say play or play as catcher? Shouldnt have to honor a contract negotiated on the stats a player put up using PEDs either. But thats another story.
He’s not telling the manager where to play him. He’s telling the team that because of his health, he will no longer catch. That leaves 8 other positions that the team can try him at. Or the team can say thanks but no thanks and keep him in the minors the rest of the season or just cut him.
Good player. Better guy. Real shame.
Cervelli is athletic enough to move around. Years ago I hoped the Yankees would turn him into a utility infielder and keep him around when they signed McCann and had jr Murphy.
Cervelli is going to surprise a lot of people and thrive in a utility role
In all honesty the team doesn’t need him at this point. He isn’t a very good hitter currently to deserve a bench spot, and they have more than capable bench or roles players for the positions that they are suggesting he play. Osuna can spell Bell, and Kang can spell Moran.
Maybe they can come to some sort of agreement about his remaining salary and release him, unless they feel his positive clubhouse personality is worth the full remaining 5+M.
Cervelli can go to AAA and see if he can hit and play several infield and outfield positions.
He will not hit enough nor have enough time this year for developing ML fielding talents at other positions to be a capable ML utilityman
The Pirates have absolutely NO positions open for Cervelli this year,which is a shame,for he brings attitude and fire to the team.
They should option him to AAA after his time is up in AAA if they can.He can work on being a utilityman the rest of the year.He can help the minor leaguers in their development.As no ML teams will want him this year,they may very well be able to pass him through waivers and send him to AAA if he has no options remaining.
He can try to make the ML next year,perhaps with the Pirates,on a new contract.
I see that as the only option for him and the Pirates at this point.I think that it could work out for both but not this year.
He has played 100 innings in the big leagues that weren’t behind the plate. 92 of those were at 1B, where the Pirates best player plays. The rest were injuries/no more option situations when he was a Yankee. This is a tough spot for Cervelli and the team. He’s been pretty good as a pinch hitter (10-30) throughout his career, so if he’s healthy at the deadline, he might end up in a pennant race
Except he is hitting 193 this year with one home run and basically cannot play the field.
He may very well not even be healthy at the deadline in order to trade him.
The Pirates May be able to use him in September if they are still in the pennant race.
I wonder the contract language and if the Pirates can fight to cancel the remainder of his contract? I would think it would be specified in his contract that he was being signed with the primary intent of him playing the position of catcher. This is still a business first and foremost, and his value without a position is virtually useless. You cannot fake it at any position in MLB for more than a few innings, and carrying a pinch hitter at $11m is totally unreasonable.
If he can’t play the position, they should designate him for assignment and teach him second, third and the outfield while mentoring younger players. If they dad him, other teams won’t pick him up if he can’t play his primary position.
They’ll have to trade him. He can DH for 3 or 4 years. If that.
Except half the teams don’t use the DH, and half the teams that do use the spot to rotate guys through to give them half days off. Also, he is mostly a singles hitter who doesn’t have a high avg, obp, or slugging %. Seems like a poor choice for a strictly offensive position.
Casey Stengel said it best: You have to have a catcher because if you don’t you’re likely to have a lot of passed balls.
If he’s not going to catch any more is he just going to run after all the passes balls?
Workmans comp?
In other words his career is over
For all intents and purposes,you are probably right.
Cervelli is not a good enough hitter to be a DH.
He may have a chance to become a utilityman if he spends the rest of this year in AAA playing different positions.
He could come up to Pittsburgh in September to act as a pinch hitter.
That is his only real hope to stay in the ML.
Lol!! Pirates obviously told him he will be catching when he returns and it is a take it or leave it offer
They might have said something like that. “If you don’t want to play as catcher that’s fine. However, we will not be able to accommodate you and would have to trade or release you.“
Maybe that was enough to make Cervelli change his mind. Having him and what I assume is his family living in Pittsburgh.
Sounds like Cervelli wants to finish his duties behind homeplate and then at the end of the year retire. Not a bad plan. Better than reinventing yourself.
I think that this is no more than his heart talking and not his head.
There is no demand for Cervelli now at the ML level.
Gee, now that this is all cleared up, maybe there was some logic to my points above? Just like I said, he’ll finish his contract and then give up catching.
Seems like you were still the only one who agreed with that logic.
The Pirates would be idiots to lose either Diaz or Stallings for Cervelli,.There is no room on the ML roster for him at this time.
Never said they would have to lose one of the 2, just saying it’s poor roster building to carry 2 catchers and a 3rd catcher with no position. I see Cervelli playing out an entire 20 day rehab, one of the 2 former mentioned gets optioned at the closing of the rehab, then gets recalled September 1st. By the time the rehab is over it shouldn’t be more than a 2 week wait, and Cervelli would probably catch 3 or 4 games in that span.
I wish that it were that simple.
Neither Diaz nor Stallings have any options left.
There is no room on the 25 man roster for Cervelli either.
Plus they both have clearly been outplaying Cervelli.
Ah, didn’t realize they were both out. Reminds me of my Sox last season trying to balance Vazquez Leon and Swihart. Yes, we won, but it was a wasted roster spot and once again lost another season for Swihart. At least this should only be an issue for a month.
I see him being optioned for a month if he still has one left.
Then bring him up in September for pinch hitting duties.
In all honesty I do not think that the Pirates want him catching any more nor do they need him nor do they really have any thoughts on resigning him for any reason.They would not have even if he was healthy as they have just as good and much cheaper options.His health has been an issue long enough that they really would have had to eat most of the contract last season also in a trade.
He is dead money now as he is untradeable.
They took the chance that they would get three good years from him but at least they got two.
He is a good guy and respected,and has played well and added much enthusiasm his whole time in Pittsburgh.I suspect that you can appreciate such a player.It is for these reasons that I think that the Pirates will let him go as gracefully as possible.
He needs to stop playing baseball and worry about his health. He has made enough money to retire