I like Anderson–but let’s see how he actually performs at a higher level before claiming hes a better player than Molina.

We can assess the “value” of a catcher’s D using advanced stats and whatnot, but it’s worth noting that every infielder worth his salt (not to even mention the pitchers) LOVES having an elite defensive C who can quarterback the whole infield.

I think the perspective of Yadi’s teammates gets lost in these assessments of Anderson/Molina sometimes. There can be extended benefits that are hard to tease out in the stats….

Even when he was a rookie and started the season 0-40 or whatever, as I watched his at bats he always had a very good judge of the strike zone and when he made contact (which is typical of Molina…i.e., doesn’t strike out much) he was hitting line drives that seemed to be right at somebody.

This continued in 2006 until the playoffs when he played great. This past year he hit just as well and suffered a broken wrist which set him back, but he rebounded to hit in the mid-.270s (after being around .300 earlier in the year) with a .340 obp.

Personally, I think he is (and will continue to be) a good hitting catcher, if not really good. And his defense goes beyond blocking balls in the dirt. He shuts down opponents running games.

Anyway, I guess we’ll just have to disagree on this one.

Big Red, you seriously can’t understand why we love a sweet-swinging 20 year old catcher at Springfield? Wow.

Anderson is a good prospect. He’s young, he will tire from catching. Yadier had to improve blocking balls. Anderson can do the same.

Would you rather have a catcher who can hit for a decent average and get on base, and play average d or would you rather have a below average offensive catcher with an elite glove? I think I’d take the guy who can hit.

I thought it was interesting that word of TLR’s new contract came a day after Antonetti’s team was eliminated from the playoffs. Coincidence? I’m not sure.

“The best situation is to have Anderson start eventually.”

Why? What exactly has Anderson proven and why are you so in love with him? Seriously, I’m not trying to be an ass, I just don’t get the whole anti-Molina thing espeically when the next best catcher in the organization is a 20 year old AA guy who struggled down the stretch and has never been an asset defensively.

Personally, I think the best situation would be for Molina to be a perennial All-Star and Gold Glove catcher while Anderson improves to the point where the Cards are able to move him for a serious, top-of-the-line pitching prospect.

Or the other way around. Whatever.

But what I do know is that if Molina continues to improve on how he hit last season (remembering he broke his wrist in the middle of the season) then it doesn’t matter what Anderson does, he’s not going to be the defensive catcher Molina is. However, if Molina goes back to hitting .230 then I believe we better hope Anderson is legit.

If Jocketty had been fired three years ago, instead of three weeks ago, I would’ve agreed that he was as good a GM candidate as anyone we could hire to replace him.

But after the Mulder trade, which was followed by two seasons’ worth of inconsequential moves for spare-part players, ill-advised contract extensions for injured or injury-prone players, and a refusal to go along with organizational changes mandated by his boss, I changed my opinion.

I really do think he was unhappy and increasingly unfocused and ineffectual. He jammed up his own payroll with too many players making too much money for their rapidly declining skills.

When he took over, the organization was on a treadmill of mediocrity. We were almost entirely dependent on homegrown players who weren’t good enough to get us to the next level. DeWitt gave him a bigger payroll and the freedom to deal what he had for what other teams were willing to give away to open up their own payrolls.

But the game changed in the past few years. Every team has more money, and nobody is willing to give away superstars in their walk years for marginal prospects anymore. Teams figured out that it made more sense to hang onto those players, stay in contention, and then let them walk for premium draft picks.

Jocketty was stuck. He couldn’t outbid anyone for the free-agent superstars, and his neglect of player development had left us without any premium players coming up from our own system.

He threw himself a nice pity party, but I’m not surprised the owner decided to take his chances with someone else.