Not just lottery tickets: Athletics catchers

Since 2012, the Oakland Athletics filled the batting order not with players it drafted, but players it acquired in trade, as castoffs from other organizations, or occasionally as a free agent. In 2012, of the 1,440 regular season starts available to non-pitchers in an American League batting order, only 220 (15%) were made by players drafted by the Oakland Athletics: Kurt Suzuki (72 starts), Anthony Recker (10), Jemile Weeks (112), and Cliff Pennington (26). The 2013 team say only 17 homegrown starts by non-pitchers out of 1,438 starts (1%): Kurt Suzuki (9), Grant Green (5), and Michael Choice (3). The 2014 team featured zero homegrown non-pitcher starts.

This could be grounds for criticism that the Oakland front office does not draft particularly well. However, in a September 30 article by Joe Lemire of the Wall Street Journal interviewing Billy Beane, Lemire notes that the draft is not a great way for the A's to improve:

Incidentally, the perks of finishing with a poor record-better draft position and more bonus money to spend on amateurs-may be less important to the A's than others. What they value in the draft is sometimes unconventional and out of the typical draft order anyway, plus they aren't looking to spend extra money.

("Billy Beane Finds New Moneyball Inefficiency", Wall Street Journal, Sept. 30, 2014)

It's a simple idea really. Given the bonuses that the best players in the draft demand, and the uncertainty that those players will pan out, the A's have to draft the less expensive players, and those players rise to the MLB level less frequently than the highly touted prospects. However, even with the imposition of slot money penalties to keep first-year draftee bonus demands down, the A's cannot afford draft busts like the $5.3 million bonus given in 2000 to Joe Borchard of the Chicago White Sox. Who? Exactly.

And so the A's turned to two paths from 2012 and on. One was to acquire players whose organizations did not seem to appreciate the skills they had, such as John Jaso, Brandon Moss, Jed Lowrie, Josh Reddick, Seth Smith, Jonny Gomes, and Craig Gentry. The other was to extract minor league players that either were widely seen as top quality (e.g. Derek Norris) or who had only been given the most limited chances to perform at the Major League level (e.g. Stephen Vogt).

I realize this is hardly groundbreaking, but there is a perception that Billy Beane does these player acquisitions better than others. One thing to remember, however, that the names in the previous paragraph are just the ones that worked out. The last few years are filled with player acquisitions that did not or have not yet paid off at the Big League level, but are necessary to find the few players that will rise up.

You might call them lottery tickets, but that is too simple, as Beane explained to Lemire, "I don't think it would be accurate to say, 'Hey, these guys are all just lottery tickets.' In many cases, their performance and what they're doing-as many times as they've been seen-they're not as risky as maybe they were thought to be." So what did Billy Beane see, and what became of those who have not risen up to play at the Coliseum?

The last 3 years of acquisitions and their stories

Baseball Prospectus has, behind its paywall, a way to split the advanced statistics on its website into batter handedness and into major or minor league level and rank the players according to whatever chosen statistics. Baseball Prospectus has a statistic similar to wOBA, called "True Average" or "TAv," which is scaled to batting average rather than on base percentage. Mark L. Smith of Talking Chop explains:

It is Baseball Prospectus' offensive metric. Like wOBA, TAv is a scaled metric, but instead of scaling it to look like OBP, it is scaled to look like BA. There are, however, some key differences:

• It doesn't need a "+" metric because it's already scaled to league, park, and era. A .270 TAv in 2013 is the same as a .270 TAv in 1999. .260 is good, .300 very good, and anything above .330 is elite.
• It's also a bit like SIERA in that it's a bit more complicated than its FanGraphs counterpart. All outs and bunts aren't equal, and strikeouts, for example, is a slightly more damaging out than a normal out. I believe it also accounts for double plays hit into.

Which is better? Again, TAv is likely better. It takes more into account - strikeouts and hitting into double plays are more damaging than other outs. But yet again, the difference between it and wOBA probably isn't great[.]

("Braving New Territory: wOBAddy, How Does It wRC?" Nov. 23, 2013)

Baseball Prospectus considers a .230 TAv to approximately represent replacement level.

What I have done is taken each non-pitcher the Athletics signed or traded for since November 2011 and will give you their TAv broken down into year, handedness, and classification (MLB, Triple-A, etc.), providing only those lines where a player acquired at least 100 plate appearances. I will also provide where that TAv ranks among those with at least 75 plate appearances against left-handed pitching, and 150 plate appearances against right-handed pitching, or where their TAv would have ranked if they qualified, and compare it against that season's .260 TAv.

Catcher

At the end of 2011, the bat at the catcher position leaved quite a lot to be desired. Kurt Suzuki played 134 games to a .237/.301/.385 line. His primary backup was the 29-year-old Landon Powell, who played in 36 games. Further down the depth chart was Anthony Recker, followed by a guy with some pop in his bat who was given some chances at third base that year, Josh Donaldson. A looming case of "I don't know's on third" was going to move Donaldson to third base permanently in 2012, though he did catch 22 games behind the plate with the River Cats that year.

Derek Norris (December 23, 2011)

Gio Gonzalez and minor league starting pitcher Robert Gilliam were shipped out of the organization after five consecutive seasons without a postseason appearance, prompting Jonah Keri to write:

The A's have a bunch of cruddy players because management didn't do a good enough job of getting non-cruddy ones.

So stop telling us about your damn Window. It's an excuse to field terrible baseball teams and pocket tens of millions of dollars in revenue-sharing cash. Just once, it'd be great to hear the GM of a bad team drop the euphemisms. "I f[']d up, and my boss wants a new stadium so he can make lots of free money. These things are not related."

There. Much better.

(Grantland.com, "The Myth of the Small Market Window", January 10, 2012)

In exchange for Gonzalez and Gilliam, the A's picked up Derek Norris, A.J. Cole, Tommy Milone, and Brad Peacock. A.J. Cole was turned into John Jaso the next offseason, Tommy Milone turned into Sam Fuld at the 2014 trade deadline, and Brad Peacock was part of the deal that brought Jed Lowrie and Fernando Rodriguez to Oakland in 2013.

Just what did the A's see in the one position player in the Gio Gonzalez trade?

RHB Derek Norris	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2011	22	AA	.284	111	94	148	64%	.324	312	12	195	6%
2010	21	A+	.347	114	11	106	10%	.285	237	78	155	50%
2009	20	A	.305	120	29	111	26%	.352	409	6	191	3%
2008	19	A-	.374	85	9	139	6%	.317	209	7	85	8%

Look at that, a young player consistently hitting on both sides of the ball. And what has Derek Norris become?

RHB Derek Norris	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2014	25	MLB	.322	173	41	170	24%	.262	269	174	181	96%
2013	24	MLB	.366	173	12	175	7%	.191	135	337	190	177%
2012	23	MLB	.232	93	241	165	146%	.231	139	256	184	139%
2012	23	AAA	.293	75	88	186	47%	.272	171	133	180	74%

Until 2014, Norris did not handle Major League right-handed pitching very well. His first half this year against right-haned pitching was enough to land him a good .262 TAv against right-handed pitching for the season. In his full seasons against left-handed pitching, Norris has been a star. Amongst catchers with at least 75 plate appearances against left-handed pitching this year, Norris' .322 in 173 plate appearances trailed only Devin Mesoraco (.347 in 98 plate appearances) and Carlos Ruiz (.331 in 110 PA).

George Kottaras (July 28, 2012)

If you look at Norris' Major League debut in 2012, you will see that his rookie season did not go particularly well. He was, at the age of 23, the quintessential replacement player, and he needed to be replaced, at least for a little while. And so the A's sent Fautino De Los Santos to the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for George Kottaras. De Los Santos never pitched another major league inning, getting waived the next offseason and picked up by the San Diego Padres, and then suspended for 50 games late in 2013 for his connections to the Biogenesis scandal while injured.

LHB George Kottaras	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2011	28	MLB	.185	24	277	159	174%	.284	99	91	190	48%
2011	28	AAA	.353	35	7	155	5%	.291	83	77	155	50%
2010	27	MLB	.271	69	152	171	89%	.270	181	144	188	77%
2009	26	MLB	.161	22	283	168	168%	.258	85	196	190	103%
2008	25	AAA	.285	139	87	147	59%	.276	325	129	190	68%
2007	24	AAA	.275	83	108	143	76%	.240	249	261	196	133%
2006	23	AAA	.144	33	274	157	175%	.245	84	256	183	140%
2006	23	AA	.287	98	94	153	61%	.307	249	42	175	24%

Kottaras really was here to let Derek Norris get more time in Triple-A after it became apparent he had come up too soon. At the time of the trade in 2012, Kottaras was showing plate discipline with 29 walks in 116 plate appearances leading to a .209/.409/.360 line, making him good to have around against right-handed pitching when Kurt Suzuki needed a spell from behind the plate.

LHB George Kottaras	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2013	30	MLB	.261	20	168	175	96%	.265	106	173	190	96%
2012	29	MLB	.283	36	108	165	65%	.274	173	136	184	65%

The A's only held on to Kottaras for 2012, waiving him after trading for a better left-handed batting catcher, John Jaso, the following January. Kottaras played for the Kansas City Royals in 2013, and bounced around the major and minor leagues in 2014, picking up only 134 plate appearances at any level of professional baseball the entire season.

David Freitas (August 3, 2012)

As it turns out, Derek Norris was not long for the Sacramento River Cats. Just days after being sent there in the wake of acquiring George Kottaras, Norris was back when the A's sent Kurt Suzuki and his $5,000,000 and rising salary to the Washington Nationals in exchange for 24-year-old David Freitas.

RHB David Freitas	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2012	23	A+	.253	58	162	146	111%	.281	263	117	187	63%
2011	22	A	.265	143	118	128	92%	.300	373	50	183	27%

Freitas arrived with the potential to likely be a major league backup, but the Elk Grove High School alum could now catch with his favorite team, telling the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser, "I've been an A's fan my whole life.... The Bash Brothers, that's who my little brother and I wanted to be. When I got traded, my mom loved it, because at heart, we're all A's fans." (SFGate.com, "A's catcher David Freitas progressing", February 27, 2013).

RHB David Freitas	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2014	25	AA	.298	63	64	139	46%	.255	127	201	179	112%
2013	24	AAA	.394	25	2	141	1%	.247	85	247	188	131%
2013	24	AA	.177	42	233	128	182%	.225	204	282	171	165%

Freitas spent early 2013 in Double-A before getting advanced to Triple-A in late July in the midst of the 2013 version of Oakland's "We seem to be running out of healthy catchers" crisis, when Stephen Vogt was called up to replace a concussed John Jaso. Freitas never seemed to find it at the plate (take note of the mere 25 plate appearances against Triple-A left-handed pitching), and was sent to the Baltimore Orioles after 2013 for cash considerations.

Jason Jaramillo (August 21, 2012)

On August 20, the A's elected to designate Anthony Recker for assignment in order to clear space on the 40-man roster for Brett Anderson's activation from the 60-day disabled list. Recker's absence created a lack of catching depth in Sacramento, leading to Jason Jaramillo's signing the next day.

SHB Jason Jaramillo	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2012	29	AAA	.135	60	291	186	156%	.209	135	334	180	186%
2012	29	AA	.251	38	160	136	118%	.229	96	279	177	158%
2011	28	AAA	.293	52	73	155	47%	.234	103	280	196	143%
2009	26	MLB	.156	33	283	168	168%	.241	191	257	190	135%
2008	25	AAA	.217	154	230	147	156%	.279	313	122	190	64%
2007	24	AAA	.273	158	114	143	80%	.260	333	191	196	97%
2006	23	AA	.230	97	203	153	133%	.286	263	90	175	51%

Best described as a minor league journeyman, Jaramillo initially came up to MLB in 2009 as Ryan Doumit's backup with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Obviously only in Sacramento for his ability to catch a baseball thrown at 90 miles per hour in his general direction from 60-feet-6-inches away and throw out the occasional baserunner (he threw out 11-of-52 stolen base attempts at Triple-A in 2012), Jaramillo was released at the end of the season.

SHB Jason Jaramillo	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2013	30	AAA	.283	59	80	141	57%	.198	168	342	188	182%

In 2013, Jaramillo moved on to Triple-A stints in the Astros and Mariners organizations, but did not sign on to a team in 2014.

Blake Lalli (August 27, 2012)

To wind up the Brett Anderson activation, the A's were able to trade Anthony Recker to the Chicago Cubs for minor league catcher Blake Lalli. The A's actually could have returned Recker to the 40-man roster after Bartolo Colon picked up his 50-game performance enhancing drug suspension but the A's instead picked up some journeyman pitcher named Jesse Chavez in a cash transaction with the Toronto Blue Jays. Anyway, here's Blake Lalli:

LHB Blake Lalli	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2012	29	AAA	.210	100	260	186	140%	.275	240	122	180	68%
2011	28	AA	.260	92	148	148	100%	.256	301	202	194	104%
2010	27	AA	.216	73	158	112	141%	.264	251	123	133	92%
2009	26	AA	.290	104	89	158	56%	.282	336	95	170	56%
2008	25	A+	.228	64	205	144	142%	.333	265	13	192	7%
2007	24	A	.265	48	145	155	94%	.276	241	125	185	68%

Lalli got his first Major League base hit on May 21, 2012 for the Cubs in an inning that involved a notable number of ex-Athletics and future Athletics. Travis Buck, playing for the Astros, lost Lalli's ball in the lights, scoring David DeJesus and one other runner. DeJesus reached base earlier on a single given up by Fernando Abad. The only other thing to make this perfect would have been if Jed Lowrie, playing shortstop, did anything that inning.

Anyway, Lalli did not stick around after 2012, electing free agency and signing on with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2013 on a minor league deal. In 2014, he signed a minor league deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks and spent the year with the Reno Aces, runner up in that year's Pacific Coast League Championship.

LHB Blake Lalli	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2014	31	AAA	.103	32	281	156	180%	.244	276	269	205	131%
2013	30	AAA	.265	91	126	141	89%	.273	220	146	188	78%

Luke Montz (November 9, 2012)

Remember that at the end of 2012, Derek Norris had shown a good bat at the minor league level, but was pretty much replacement level. Additionally, the A's needed someone who would at worst be a good Triple-A veteran and at best might be a late-bloomer. Enter free-agent signing Luke Montz:

RHB Luke Montz	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2012	28	AAA	.348	148	15	186	8%	.256	272	200	180	111%
2011	27	AA	.381	146	4	148	3%	.274	337	126	195	65%
2010	26	AA	.181	29	176	112	157%	.181	70	221	133	166%
2009	25	AA	.285	123	102	158	65%	.206	205	316	170	186%
2008	24	AAA	.210	42	239	147	163%	.215	139	312	190	164%
2008	24	AA	.313	98	44	141	31%	.297	156	60	188	32%
2007	23	AA	.252	51	180	159	113%	.216	106	317	188	169%
2007	23	A+	.345	70	14	138	10%	.287	180	91	196	46%
2006	22	A+	.289	171	92	148	62%	.253	340	207	181	114%

Montz had essentially been a career Double-A catcher in the Expos(!)/Nationals, Mets, and Marlins organizations before breaking out against left-handed pitching in his age-27 and -28 seasons. If you look closely, his bad lines against lefties in 2007 and 2008 came either immediately after a promotion, and he spent much of 2010 injured. Game 6 of the 1986 NLCS was a day game at the Astrodome on a Wednesday that went 16 innings before the Red Sox and Angels played ALCS Game 7 at Fenway.

In 2012, Montz actually played more games at first base than he did behind the plate. He had all the makings of being an opposite-handed Stephen Vogt.

RHB Luke Montz	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2013	29	AAA	.317	38	31	141	22%	.296	107	64	188	34%

So why did Stephen Vogt make it up to Oakland in 2013 and not Montz? The wrong catcher got hurt and Derek Norris turned into the lefty-destroyer the A's thought they acquired. Our own Alex Hall thought that Luke Montz, playing first base, should have ended Nate Freiman's Rule 5 draft-induced time in Oakland in May of that year:

[T]he emergence of Luke Montz has made Freiman completely superfluous. Montz already has four extra-base hits in 20 plate appearances, while Freiman has only managed three in his 50 PA's. Montz has a much larger body of professional experience, he spent 2012 smashing homers in AAA, and he provides more versatility on defense with his ability to back up Moss at 1st while also serving as a third catcher. He's a better, more experienced hitter, and a more valuable defender. If it's a choice between Montz and Freiman, then I want Montz as the right-handed power bat off the bench and the DH against lefties.

However, Montz did get a chance with the big league club when the A's had a string of injuries to outfielders in May 2013. Montz did not perform well, going just 5-for-28 with one walk and eight strikeouts for a .179/.200/.393 line. The A's stuck with Freiman and at the end of Sacramento's 2013 campaign, the A's released Montz, and re-signed him for 2014 in the next month. Montz had right shoulder surgery and spent the year rehabbing in extended spring training and then with the A's rookie league team in Phoenix. Hopefully he gets another chance to contribute with Oakland in 2015.

John Jaso (January 16, 2013)

When you look at the three-team deal that allowed John Jaso to come to Oakland, you have to wonder just what Mariners General Manager Jack Zdurienick saw in Michael Morse that made him think one year of him in right field was better than three years of John Jaso. The A's paid a high price in prospects, sending A.J. Cole, Blake Treinan, and Ian Krol to the Nationals to get Jaso from the Mariners:

LHB John Jaso	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2012	28	MLB	.190	53	290	165	176%	.365	308	4	184	2%
2011	27	MLB	.185	38	277	159	174%	.236	235	274	190	144%
2010	26	MLB	.228	58	246	171	144%	.275	346	125	188	66%
2009	25	AAA	.257	93	161	153	105%	.248	302	232	181	128%
2008	24	AAA	.238	40	201	147	137%	.296	78	67	190	35%
2008	24	AA	.296	72	61	141	43%	.265	278	165	188	88%
2007	23	AA	.300	169	65	159	41%	.335	316	10	188	5%
2006	22	A+	.186	79	243	148	164%	.345	379	7	181	4%

Oh that 2012. Chalked up to a changed batting stance, Jaso's 2012 versus right-handed pitching was only bested by Joey Votto, Robinson Cano, and Mike Trout. Of course, we also knew we were getting a batter that was hopeless against left-handed pitching.

LHB John Jaso	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2014	30	MLB	.183	27	290	170	171%	.299	317	59	183	32%
2013	29	MLB	.174	29	297	175	170%	.306	220	38	190	20%

Jaso has had both of his seasons with the A's shortened by concussion. In 2013, Stephen Vogt had to pick up from there. In 2014, there just wasn't anybody, not with Stephen Vogt's bad foot. The A's have Jaso under team control through 2015, and it is a question whether he catches again for Oakland with his concussion problems.

Stephen Vogt (April 6, 2013)

The Tampa Bay Rays had to make some roster maneuvers as their injury replacement for an injured Luke Scott had to be added to the 40-man roster. Thus, the A's designated Stephen Vogt for assignment and traded him to the A's in a cash deal.

LHB Stephen Vogt	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2012	27	AAA	.234	134	229	186	123%	.272	262	132	180	73%
2011	26	AAA	.225	34	230	155	148%	.306	97	40	196	20%
2011	26	AA	.262	125	143	148	97%	.294	302	67	195	34%
2010	25	A+	.327	73	25	106	24%	.328	290	13	155	8%
2008	23	A	.329	129	22	142	15%	.279	314	114	185	62%
2007	22	A-	.316	69	11	23	48%	.305	210	30	93	32%

Those are some consistent numbers against right-handed pitching, keeping in mind that 2012 was Vogt's first full season facing Triple-A pitchers. The A's were rewarded with the 10th best batter against right-handed Triple-A pitching, and called him up briefly in June and then for the rest of the year at the end of July when John Jaso went down with a concussion.

LHB Stephen Vogt	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2014	29	MLB	.223	42	248	170	146%	.294	245	72	183	39%
2013	28	MLB	.223	18	251	175	143%	.259	130	193	190	102%
2013	28	AAA	.301	74	54	141	38%	.332	264	10	188	5%

Vogt was good as John Jaso's replacement in 2013 and has only improved, showing off his versatility in the field. The A's are getting Vogt in his prime, and they have him under team control through 2019.

Chris Gimenez (December 20, 2013)

With Luke Montz undergoing shoulder surgery and homegrown catcher Ryan Ortiz barely getting a taste of Triple-A, the A's were looking for another right-handed bat just in case something went wrong with Derek Norris in spring training. The A's thus claimed Chris Gimenez from the Rays, releasing right-handed pitcher Pedro Figueroa in the process. The A's also did not mind his ability to play corner infield and outfield as well as catch.

RHB Chris Gimenez	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2013	30	AAA	.243	119	171	141	121%	.234	256	288	188	153%
2012	29	MLB	.305	62	60	165	36%	.122	47	329	184	179%
2012	29	AAA	.353	116	11	186	6%	.244	185	316	180	176%
2010	27	AAA	.294	39	44	67	66%	.243	83	161	115	140%
2009	26	MLB	.154	25	283	168	168%	.189	105	342	190	180%
2009	26	AAA	.301	39	70	153	46%	.221	115	307	181	170%
2008	25	AAA	.274	73	114	147	78%	.251	152	224	190	118%
2008	25	AA	.344	72	15	141	11%	.368	160	6	188	3%
2007	24	AA	.341	26	22	159	14%	.218	96	310	188	165%
2007	24	A+	.360	117	7	138	5%	.307	218	39	196	20%
2006	23	A	.319	93	51	140	36%	.235	267	242	161	150%

Gimenez had always done well against left-handed pitching in the minors, but was replacement level or worse in his brief appearances at the MLB level. Gimenez was out of options, however, and by the end of spring training there was no choice but to drop Gimenez from the roster. He ended up claimed by the Texas Rangers, who needed a catcher after Geovany Soto went on the disabled list needing knee surgery. For a brief time, Gimenez tried free agency after the Rangers outrighted him, but he re-signed with the Rangers on a minor league deal a few days later.

RHB Chris Gimenez	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2014	31	MLB	.195	38	283	170	166%	.249	90	226	183	123%
2014	31	AAA	.335	53	22	156	14%	.269	103	153	205	75%

The A's did not miss out on much, considering the production they did get out of their catchers.

Dusty Brown (January 22, 2014)

The A's signed Dusty Brown to a minor league deal after he missed 2013 recovering from Tommy John Surgery.

RHB Dusty Brown	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2012	30	AAA	.261	49	179	186	96%	.299	126	66	180	37%
2011	29	AAA	.249	50	182	155	117%	.309	149	32	196	16%
2010	28	AAA	.343	45	4	67	6%	.198	110	218	115	190%
2009	27	AAA	.252	36	172	152	113%	.239	260	253	181	140%
2008	26	AAA	.331	111	19	147	13%	.292	242	78	190	41%
2007	25	AA	.311	67	50	159	31%	.258	228	194	188	103%
2006	24	AA	.285	118	103	153	67%	.225	223	267	175	153%

Unfortunately, Brown exited spring training needed arthroscopic shoulder surgery. After a few rehabilitation games in rookie ball, the A's released him. Brown finished the year with Cleveland's Triple-A team.

Blake Forsythe (April 14, 2014)

For "future considerations", the Mets sent Double-A catcher Blake Forsythe to the A's.

RHB Blake Forsythe	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2013	23	AA	.242	88	168	128	131%	.220	251	301	171	176%
2012	22	A+	.259	119	147	146	101%	.253	226	209	187	112%
2011	21	A	.272	101	100	128	78%	.272	333	140	183	77%

Forsythe had not been given a chance to settle in at any level with the Mets. How did he do in his second year in Double-A, now with the Midland Rockhounds?

RHB Blake Forsythe	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2014	24	AA	.233	87	189	139	136%	.231	175	286	179	160%

Even worse, I'm afraid. Forsythe is young and could still be a late bloomer, but for now he's minor league filler.

Luis Exposito (June 25, 2014)

River Cats catcher Ryan Lipkin went on the disabled list, and Blake Forsythe was the next catcher in the organization. That was going to be unsuitable, so the A's signed Luis Exposito after the Detroit Tigers released him.

RHB Luis Exposito	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2013	26	AAA	.271	64	108	141	77%	.212	158	331	188	176%
2012	25	AAA	.296	69	84	186	45%	.226	166	308	180	171%
2011	24	AAA	.295	97	66	155	43%	.204	263	328	196	167%
2010	23	AA	.306	112	48	112	43%	.231	296	188	133	141%
2009	22	A+	.242	138	176	143	123%	.279	177	113	186	61%
2008	21	A+	.294	86	70	144	49%	.266	191	166	192	86%
2008	21	A	.333	59	20	142	14%	.281	142	106	185	57%
2006	19	A-	.170	62	38	28	136%	.225	161	111	74	150%

A catcher that showed some consistency against left-handed pitching, Exposito proved awful against right-handed pitching in Triple-A. He did not improve in 2014 and was released at the beginning of August.

RHB Luis Exposito	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2014	27	AAA	.235	52	215	156	138%	.247	131	253	205	123%

Josh Ludy (July 21, 2014)

The Philadelphia Phillies drafted Josh Ludy in the eighth round of the 2012 draft, and released him at the end of 2014 spring training. He signed onto the River City Rascals of the independent Frontier League before signing a minor league deal with the A's.

RHB Josh Ludy	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2013	23	A	.261	50	107	111	96%	.200	56	331	189	175%
2012	22	A	.244	51	182	152	120%	.332	75	13	200	7%

Ludy only got 68 plate appearances with the Class-A Beloit Snappers in 2014, batting .218/.358/.400. It should be interesting to see if the A's give Ludy an extended look next year despite his advanced age for Low-A ball.

Luis Martinez (August 2, 2014)

Instead of Luis Exposito, the A's gave Los Angeles Angels castoff Luis Martinez a look:

RHB Luis Martinez	Age	Class	TAv v. LHP	PA	Rank (min. 75 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 75 PA)	%	TAv v. RHP	PA	Rank (min. 150 PA)	.260 Rank (min. 150 PA)	%
2014	29	AAA	.285	32	107	156	69%	.228	227	312	205	152%
2013	28	AA	.204	80	218	128	170%	.261	149	169	171	99%
2012	27	AAA	.260	81	182	186	98%	.255	166	205	180	114%
2011	26	AAA	.245	49	188	155	121%	.262	170	187	196	95%
2010	25	AA	.361	129	6	112	5%	.265	200	122	133	92%
2009	24	A+	.205	88	241	143	169%	.305	229	44	186	24%
2008	23	A	.291	134	75	142	53%	.212	223	303	185	164%

I guess we can understand why Derek Norris never got any disabled list time.

I'm not going to include Bryan Anderson, Geovany Soto, and Kurt Suzuki round 2 as all were short-term stopgaps to deal with a critical catcher shortage.

Final thoughts

The three catchers who made it, Norris, Jaso, and Vogt, all arrived with significant question marks. Norris has played no higher than Double-A when he arrived. John Jaso had a crazy power spike that the Mariners were willing to walk away from for just one year of Michael Morse. Stephen Vogt went his first 35 MLB plate appearances without a base hit until homering off Joe Kelly on June 28, 2013.

It has worked out for the A's, though we saw what happened this season when two of the three-headed catcher trio were unable to get behind the dish. Too much Derek Norris where he's not at his strongest, with nothing in the organization to back him. What's the future? I'm not sure I see anyone but good-defending light-hitting receivers in the A's system. A lot of teams manage with a good receiver behind the plate. Heck, the A's were on their way to beating the Royals with a good Geovany Soto behind the plate until his freak injury.

Next time, we'll take a look at first base acquisitions.