Mets Sign Catcher Raul Chavez To Minor League Deal

by Eric Simon on Jan 14, 2011 8:17 PM EST

According to an official tweet, the Mets have signed catcher Raul Chavez to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training.

Chavez, most recently of the Blue Jays, doesn't hit much, rarely walks, and will be 37 in March. He wasn't included in Beyond the Boxscore's year-end defensive ratings because he spent the year with Toronto's Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas. Mike Rogers's 2002-2009 rankings from Bless You Boys have Chavez well above average and the 2009 Fan Scouting Report ranked Chavez 8th among all big league catchers. Looks like an aging, no-hit, all-glove backup catcher.

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I'm going to "like" this on Facebook

Maybe Raul will see it and smile.

by James Kannengieser on Jan 14, 2011 8:34 PM EST reply actions

Hey, Buffalo needs 25 warm bodies too!

by FrancoTAU on Jan 14, 2011 8:42 PM EST reply actions

It's the least we can do for them, they just spent more money on a scoreboard than the one at Shea.

by FrancoTAU on Jan 14, 2011 8:43 PM EST up reply actions

Depth move is okay

John Franco (shoulda been) HOF 2011

by JoeBighead on Jan 14, 2011 9:00 PM EST reply actions

Hah!!! we will see this guy in May at some point in another bizarre Omar...

Oh wait. Omar is gone, therefore this is a good move for AAA.

by ScottfromPeekskill on Jan 14, 2011 9:05 PM EST reply actions

Actually, with Thole promoted and guys like Santos cut.

Did we even have a AA or AAA catcher until now?

by FrancoTAU on Jan 14, 2011 9:08 PM EST reply actions

Well, there's Mike Nickeas who'll likely be at AAA

and I’ll assume that Chavez will be his caddy. I’m guessing Kai Gronauer starts at AA and they pick up a backup for him amongst the many minor league free agents out there.

Chamption of the R.A. Dickey Face contest and "Cromulent Photoshopper Extraordinaire" of Amazin' Avenue!

by Steve Schreiber on Jan 14, 2011 9:45 PM EST up reply actions

Nickeas will probably break camp with the Mets.

And Chavez will start in Buffalo while Paulino serves his suspension.

by xnumberoneson on Jan 14, 2011 11:01 PM EST up reply actions

Why would Nickeas break camp with the big club?

Thole and Paulino are already on the roster; Nickeas going north would mean one of them got hurt, or Paulino forgot how to play baseball this winter.

I am willing to wait to build a world class franchise (h/t to millsy)

by BobbyV_Incognito on Jan 15, 2011 1:16 AM EST up reply actions

Never mind; somehow I missed what you wrote about the suspension.

Comprehension is my friend.

I am willing to wait to build a world class franchise (h/t to millsy)

by BobbyV_Incognito on Jan 15, 2011 1:17 AM EST up reply actions

no problem :)

Clearly this is not a big move, but it’s one of those minutiae that remind me why I love this game. A 37-year old catcher who has managed to hang around the upper levels of baseball based almost entirely on his cannon arm and a reputation for calling a good game. His signing might be as much about being a mentor to guys like Dillon Gee as it is about his play on the field.

by xnumberoneson on Jan 15, 2011 12:45 PM EST up reply actions