House That Hank Built
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The Atlanta Braves and what might have been this season

By Alan Carpenter

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 28: Josh Donaldson #20 of the Atlanta Braves jokes with Charlie Blackmon #19 of the Colorado Rockies at SunTrust Park on April 28, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - APRIL 28: Josh Donaldson #20 of the Atlanta Braves jokes with Charlie Blackmon #19 of the Colorado Rockies at SunTrust Park on April 28, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 08: Kurt Suzuki #24 of the Atlanta Braves in the dugout during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on June 8, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 08: Kurt Suzuki #24 of the Atlanta Braves in the dugout during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on June 8, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

Catchers

  • WHAT HAPPENED:  Kurt Suzuki was allowed to walk away
  • WHAT HAPPENED: Tyler Flowers was re-signed
  • TEAM RESPONSE:  Brian McCann was signed

The fate of the catching position might be something of a special category.  The Atlanta Braves needed to replace Suzuki, and there were multiple solid-looking options available.

The choice of McCann – while wildly popular – still felt a bit concerning, given McCann’s recent health and production.

In fact, while you can color me as ‘the worrier’, I still have concerns about whether he and Flowers can both make it through an Atlanta summer again… and thus perhaps more will need to be done later.

Here’s the numbers among the catchers that were ‘available’* this off-season (minimum 60 plate appearances; I will use fangraphs’ WAR value because of its simplicity to use and more-or-less all-encompassing application):

  • 1.3 fWAR – J.T. Realmuto (Philly)
  • 1.1 – Robinson Chirinos (Astros)
  • 1.0 – Yasmani Grandal (Brewers)
  • 0.9 – Tyler Flowers
  • 0.5 – Mike Zunino (Rays)
  • 0.5 – Kurt Suzuki (Nats)
  • 0.4 – Brian McCann
  • 0.4 – Yan Gomes (Nats)
  • 0.2 – Carson Kelly (DBacks)
  • 0.1 – Jonathan Lucroy (Angels)
  • 0.1 – Martin Maldonado (Royals)
  • -0.1 – Welington Castillo (White Sox)
  • -0.5 – Wilson Ramos (Mets)

* Catchers who were traded or were free agents are assumed to have been ‘available’

So when you add things up so far… the Braves’ catching duo is actually holding up fairly well.

Their combined 1.3 fWAR bests just about everything else on the board – and is even with Realmuto.

  • The Gomes/Suzuki combination is not doing as well in Washington, though you could argue that Suzuki’s presence in Atlanta would have been slightly better than McCann’s output.  However…
  • There is reason to believe that McCann’s experience is worth some ‘intangibles’ points to be added to his side of the ledger… not that Suzuki wasn’t helpful to the pitchers, but (a) Brian’s probably a little better, and (b) his is a voice they hadn’t heard yet.

Regardless, you’d have to look at the results – so far – and conclude that the Braves are doing about as well as they possibly could have done in terms of total production.

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