His walk rate (<2%) and chase rate (37%) are still concerns, but worst case he's a quality #2 catcher. Could even fetch actual value in a trade if Teel ends up blocking him.
Or maybe they deal Teel. Maybe Breslow is a Con-head.His walk rate (<2%) and chase rate (37%) are still concerns, but worst case he's a quality #2 catcher. Could even fetch actual value in a trade if Teel ends up blocking him.
Swihart?He's such an interesting player - very few catcher profiles come to mind to compare him to.
Teel bats left, Wong bats right. McGuire would seem to be the odd man out. If Wong keeps hitting like this, they can find other ways to get his bat in the lineup when he's not catching. Ditto for Teel.His walk rate (<2%) and chase rate (37%) are still concerns, but worst case he's a quality #2 catcher. Could even fetch actual value in a trade if Teel ends up blocking him.
That play should be shown during GG voting! Are there even 5 MLB catchers with the speed to make that play?
I'm not sure I've *ever* seen a catcher field an infield hit as well as that. The distance he had to run, the speed with which he got there, the spin and the accuracy.That play should be shown during GG voting! Are there even 5 MLB catchers with the speed to make that play?
I mean, it's May 2. But okay.Unlikely Teel will start the season next year though. Struggles in AA currently.
McGuire has a year left of control after this year. They all kind of line up if Teel continues to progress.Teel bats left, Wong bats right. McGuire would seem to be the odd man out. If Wong keeps hitting like this, they can find other ways to get his bat in the lineup when he's not catching. Ditto for Teel.
While I get what you're saying here, he's also not a really bad one either. I tend to think all in, he's a little above average. Which is fine and certainly not a problem.McGuire has a year left of control after this year. They all kind of line up if Teel continues to progress.
Wong is better than last year but isn't a world beater. The game calling is much better however the framing and his bat aren't huge improvements. He doesn't walk and makes weak contact a lot chasing bad pitches. If the entire infield wasn't the island of misfit toys, it would be less of an issue.
So is he a starting catcher? Shrug I guess but not a really good one.
Yea, I would probably argue a bit below average (I worry about a catcher with no command of the strike zone on either side of the plate) but you are right the team has bigger problems and there is nothing I would do to "correct" the situation besides continue to monitor Teel.While I get what you're saying here, he's also not a really bad one either. I tend to think all in, he's a little above average. Which is fine and certainly not a problem.
Or, put another way, plenty of other stuff to spend time worrying about and trying to fix than Connor Wong as the "starting" catcher.
I'd be curious to know how the blocking numbers translate into runners advancing/scoring.He's such an interesting player - very few catcher profiles come to mind to compare him to. The only thing keeping him back defensively is keeping the ball of front of him (worst so far this season, and 10th percentile last season in blocks above average per statcast).
Had a huge game last night, so maybe he’s getting his feet under him.Unlikely Teel will start the season next year though. Struggles in AA currently.
By bWAR, the Boston catching tandem of Wong/McGuire tie for #5 in baseball.What? The guy is killing it this year.... his defense and framing/catching looks fantastic! His control of the basepaths has to be elite.... So what he doesn't walk a lot if he's hitting the ball and not making outs. What the hell do people want here????
He's OPSing .750 (wRC+ 119) in god awful weather. That's perfectly fine.Unlikely Teel will start the season next year though. Struggles in AA currently.
Wong is even better by fWar at 0.9, which dinged him last year for being a terrible framer. It might be small sample size, or maybe he's figured something out, but he's slightly positive in framing so far this year, compared to last year where he was one of the worst framers in baseball.By bWAR, the Boston catching tandem of Wong/McGuire tie for #5 in baseball.
MIL - 1.2
KCR - 1.0
LAD - 0.8
ATL - 0.7
BOS/MIN/BAL - 0.6
Wong's individual bWAR is 0.8. McGuire's is 0.5.
Only 8 catchers have a higher WAR than Wong.
But even so, by bWAR, that puts him at #9 among the 30 starting catchers in baseball.
WAS struggling before yesterday's game. Early season fluctuations on both good and bad stats I guess. But basically, unless he destroys AA and moves to AAA by June and then destroys AAA I just don't see him as anything more than an injury or late season call-up in '25. But I'd put some serious money down that he's starting in '26. Could potentially see McGuire as trade bait at '25 trade deadline if he continues to play as well as he has been and bring something pretty good in return.He's OPSing .750 (wRC+ 119) in god awful weather. That's perfectly fine.
I expect Teel will make quick adjustments....maybe already has started to. April in New England is cold. He grew up in NJ, but this is likely his first exposure to Spring baseball...certainly at the college/professional level. Part of his struggle might be struggle....and part might be weather. If he gets it started in right direction, a post all star game promotion might be possible. He could be ready for sometime in '25, I wouldn't right that off yet.WAS struggling before yesterday's game. Early season fluctuations on both good and bad stats I guess. But basically, unless he destroys AA and moves to AAA by June and then destroys AAA I just don't see him as anything more than an injury or late season call-up in '25. But I'd put some serious money down that he's starting in '26. Could potentially see McGuire as trade bait at '25 trade deadline if he continues to play as well as he has been and bring something pretty good in return.
Very cool. He was a catcher himself, no?I played golf in Florida today, was having a drink after, one of us was wearing a Red Sox hat, and a guy came over to our table. Turns out he was Kyle Teel's father. Very excited about his son, says he has another one at Virginia, a sophomore who he expects will get drafted next year. Wasn't thrilled about the weather in Portland so far. He had heard of SOSH, didn't know much about it, I told him many of us are looking forward to Kyle's arrival in Boston. Nice guy.
The reason he may not be up next year isn't because he can't make the leap, notwithstanding his first 65 AB. It's that we have the luxury of not needing him in Boston STAT, not now anyway and hopefully that holds into next season since Wong and McGuire should still be around. I suppose these decisions can come down to pressure from above -- we need him -- and below -- he's outclassing his current level. The former is unlikely, while the latter... tbd.I mean, it's May 2. But okay.