Snyder and Montero Could Share Catcher Duties

February 28, 2008 @ 08:50:14

By Tim Piotrowski
Edited by Herija C. Green

Good catching is hard to find in Major League Baseball, but for the Arizona Diamondbacks, they feel they have two catchers who can play every day. Manager Bob Melvin said catchers Miguel Montero (finger) and Chris Snyder are expected to share at-bats behind the plate. Both had nice seasons last year so Melvin will have to decide if he wants the veteran to get the more playing time (Snyder) or the newcomer to gain valuable experience by getting the necessary at-bats (Montero). Since Snyder bats right-handed, he will likely see the most action against left-handed pitcher, while the left-hand hitting Montero may see even more games at catcher than Snyder if Melvin goes with a traditional platoon with Montero facing right-handed pitchers.

Montero has been dealing with a finger injury, but general manger Josh Byrnes said he was able to catch and throw but was limited at batting early in spring training. Both are relatively young in baseball terms and both can help the team, but as the season progresses one of the two catchers could earn the bulk of the playing time and end the splitting of at-bats.

Turning it Around

Snyder had a Jekyll and Hyde type of season in terms of production at the plate. Before the All-Star Break, he was able to hit seven home runs but only drove in 16 RBIs and hit a Mendoza-line like .212 with a .298 on-base percentage. Those stats gave little confidence to Melvin or any of his fantasy owners.

However, in the second half of the season, almost every offensive category changed in a good way. He hit .292 after the break with a .386 on base percentage. Nearly half of his 47 hits in the second half were for extra bases as he knocked six of them over the wall and 16 more went for doubles. Snyder finished the roller-coaster season with a .252 batting average, 13 home runs and 47 RBIs. Obviously the whole Diamondbacks organization are hoping they see the second-half sensation throughout 2008, but exhibition games should help determine if their hopes will be realized.

The Younger Snake

Montero played a little over half of the games last season and even though he logged more than 100 fewer at-bats, he nearly matched Snyder’s offensive production. In 84 games, Montero was able to hit 10 home runs and drive in 37 RBIs. However, the biggest statistic that went against him was his batting average, hitting a disappointing .224. Montero’s season was almost a polar opposite to Snyder. He saw most of his success before the All-star break, posting a .243 average with six home runs and 23 RBIs along with 33 hits. After the break, his average sank to .192 with four home runs and 14 RBIs. Montero could get a long look during spring training to audition for more playing time behind home plate.

Splitsville

If the Diamondbacks and fantasy owners are looking from offense from the catcher position in the desert, both put up similar numbers. Both hit more than 10 home runs, but two other stats, batting average and RBIs, seem to favor Snyder. With that being said, Montero may be the player with more offensive upside as he put up similar numbers to Snyder in 112 fewer at-bats. On the defensive side of the equation, Snyder appears to be the clear runaway winner. Snyder committed only one error last season in 106 games played and threw out 29 potential base stealers. Montero, on the other hand, committed six errors in 73 games played and was able to throw out 10 potential base stealers. One other thing they have in common that must make the Diamondbacks front office and manager happy is their age. Snyder is 27 years old and may be looked upon as a possible leader whereas Montero is only 24 and is just starting to become a regular part of the team.

Fantasy Outlook

Snyder and Montero will likely see a good amount of playing time this season, but for fantasy owners neither will likely be a great option at catcher. From a fantasy perspective, Snyder will likely be a backup catcher in mixed leagues or find himself on the waiver wire to start the season. He is clearly a better option in NL-only leagues even if he's not the everyday backstop. With the same situation facing his counterpart, Montero will likely go undrafted in mixed leagues, but he has reserve value in NL-only formats. Owners who are intrigued by the Diamondbacks catcher situation will have to check how their playing time is divided up and how they perform during the exhibition season. That may be an indicator on who will get more playing time early in the season. If an owner has Snyder on their team as their starter, they may want to stash Montero in case Snyder on their bench in case Snyder was to slump at some point in the season or get injured. Neither is an ideal choice for fantasy owners, and the projected splitting of at-bats hurts their fantasy value even more.

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Tim Piotrowski
Piotrowski has been a Hot Off the Wire analyst since 2007.

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