Mauer Moving to First Base

[In the Corn]

Per email from the Twins:

The Twins announced today that they will move All-Star catcher Joe Mauer from behind the plate to first base in 2014. After consultation with doctors, and given the inherent risks of future injury at the catcher position, the organization and Joe determined that it would be in the best interest of both him and the Twins for a position change.

Let's see if he can increase his power numbers, or he is way, way over priced for this move.

[onejayhawk]

Any production is better than no production.

J

[Controller Jacobs]

They had a gap at 1B anyway, and their best talent is coming at 3B and CF. So the move doesn't hurt them the way it might for other teams with top catchers. As far as being overpriced, of course. But Cleveland's doing all right paying Nick Swisher $15M a year, and Mauer is over two years younger. Given his popularity, his contract won't be a negative if they can somehow get some starting pitching going.

[Teenwolf]

Josmil Pinto owners rejoice!!!

Pinto has a reputation for below average defense, but the offensive profile looks legit. Jason Parks has said that the defense to him looks slightly below average, but still playable at the big league level in 2014.

.280 - 15 hr, 55 R/RBI?

Normally these 15 HR catchers come with Batting Average vulnerability, but I don't see that as much with Pinto. He's continued to hit for a .300+ BA up the ladder, with 16% K's in AA/AAA. Seems sustainable at the higher levels (as he showed with his 83 late seasons AB's with a .963 OPS.

Who else is on the Josmil Pinto bandwagon?

[virgonomic]

Josmil Pinto owners rejoice!!!

Pinto has a reputation for below average defense, but the offensive profile looks legit. Jason Parks has said that the defense to him looks slightly below average, but still playable at the big league level in 2014.

.280 - 15 hr, 55 R/RBI?

Normally these 15 HR catchers come with Batting Average vulnerability, but I don't see that as much with Pinto. He's continued to hit for a .300+ BA up the ladder, with 16% K's in AA/AAA. Seems sustainable at the higher levels (as he showed with his 83 late seasons AB's with a .963 OPS.

Who else is on the Josmil Pinto bandwagon?

What's not to like for a buck or two in an AL league? I'm in!

[chancellor]

What's not to like for a buck or two in an AL league? I'm in!

With those numbers in the minors, he won't go for a buck or two in my league.

[Hornsby]

Josmil Pinto owners rejoice!!!

Pinto has a reputation for below average defense, but the offensive profile looks legit. Jason Parks has said that the defense to him looks slightly below average, but still playable at the big league level in 2014.

.280 - 15 hr, 55 R/RBI?

Normally these 15 HR catchers come with Batting Average vulnerability, but I don't see that as much with Pinto. He's continued to hit for a .300+ BA up the ladder, with 16% K's in AA/AAA. Seems sustainable at the higher levels (as he showed with his 83 late seasons AB's with a .963 OPS.

Who else is on the Josmil Pinto bandwagon?

I think that you have it about right...maybe the average is a bit optimistic, but then again, maybe not. Either way, he's got the job, barring anything strange happening. Doumit is going to catch a couple of dozen games, and they'll have whatever version of Drew Butera that they can come up with, but I think that it's his job to lose at this point.

[Grinch]

What's not to like for a buck or two in an AL league? I'm in!

Are you saying you can get Pinto for beans?

[TranaGreg]

Are you saying you can get Pinto for beans?

ouch, reading that hurt this early in the morning.

[virgonomic]

With those numbers in the minors, he won't go for a buck or two in my league.

Yep. He was FAABed for $2 in my AL league and will likely be kept.

[YourPalChrisMal]

Yep. He was FAABed for $2 in my AL league and will likely be kept.

I grabbed him for $6 FAAB in my AL-only deep 4x4 league (30% inflation), and I'm inclined to keep him if it's clear that he'll get a lion's share of the starts by the time we freeze our rosters.

[chancellor]

Yep. He was FAABed for $2 in my AL league and will likely be kept.

I expect he'll go from $6-9 in my league. We have a minors expansion draft at the end of August, and no one picked him up (including me).

[Riff Raff]

Reminds me of Olerud*. Given Mauer provided awesome value due to the C position for a good long time he seems like a match to Olerud for power, perhaps better BA as a 1B moving forward.
I'd take Mauer over Loney (can't think of another comparable close in the FA/trade pool).
*I did no research, just an opinion.

[Don Quixote]

Good news for this Pinto owner (the player, not the car!). I have him for $5 in a 15-team mixed and may keep him at that price, since it looks like a rebuilding year after going for it and failing in 2013.

And it's not as if Mauer CAN'T catch anymore, just not full-time. Having him and Doumit on the roster creates all kinds of possibilities, including having either no backup C-only or one who's strictly defense.