Comments on: Your 2011 Backup Catcher: Bryan Anderson?

By: Wade

Wade — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 04:43:02 +0000

“mowed down” is a little harsh from what i remember. he got taken out on an un-needed play, but i don’t think he got hurt on the play from what i remember. he was not blocking the plate but the DB felt necessary to run into him but it was more of an un-necessary harsh ‘bump’ than a take out

By: pitch and hit

pitch and hit — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 02:44:31 +0000

I think you are right, didn’t he get mowed down by that idiot that went after Marlins Chris Volstad?

By: eccard

eccard — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 22:23:42 +0000

I’m completely on board with giving Anderson his shot. In my opinion, he’s earned it. He took care of that ‘No power’ rap by hitting 12 dingers in under 300 at bats this year. Bryan has always hit well when healthy so I have no problem with him as a backup. Plus we’ll have Cruz and Hill in Memphis and I think those two will be capable of backup roles if needed in 2011. I have faith in Bryan Anderson, so I look forward to him succeeding in St.Louis.

By: riotmute

riotmute — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 18:39:19 +0000

Shouldn’t Steven Hill be in the discussion? Is his defense that bad? Because the dude rakes. I agree with Gruntosaurus, I don’t think it’s so obvious that Anderson is handed the back up job, not when there are two other guys coming off of excellent seasons

By: Kingpin

Kingpin — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 15:24:08 +0000

The reason Pagnozzi got the AB’s in September was because Anderson got hurt. Or am I mis-remembering?

By: rydeshelby

rydeshelby — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 10:42:56 +0000

In 2011, Anderson will be competing to make the Memphis roster, against Hill and Cruz. The Cards will probably sign a veteran replacement for LaRue. If Molina or the backup are injured, then Anderson could play in StL. From a Cards standpoint, its nice to have catching depth at AAA.

By: RedC

RedC — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 08:02:29 +0000

I certainly agree that Tony doesn’t change. But he has actually been one of the most embracing managers of lots of new ideas. Okay, his ideas, but consider: the “modern” closer; pitchers batting eighth; the LOOGy; batting the clean-up hitter third, etc.

I’m not sure why he can’t become accepting of the idea of a backup catcher who can actually hit. It turns a wasted roster space into a great pinch-hitting opportunity. The problem I see right away, though, is his insistence on a stupid “emergency” catcher. Because you don’t want Molina playing first unless you have a big lead late in the game (not a situation when you would pinch for him anyway), I don’t think Tony can commit to letting Anderson pinch-hit unless there is some third-level backup. Brandon Inge would have been great for this role last year. Anyone else like him floating around (besides Motte, of course…come to think of it…)?

By: chuckb

chuckb — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 01:28:05 +0000

I agree that this was Mo’s decision despite what Tony may have wanted, not because of what Tony may have wanted. If Tony wanted Anderson to be the backup, he’d have gotten the starts to which jj referred. Instead they went to Pagnozzi. This move was clearly one in which Mo was asserting his authority despite what Tony’s preference was.

By: Gruntosaurus

Gruntosaurus — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 23:48:16 +0000

I’m all in favor of the idea of filling the backstop role from within, but is it so obvious that Anderson is the guy to fill it with? The fact that they sent Tony Cruz, not Anderson, to the AFL, and Cruz has been raking there (even by the offensively-inflated standards of the AFL), makes me wonder if the organization sees him already as the solution to the LaRue problem, not Anderson.

Either way, this seems like the ideal year to start getting TLR used to the idea. Mo can always plead (quite validly, IMO) that he’d rather spend the free-agent money on something more important, like an upgrade at 2B or even 3B, or a second LOOGY who can actually get hitters out — not to mention retaining certain key people.

By: jjray

jjray — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 22:51:19 +0000

“But it looks like Mo is beginning to assert himself and may even get Tony to buy into his ideas.”

I doubt that. Tony has consistently been Tony. He really doesn’t change for good or bad. Perhaps what is more likely is that DeWitt is empowering JMo to assert himself. Maybe I’m wrong and Tony gets together with JMo to kick it with a bottle of wine while singing kumbaya. Maybe Joan Baez is a new friend of Tony and she is teaching him to connect with his inner peaceful, nonconfrontational self. Or maybe not and sooner or later JMo & Tony are going to the mat.