|
2008 Yell all you want, but if a player doesn't hit .200, he can't keep his job, no matter what else he's doing. Clint Hurdle, who knows a bit about how young players can scuffle, was fairly patient last year with his rookie catcher; Iannetta was the starter through about mid-May and had a share of the job up through the All-Star break. One challenge Iannetta faced was his lineup spot. It's not easy batting eighth in the NL and getting pitched around much of the time. He batted .190/.296/.306 in the eight hole, but .237/.375/.424 with a better contact rate batting seventh. He also hit much better after being recalled in late August: .348/.434/.565 in 53 PA. Even with Torrealba back, Iannetta should be the starter in 2008. 2007 The organization`s first true catching prospect, Iannetta earned his call-up on August 26 by hitting a combined .336/.433/.567 at Double- and Triple-A. After starting out 2-for-22 with the big club, he had a nice September showing, hitting .261/.381/.406. Those rates reflect his skills; his ability to get on base is more developed than his power, which leads to some odd comps in PECOTA; you might be better off thinking of him as the new Jim Sundberg. Given the traditional low standards of Rockies backstops, he`ll be a Denver revelation. 2006 Iannetta`s glovework initially got all the attention, but since it`s an inviolable law of the universe that a catcher cannot be praised simultaneously for both his defense and offense, his surprising bat has led to increased talk that he`s only an average defensive backstop. He`s a catcher who`s mastered High-A ball at 22, won`t have to move from behind the plate as he moves up, and hits for power with patience. Everything else is just commentary.
|