Catching is a position in baseball that deserves immense credit; those able to combine power and average with All-Star-calibre defense are far and few between.
Look at the likes of Joe Mauer and Ivan Rodriguez: 16 Gold Gloves, two MVPs and 11 Silver Sluggers. Within this generation, they are two of the very best.
So, when teams claim to have the next superstar of the future, many are skeptical.
When J.P. Arencibia arrived on the scene late last year, no doubt Jays fans everywhere were ecstatic when he had a game to remember: four-for-five, two HR and three RBI.
The problem is that one-for-35 the rest of the way raised more eyebrows than his historic Blue Jays debut.
The future is indeed bright for the former Tennessee Volunteer. Unfortunately, ol' rocky top could transform into a rocky road. The starting job is his to lose and if anyone remembers Eddie Zosky, then you know what I mean.
With really no one challenging Arencibia for the starting roster spot, he really does have to disappoint for Jose Molina to be named starter. Except his .140 average after 45 spring training at-bats doesn’t instill much confidence.
I am very high on the Jays this year. With the New York Yankees in what you could call rebuilding mode and the Tampa Bay Rays missing a lot of ammunition, the birds from the North are in an ideal spot to become the surprise front-runners for the AL Wild Card.
However, with Arencibia’s struggles and tendency to strikeout, the club might have another problem on their hands: developing another catcher.
If Arencibia doesn’t lock in quickly and Molina, who isn’t known for his abilities at the plate, is forced to play, then the Jays are all but an eight man lineup.
Travis d’Arnaud, who was acquired as part of the Roy Halladay trade in 2009, is another young catching prospect opening eyes at camp this year. It’s almost inevitable that d’Arnaud should make an appearance with the big club in the next two to four years.
The question is, will he be there as the go-to guy if Arencibia continues down the path he’s on?
For the Jays to contend, they need contributions from each position player—especially Arencibia, who has been given immense responsibility.
If not, all the high hopes going into this year were just that—hope.
Devon is the founder of The GM’s Perspective
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