Barrett should not catch Zambrano

[Rob]

Why is a catcher's ERA worthless?

When the difference is as drastic as it is in this instance, it's not worthless by any means.

 

Just to make something perfectly clear...

 

Correlation != Causation

 

And there is absolutely no proof that Barrett was the cause of Z's struggles. None. Zip. Zero. Nada.

[Guest]

Why is a catcher's ERA worthless?

When the difference is as drastic as it is in this instance, it's not worthless by any means.

 

Please tell me you're kidding.

[UK1679666180]

Too much depends on the pitchers and which pitchers you catch. When Perez was catching Maddux in ATL, he prob. led baseball in CERA. Not b/c he was great at calling games, but b/c he was Maddux's personal C and sat for Javy Lopez the other 4 games.

 

There's something as far as a C's ability to call games, some Cs have a better idea on what is working and what isn't for the P as well as having a better feel for the batter.

 

Given what has happened, I see nothing wrong Blanco/Hill getting a start every 5th day, give Barrett some rest and appears to be helping Z out working w/someone not named Barrett.

 

When I pitched (although only HS) I knew I usually had a bad C behind the plate and didn't like the pitch selection from the coach, I was just too dumb or stubborn to really care.

[Mephistopheles]

There's something as far as a C's ability to call games, some Cs have a better idea on what is working and what isn't for the P as well as having a better feel for the batter.

 

There is probably a slight effect, but the fact that when you analyze the data there's almost no strand of validity to the argument that certain catchers get more out of their pitchers than other catchers. Like I said, there is probably an effect, but the magnitude of this effect is worthless.

 

I do agree that giving a catcher an off day one time through the rotation is a good idea, especially during the summer when the Cubs play a lot of day games. Zambranos our best bat from the mound so it makes sense to have a personal catcher for him, even more so when factoring in the recent altercations between Z and Barrett. But still, MB's lack of success with Big Z this season is pretty meaningless IMO.

[UK1679666180]

There's something as far as a C's ability to call games, some Cs have a better idea on what is working and what isn't for the P as well as having a better feel for the batter.

 

There is probably a slight effect, but the fact that when you analyze the data there's almost no strand of validity to the argument that certain catchers get more out of their pitchers than other catchers. Like I said, there is probably an effect, but the magnitude of this effect is worthless.

 

I do agree that giving a catcher an off day one time through the rotation is a good idea, especially during the summer when the Cubs play a lot of day games. Zambranos our best bat from the mound so it makes sense to have a personal catcher for him, even more so when factoring in the recent altercations between Z and Barrett. But still, MB's lack of success with Big Z this season is pretty meaningless IMO.

 

While this more of a negative towards Z than Barrett in this example, but Zambrano's fragile state of mind isn't helped by a catcher with an unusually high # of defensive lapses so far this year.

 

While I'm not a big fan of trying to conclude anything from CERA & it doesn't need to be applied here to add validity to keeping Barrett from catching Zambrano, it just makes sense to keep Blanco (who is more take charge) with someone like Zambrano every 5th day.

[Mephistopheles]

so then really the problem isn't barrett but that zambrano has the brain of a baboon?

 

well, we already knew that.

[UK1679666180]

His meltdowns are definitely part of the problem, if it takes catering to prevent it by going with the C less likely to add fuel to that fire, so be it.

 

I think the team losing like it has combined with playing for a contract and Barrett playing worse defensively has made it worse.

 

While Barrett has played poorly, most of it lies with Zambrano.

[Mephistopheles]

seriously mb jacked ajp in the face, we cant EVER knock MB.

[soccer10k]

Thanks for the explanation.

 

Let me just say, whether or not anybody thought I was implying this, that I don't think this is all on Barrett. Heck, it's probably mostly on Zambrano. If Z feels better, for whatever reason, with Hill/Soto/Blanco/whoever behind the plate instead of Barrett and puts up an ERA 5 runs better without Barrett than with him, then I'm all for giving Barrett the day off whenever Z pitches. The loss on offense will be much more than made up for by the better pitching.

[Brendan]

apparently, he has a new catcher already lined up:

 

Zambrano motioned to reporters standing around the clubhouse and pointed to a box that contained a pair of red shinguards. "It's a gift from my next catcher, Yadier," Zambrano said. Zambrano was referring to St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina, although he didn't specify whether he was going to St. Louis or Molina was coming to the Cubs.

[minnesotacubsfan]

apparently, he has a new catcher already lined up:

 

Zambrano motioned to reporters standing around the clubhouse and pointed to a box that contained a pair of red shinguards. "It's a gift from my next catcher, Yadier," Zambrano said. Zambrano was referring to St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina, although he didn't specify whether he was going to St. Louis or Molina was coming to the Cubs.

 

Z, if you go south, I'll fully back Barrett when he AJP's ya!!!