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2007 Hall`s bat never lived up to the modest expectations set for it in Tampa Bay. The new regime in Tampa didn`t take long to identify his position as one in desperate need of an upgrade (`1. Complete purchase of team; 2. New catcher; 3. Get some pitching!!!`), so, when Ned Colletti came sniffing around for Mark Hendrickson, the D-Rays happily included Hall to nab Dioner Navarro. Confined to a backup role in L.A. by the emergence of Russell Martin, Hall illustrated Jazayerli`s Law of Backup Catchers, hitting surprisingly well in extremely limited duty. Non-tendered by the Dodgers, he signed a two-year, $3.65-million deal with the White Sox. His ability to hit lefties (.297/.334/.436 over the past three years, compared to .258/.290/.355 vs. righties) will complement A.J. Pierzynski`s weakness against same. 2006 Hall had what was likely his peak season, but due to what is now a pathological unwillingness to walk to first base, his best was still only good enough to get most players benched. While sabermetric types routinely condemn players who lack patience, this may not be fairhat if, as is surely the case with some hitters, impatience is simply a lack of skill rather than a kind of stubbornness? That being the case, it`s cruel to berate them for their incapability--it wasn`t a choice, they were just made that way. In this sense, many impatient players are like those born with physical disabilities. The key difference is that the handicapped can lead useful, vibrant lives, while the impatient largely can`t. 2005 Hall was having a pretty good season last year until August, when his bat got an early jump on the off-season: Hitting .302 in late July, he only hit .198 the rest of the way. Hall makes plenty of contact. He just never hits the ball with any authority, which is the difference between the Hall of today and the Hall they thought they were getting when he came out of the minors four years ago. There was some thought the Rays would not go to arbitration with him, but given the salary demands of free agent Charles Johnson and their lack of trust in Pete LaForest, they decided to live with the incumbent. 2003 Hall has a history with the bat that most catchers can’t hope to match, and he’s a good bet to be among the best hitting backstops in baseball in 2003. The Rays should be thinking longer-term than that, and there are risks that could make exploring Hall’s value in trade reasonable. Hall’s reputation as a top prospect comes in spite of his age (he’s older than Ben Grieve), not because of it, and catchers who smoke the ball into their thirties are rare. He reported to camp out of shape in 2002, and even at his listed weight of 240 pounds he’s putting a lot of pressure on his knees in every game. We’d love to have him on our team, but we’re giving the long-term contract to someone else. 2002 Hall started hitting in 2000 and won’t stop until, oh, 2014 or thereabouts. Outstanding hitters rarely reach the majors this late in life, but Hall is a legitimate exception to the rule. What makes him so exciting is that he’s an exception to another rule, the one that says that it’s pretty much impossible to hit for power without striking out more than 50 times a year. If there are any disbelievers in your fantasy league, outbid them. 2001 Introducing the new John Flaherty. Toby Hall got some attention by hitting .343 in the first half at Orlando. He has some power, will hit anywhere from .220 to .290, and walks about once every ten days. Hall doesn't play the defense that the current Devil Ray catchers do, but he would be cheaper and might become a fan favorite.
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