Mets News: Josh Thole Officially “Super Two” Arbitration Eligible

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• Alex68 October 17, 2012 at 7:50 am

  Thole sucks…
  • Ky mets October 17, 2012 at 10:20 am

    Yeah lol
• Tommy2cat October 23, 2012 at 9:19 pm

  I thought Lewis & Rob Johnson opted for Free Agency…

  Right now, Josh Thole is a serviceable back up catcher who has learned to cope with catching RA Dickey. And he’s a good kid.

  Come to think of it, Thole should probably get a slightly longer bat with a more balanced barrel to increase his bat speed. He’s a good contact hitter when he’s on, and if he could hit more line-drives, his overall production would increase substantially.

  Not ready to give up on him, but to date his production has been unacceptable for a starting catcher. I’m sure he would agree, which is why I am sure he’ll try to do something about it. Let’s hope he does, and let’s hope that SA doesn’t rest on his laurels.
• Joey D. October 23, 2012 at 11:18 pm

  I too like Josh a lot but at this point do not see how he continue being our first string catcher other than by default.

  A big mistake he made was removing his mask on what was that hard but clean slide. Who knows what long-term damage, psychologically, that concussion will have on his psyche. That’s a concern because on certain plays he seemed intimidated by the runner coming in hard. Perhaps word has gotten around the league as well.

  Though we don’t know if his nosedive the last two months of the season is reflective of diminishing batting skills (he did hit for average his first 2-1/2 seasons) we all agree a strictly singles hitter with no speed is an asset without that higher batting average and the ability to hit in clutch situations.

  In limited play he threw out 44 percent of potential base stealers two years ago only to see his percentage drop below the league average since. Only so much could be attributed to R.A. Dickey on the mound.

  There is not one aspect of his game that is outstanding enough to compensate for the weakness of his others that merits him being more than a back up at this stage of his career.

  Again, he is a good kid so we’re all rooting for him. Perhaps as Tommy has alluded to , if he can get to hit more line drives accounting for more extra base hits along with his .260 – .270 batting range he can hold down the number one spot on his own.
  • Joey D. October 23, 2012 at 11:21 pm

    ** a strictly singles hitter with no speed is NOT an asset without that higher batting average and the ability to hit in clutch situations.

    Sorry about the typo.
  • Stick October 23, 2012 at 11:23 pm

    I don’t have the numbers available, but I am pretty sure that Dickey actually gave up very few SBs. Just one more thing that makes him a knuckleballer unlike any other!

    and in general, catching is weak in MLB. Just not that easy to find a real good one, unless you can develop your own, and that sadly takes time.

    so while THole had a pretty crappy year, it is not that simple to get a vastly better one.
    • Joey D. October 23, 2012 at 11:31 pm

      Hi Stick,

      That’s why I mentioned at this point Thole is the starter out of default – not many good catchers out there and certainly none that the Mets can afford to get one way or the other at this point.

      I still think if he can hit about .265 and get a few more extra base hits it will be enough as long as he gets rid of what appeared at times to be a fear factor covering home plate.
    • srt October 24, 2012 at 12:18 am

      You are correct on the limited SBs Dickey gave up this year. Part of that reason, as Ronnie has said several times – is Dickey has one of the best pick off moves in the league as a righty.
      There was one game where the ump called a balk on it. Dickey and Terry went over to explain to the ump. I don’t remember all the details but Ronnie said it had something to do with the fact that he doesn’t have that ligament which makes him a tick faster in getting his arm at the angle to throw over first.

      The ump must have agreed b/c he didn’t call one again the rest of the night.

      Unfortunately, I agree with you about the slim pickings with catchers across the league. I don’t think Thole is going anywhere this year. Reading the off season series over on MLBTR on what each team has, needs – there’s quite a few that will be looking for catching.
      • stick October 24, 2012 at 8:51 am

        Also helped dickey that he put so few guys on, there was no one in position to seal!
• Tom Maddeson October 24, 2012 at 1:49 am

  super two? LOL thole should be batting #2…….in high a ball! extended spring training even! PLEASE sign someone else
• Metstheory22 October 24, 2012 at 7:09 am

  If we had a decent clear cut #1 catcher, I would non-tender him.
• USMF October 24, 2012 at 9:51 am

  Obviously Thole isn’t ever going to be much more than what he is…I think he’s better behind the plate then the numbers show and I think he improved a lot this year. Catching RAD hurts his numbers and I’ve even see it screw him up when catching the rest of the staff, he would get into bad habits. Which he did a much better job avoiding this year.

  I think Thole is another one of the players the coaching staff has failed when it come to hitting. He made it as a slap hitter, but then in ST two years ago he pulled a few bombs and his approach got all messed up and it didn’t seem like anyone was able to successfully work with him and get him to stick with an approach that fits him, not the approach that the team wants everyone to follow.

  But seeing the lack of good catching and Tholes work ethic and ability to catch RAD (who RAD gave him a ton of credit behind the plate) and the fact that Thole was catching for a lot of great pitching performances thins year (the no hitter being one) I think he has a role on the roster, I just wish we could find a suitable platoon partner for him.
  • TRS86 October 24, 2012 at 9:53 am

    Yeah, it really is easy considering the fact that he is young and cheap to at least tender the contract. The key is finding a RH partner that can actually tutor Thole. I keep going back to it but Pena in the minors has about the same amount of games caught in professional baseball as Thole. He is still learning the position.
    • USMF October 24, 2012 at 10:04 am

      I if remember right, Thole wasn’t even signed as a catcher…he transitioned to catcher as few years ago because it was the only way he could make it.
• Dick Young Lives October 24, 2012 at 11:00 am

  Some of you know my feelings on Alderson, I never liked him as GM even before he took the job. This is a man who only wins when he has a top payroll. That said, I still think his hands are tied with this payroll and there is no way he will carry out the ambitious plan he laid out on WFAN the day the season ended. The spirit might be willing but the checkbook is too weak.