Pirates Sign Sanchez to Extension; World Becomes Better Place

Today the Pirates have signed 2-time All Star Freddy Sanchez to a contract extension that could last through the 2010 season. The deal calls for 4 million this year, 6.1 million in 2009 and an option for 2010 at 8 million which the team can exercise or it could become automatic if Sanchez makes 635 plate appearances in 2009. The second baseman stud also gets a few hundred thousand as a signing bonus. [All contract details courtesy of ESPN.com]

Not only does this make my recently purchased Freddy Sanchez jersey worth more emotionally (or even spiritually), this does improve the team. The Pirates have no clear cut heir apparent to Sanchez in the minors, so us loyal fans know that we're going to be seeing at least one great player in the lineup every day. (Shortstop Jack Wilson and Left Fielder Jason Bay are signed through 2009, but Sanchez is the most likely of the three to last that long in Pittsburgh, and this piece is about him anyway, so that's why I'm singling him out as the "great player.")

I'm very excited by this move and I hope other fans are too. Maybe this could lead to a slight attendance increase, more player contract extensions, and in only a few more years, a winning record.

Pirates Preview 2008: Catchers

I’ve been delaying my Catching preview, waiting until Johnny Estrada or Paul Bako signed. Well, that didn’t happen. So, it looks like 2008 will be the Ronny Paulino show.

Everyone seems to love the Paulino from 2006, but hate the one from 2007, or at least the one from the first two thirds of 2007. This is yet another situation, like the one with Zach Duke, where we don’t know which performance we’ll see. I don’t expect a battling average over .300 like in ’06, but I do see a more consistent Paulino emerging this year. There are a number of reasons why.

1) Paulino has experienced a better than expected rookie year and a disappointing sophomore year. He’s seen the high and the low already, at least individually (team-wise: all low), and that experience should keep him, at least mentally, leveled.

2) Paulino has lost some weight in the off season, which doesn’t necessarily mean his performance will improve, but at least it implies he’s focused on getting better.

3) Jim Tracy no longer manages the Pirates. Tracy managed his players too passively, Paulino in particular.

4) John Russell is the new manger. Russell, a former catcher, should be of great help to Paulino. Russell understands the position and Paulino should benefit from this hiring more than any other Pirate.

As it appears now, Ryan Doumit will back up Paulino. Doumit is a very good hitter and a versatile player. He just has trouble staying healthy. Management does seem more interested in him playing right field than catching, so perhaps that could cut down on his injury time. Either way, Doumit is switch hitter with a little pop. He’s a much better left handed hitter than right (in ’07, .852 OPS from left side, .666 from right), which might mean, wherever he plays, it will be in a platoon situation. If Paulino struggles, and the Pirates do want Doumit to catch, the two of them could make a fine platoon: Doumit vs. righties: .865 OPS, Paulino vs. lefties: 1.055 OPS, 2007 numbers. Though defensively, even with his dropped throws and other problems last year, Paulino is superior.

Beyond those two, the Pirates don’t have many options. The only other catcher currently on their 40-man roster is Michel Hernandez, who has basically been a catcher at various AAA teams the last few years. And looking over the remaining free agents, only Kelly Stinnett and Damian Miller remain. Actually, I could see the Bucs signing either one of those two. And honestly, either would make a decent backup. Someone who starts once a week. That would push Doumit into an already crowded outfield, but if the Pirates would rather Doumit play the outfield, as they’ve stated in the past, they might as well get on with it.