Atlanta Braves Franchise best catchers: Del Crandall

Not destined to join the Atlanta Braves

Crandall batted .262/.322/.432/.754 with a 105 OPS+ and averaged 14 homers a season hitting mostly eighth in the lineup from 1953 through 1962. And although a sore arm limited him to 15 games in 1961, only Yogi Berra hit more home runs in that ten season span than Crandall’s 159.

GM John McHale suggested Crandall should attend Spring training without a contract because of his arm issues.  Crandall took that as an insult and told McHale how he felt.

"I’ve been a big part of this ballclub for ten years and have represented the Braves on and off the field. I was important to you, and the Braves needed me. I was naïve to think that when I needed the Braves, you’d be there."

McHale relented, and Crandall played 107 games in 1962, splitting time with a young catcher named Joe Torre. He proved his arm was still sound, but the handwriting was on the wall.

When the Milwaukee Braves were sold to a group from Chicago – selling a team to a group from a rival city sounds like a bad idea – they installed Bobby Bragan as skipper, and he named Torre starting catcher.

An already disgruntled Crandall didn’t get along with his new skipper, and when the season ended, Crandall asked for and got a trade. The Braves sent him to the Giants as part of the trade for Felipe Alou. Torre became the primary catcher and remained in that role when the team moved south and became the Atlanta Braves.

Epilogue

Like most catchers, Crandall became a journeyman backstop, playing for the Pirates, and Indians before hanging up his glove. He turned down a contract to become Sam McDowell’s personal-catcher because he knew his defense was slipping. He felt he couldn’t play up to the standard he expected of himself, and announced his retirement.

Two years later, he transitioned to managing, first for the Dodgers AAA team where he won a Texas League championship, and then to the Brewers AAA team before taking over a stumbling expansion team in 1972 helped make Darrell Porter learn the catching craft.

He managed in the Angels system and spent time back in the Dodgers system before getting a shot at managing the recently added Mariners, a weak team that was a long way from ready for prime time. He retired from the game altogether in 1997.

That’s a wrap

Del Crandall was a defensive specialist who learned to hit line drives and use the whole field by playing pepper. He transitioned into a power hitter in the late 50s but knew the strike zone well.  Crandell struck out only 477 times while walking 424 in 5,583 PA.

After injuries and age caused his bat to decline, he remained one of the best defensive catchers in the game. Running on Del Crandall was a fool’s errand, and pitchers loved to throw to him.