While everyone awaits
the winner of the Tanaka sweepstakes, the uncertainty surrounding the current
occupant of the catching position is being overlooked. Over the years, Yankees
fans have been treated to watching a number of great players in that spot: Yogi Berra, Thurman Munson, Elston Howard, Bill Dickey
and Jorge Posada just to name a few.
As
Posada’s era was nearing its conclusion, Yankees brass set their sights on
Jesus Montero as the heir apparent. As we waited for Montero to mature into
that role, Russell Martin succeeded Posada as the Yankees new everyday catcher
in 2011. He seemed to be in that position for the foreseeable future, since he
was in the middle of a career renaissance. At the time, Martin was coming off
two injury-riddled seasons with Los Angeles Dodgers.
Neither
Montero or Martin ended up being the next great Yankees catcher, as Martin
signed elsewhere last offseason and the team grew disillusioned with Montero.
The Yankees viewed Montero’s defensive play as a liability and then flipped him
to the Mariners for a chance to grab Michael Pineda. The front office believed Pineda
would blossom into a star. However, history has shown that Yankees/Mariners
trades don’t really work for the team. Remember when George Steinbrenner traded
a future perennial all-star (Jay Buhner) for a player he perceived to be better
(Ken Phelps)?
As we look back, it is
safe to say that Martin was a pit stop between great Yankees catchers. The next
“great” Yankees catcher – Gary Sanchez – is still in the minor leagues and is
not expected to be major league ready for a few years anyway. The Yankees, at
one point, viewed Francisco Cervelli as the successor to Posada, but clearly
his career has been relegated to back up catcher. While he did win the starting
job last year, he failed to solidify himself as the starter. Injuries and
suspected PED use have also played a factor in how Cervelli’s career has turned
out.
Austin Romine, one of
players who Cervelli beat to gain the starting job, has not reached his true
potential yet. Romine was named the Yankees fourth best prospect heading into
the 2009 season but has yet to play a full season with the big league club yet.
He has competed for the starting catching job in every spring training since
2011, but never won the job and started the year in the minor league teams.
Ineffectiveness at the
position as well as prospects not living up to their “hype,” has led the
Yankees to turn to Brian McCann. Cashman has said that McCann is the “next
great Yankees catcher.” Based on his career thus far with the Atlanta Braves,
it seems as McCann will be able to hold down the fort and be one of the great
Yankees catchers for this generation. And then hopefully Gary Sanchez will
follow in his footsteps once he is called up to the big leagues. We’ll just
have to wait and see how this all turns out.