What to do with Kelly Shoppach when Victor Returns?

by bsspike99 on Aug 20, 2008 9:22 PM EDT

To be honest, this is my first post on this site. I just want to get the general opinion of everyone about how Shoppach will come into play when Victor returns.

First off, last year Shoppach was mainly Byrd's personal catcher. Obviously, this was a test just to get Shoppach adjusted to the game and to get a good feel for the majors by sticking with one pitcher for the majority of the time.

With that said, by far Shoppach has been a great power bat to have this year considering the circumstances and not to mention he has become an everyday threat to opposing pitchers.

Now, with not even thinking about the remainder of this year, let's jump to 2009. Victor and Pronk are back healthy, where does Shoppach fit in? Position change when not filling in for Victor? DH and Pronk play first? Thoughts?

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IMO he’ll either become the full time catcher with vic moving to first or he’ll be traded for pitching help.

he’s clearly too good and too valuable an asset to keep him on as a backup.

by Cap'n Snegiryov on Aug 20, 2008 10:15 PM EDT reply actions

Okay, thread is reopened after 72 hours probation. Anybody who wants to talk about this, please go right ahead. It’s a worthwhile subject.

We welcome all new users, but we do STRONGLY ENCOURAGE folks to join in with Comments in other discussions before posting your own FanPost. (Hat-tip to Dix.)

by Jay on Aug 23, 2008 8:43 PM EDT reply actions

I’ve made a difference!

by DixonCayne on Aug 26, 2008 1:32 PM EDT up reply actions

When do Pronk and VMart return

I know they have been playing in AAA, but does anyone know when they are expected back on the big league club?

by mjm583 on Aug 25, 2008 5:33 PM EDT reply actions

hmmm.

by Brick. on Aug 25, 2008 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions

jeremy guthrie …

by Gradyforpresident on Aug 25, 2008 8:31 PM EDT up reply actions

I commend you for making your first post a comment. That being said, don’t use the subject line.

Oh, and you had a question. Ummmmm, maybe a week?

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Aug 25, 2008 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Pronk will be later, if at all. Soreness in his shoulder reported in today’s newspaper. They may decide to just let him “recover” some more. Victor may be back before Sept 1, but I’ll bet he DH’s when he plays.

by peter m on Aug 26, 2008 9:07 AM EDT up reply actions

I caught that this morning as well. Wedge also seemed to hint that Barfield may spend the most time rehabbing.

“I want Barfield to keep playing to make sure he’s beyond everything,” Wedge said. “He won’t get that kind of playing time when he does come up.”

Link, by the way.

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Aug 26, 2008 9:59 AM EDT up reply actions

Seems like they might as well just play out the Buffalo season at this point — it ends on Sunday. An earlier return just makes for an earlier lineup squeeze.

by Jay on Aug 26, 2008 10:02 AM EDT up reply actions

Actually, he joined a year ago, made his first comment, then made a “Diary” ten minutes later.

Very smooth.

by Jay on Aug 26, 2008 9:53 AM EDT up reply actions

Well he’s one of the Old Boys then. The subject line thing can be ignored for now. Like Spiderman said to Peter Griffin, everybody gets one.

Steel Nick

by nickjs21 on Aug 26, 2008 9:55 AM EDT up reply actions

So for 2009, you have the Shoppach at catcher, Victor at 1B argument for 2009 with the Garko/Aubrey/Brown death match for the 1B caddy. And hopefully sign somebody like Orlando Hudson.

Or you trade Shoppach for (I guess in the previous thread anyway) a Markakis type to upgrade an outfield position or a third base position or a 3rd starter type. Victor’s your starter and Torregas is your backup.

It takes two to tango, but if they don’t sell high on the “good guy” in this case… whether it’s Victor or Shoppach, they’ll never do it.

As far as 2008 goes, I pr

by cheech99 on Aug 25, 2008 9:28 PM EDT reply actions

Sorry, meant to say as far as 2008 goes, I try to keep Shoppach’s value as sky high as possible by spotting him… not saying I know how to do that of course.

by cheech99 on Aug 25, 2008 9:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh, it’s easy. You give him half the starts, including all the starts vs LHP.

Bottom line, though, if we’re keeping Kelly, then we’re punting on the sell-high concept. At that point, there’s no real way to guide the value drift and not much point worrying about it.

by Jay on Aug 26, 2008 9:56 AM EDT up reply actions

I would trade shoppach for markakis in a heartbeat. Is that wrong?

by piersall on Aug 26, 2008 7:52 PM EDT up reply actions

For the remainder of the season, I’d be happy to see Kelly catching about 2/3 of the game and Victor rotation between catcher, 1B and DH for his time (no point in rushing Victor into lots of innings at catcher if we don’t need to).

by APV on Aug 26, 2008 9:37 AM EDT reply actions

As Ryan memorably put it, it’s no help having a catcher who hits like a corner outfielder if your corner outfielders hit like catchers. Seems to me that goes for first base this season, and possibly next — Victor could simply be our best-hitting option at first base, and Shoppach may well be hitting better than all of them himself.

by fleerdon on Aug 26, 2008 11:26 PM EDT up reply actions