Saturday, January 7, 2017

What About Kurt Suzuki?


Brian McCann has been traded away to the Houston Astros and is gone for good. Austin Romine is here but he’s less than inspiring and Gary Sanchez is currently slated to be the Yankees starting catcher. The Yankees could, and more than likely should, look to upgrade behind the dish in my opinion this winter which brings me to one man, Kurt Suzuki.

I am looking merely at a candidate to be the Yankees backup catcher and mentor in case the young Sanchez goes through the growing pains that almost every young rookie goes through at the Major League level. In no way do I believe that Suzuki should be a starting catcher for the Yankees but it would make me feel better about the situation in 2017 if he were sitting on the bench on Opening Day instead of Romine. Don’t get me wrong, I love Austin Romine as he is a product of the Yankees farm system but his career .222/.256/.329 triple slash simply leaves me less than enthused about the entire situation.

Kurt Suzuki was an All-Star for the Minnesota Twins just two years ago in 2014 and truth be told he may be considered to be average at best defensively as recently as 2016 but his veteran presence and right-handed bat should not be slept on. Suzuki would provide some pop off the bench that Romine does not, and truth be told Romine isn’t winning a Gold Glove Award anytime soon either, and would provide a veteran leadership and insurance policy that the Yankees currently lack with Romine.

It is little moves like this that can make or break a season. Look back at the 1996 season and dynasty when the Yankees had Joe Girardi and Jim Leyritz behind the dish. Neither were All-Stars but both played a role and played it well while both played huge and integral parts in the postseason and World Series. I’m thinking along those lines for Suzuki and Sanchez in 2017.


Make it happen Cashman. Get something for Romine in a trade if you have to, although why not try and pass him through waivers before just to be sure. He’s passed through before and he may pass through again. 

3 comments:

  1. Kurt Suzuki : After a careful review.
    I have to now acknowledge, that Kurt Suzuki should be the
    Yankees staring catcher.

    My Irish litmus test was used on Suzuki's wife, Renee.
    Not only did she pass, but Renee' addition while smiling in the stands, will most likely contribute to 10-12 additional wins this season.

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  2. No thank you on Suzuki. I feel bad though. I watched his first proffesional game as an 18 year old playing for the Stockton Ports in short season A ball. Nostalgia says bring him aboard. Reality says no way. He's considered one of the worst defenders behind the dish, and probably the worst pitch framer in the game. Combine that with quickly eroding offensive skills and it's a recipe for disaster. Stick with Romine or Higashioka. You're going to be way better off.

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    Replies
    1. Correction, it wasn't his first proffesional game. It was his first game for the Ports.

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Sorry for the Capatcha... Blame the Russians :)