2
2012
Should The Mets Bring Back Kelly Shoppach?
An article by 
As they close the door on yet another disappointing season, and start looking towards 2013, catcher is definitely one of the areas of concern for the New York Mets. Josh Thole isn’t coming around offensively, so the Mets brought in Shoppach earlier this year to see if he would be a viable option for 2013.
The Mets were gauging whether or not Shoppach would fit in with the team philosophy, and hopefully bring a little more thump to the lineup. Shoppach was with the Mets for a little over a month, and already has more home runs (3) than Thole did all season (1). Shoppach has also had a few clutch hits for the Mets, but I think everyone would agree that his offensive production was not much better than what the Mets were already getting from the catcher position in 2012.
The most amount of games Shoppach has ever started in a season was back in 2008, when he started 94 for Cleveland. That was his most productive offensive season, batting .261, and hitting 21 home runs. He also has thrown out 29% of base stealers over his 8 year major league career, which is slightly better than Thole’s 27%.
When looking at Shoppach’s 2008 stats, the offensive potential is there. Plug him into the eight-hole in the lineup, and turn him loose. Maybe we get a .250 average and 20-25 home runs out of him if he starts 100 games in 2013. For that reason, a voice says and says lock him up for 2013. But there is another little voice whispering not so fast my friend.
Shoppach’s 2008 season is awfully similar to Scott Hairston’s 2012 campaign. Eerily similar…their offensive numbers are practically identical. On the surface, the numbers say one thing, but the things you see occurring in games keep reminding you why they were never really everyday players. The numbers are promising, but you just don’t feel confident having them as everyday players.
Regardless of how you feel about Shoppach, I think he has shown enough to bring him back for 2013. I don’t know, there just seems to be something about him that makes it easy to cheer for him. Maybe it’s because he seems like a throwback, blue-collar catcher to me. He has the full grown beard, and just fits the mold. I like that he provides a heck of a lot more pop than Thole as well. Like I said earlier, stick him in the eight-hole and let him swing for the fences.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, the Mets have so many question marks facing them this off-season you would think the Riddler was the general manager. There are outfield questions…bullpen questions…and catcher questions. Robin might be confused when posed with all these questions, but Batman would solve the catcher riddle by re-signing Shoppach.
About the Author: Mitch Petanick
Mitch is currently an Editor and Minor League Analyst for Mets Merized Online. His baseball experience includes being a former All-Conference collegiate baseball player who had numerous professional tryouts, and he is currently a hitting instructor. He has been involved with the game of baseball for over 30 years now as a player, coach, and consultant. Mitch is also a former Featured Columnist on Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @FirstPitchMitch.
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NL East Standings
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braves | 23 | 18 | .561 | - |
| Nationals | 23 | 19 | .548 | 0.5 |
| Phillies | 20 | 22 | .476 | 3.5 |
| Mets | 16 | 23 | .410 | 6.0 |
| Marlins | 11 | 31 | .262 | 12.5 |
Last updated: 05/18/2013
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If he’s not the answer to the starting job then yes you bring him back. I like Shoppach but I don’t think it’s fair to look to 2008 when he was 28 to say at 33 he can have a good offensive year when 09-12 he’s hit .207 with an average 78 games played and 9 HR, 26 RBI.
I am not worried about a Lefty catcher as the starter if Shoppach is brought back to be the backup. I just want an everyday guy.
[...] Should the Mets bring back Kelly Shoppach? MetsMerized [...]
I like Kelly the issue is his age but then again i think he would not be totally expensive. But his he going to be signed to be the first string or backup or share of catching duties. he has power and throws out runners but he is not the best hitter . But i say why not Anything is better then Nicholas. and Thole. Just do it
Back up to a NEW starting catcher. Who that is, we will not know until SA makes a trade to upgrade position. Hope he does.
By all means, bring Kelly back as a backup. You still have to find a starting catcher over the winter. That’s a priority.
I’m with the others that don’t mind him back as a backup (especially if Nickeas is the other alternative!), but hopefully backing someone else up instead of Thole.
though I would guess that if they do get a new starting C, it will be Thole sliding into the back up role. More so if Dickey is back.
The CORE…. Farewell….
He hasn’t shown that much pop, and let’s face it: he’s made some horrible plays behind the plate.
I’d say no.
Come on guys, not only are we not going to go out and get Shoppach and another catcher we will be lucky to get Shop. There are a lot of issues with the team and unfortunately you can’t fix all of them in an off-season even through trade or FA. I expect Thole and maybe Shop to be back next year.
I wouldn’t say “lucky” to get him back. It will certainly be a better situation to have Shoppach and Thole for the year vs. Nickeas & Johnson…
End of the day, it is a subpar situation to have both Thole and Shoppach as the catching tandem, as they are both pretty much backups. But much like you say, there really isn’t much else out there.
By lucky I am saying that considering the crop of FA catchers and what an experienced catcher cost …
Which is why we wanted him to do something at the Trade Deadline to get a head start on the hole filling.
Hey Mitch, I would say why not? How many backups are better than him? My big concern is the starting catcher and it sounds like they are still going to remain patient with Thole. I like Thole but we cant have a team with two backup catchers. They have to make a decision.
I would not be surprised if the bring Shoppach back and they use a catcher by committee in 2013 – Time shared between Thole and Shoppach, and they will stick with the hot hand and play the percentages.
Not only would I not be surprised, at this point that is what I expect.
Guess you realize how low we have to aim in terms of free agents huh… Yet, somehow, you wanna give this FO another year .. Got it…
No fan should be reserved to sit one more year out. Yes there are still 2 big contracts clogging the teams finances but moves can and should be made. The first year of the contract can be reduced to overcome this. The longer they sit on their hands the more time they waste on Harvey and others. The time for excuses is over.
2 comments,
1) The GM does not set the payroll, no matter what you think. Omar didn’t set the payroll and neither does Sandy.
2) There really is a void of catching so as much as I would like to create someone better than Shoppach out of thin air, I already used up all my magic powers long ago.
Rod Barajas (37) – $3.5MM club option, no buyout
Henry Blanco (41) – $1.24MM mutual option
Chris Iannetta (30) – $5MM club option with a $250K buyout; player can void
Gerald Laird (33)
Russell Martin (30)
Brian McCann (29) – $12MM club option with a $500K buyout
Jose Molina (37) – $1.5MM club option with a $300K buyout
Mike Napoli (31)
Wil Nieves (35)
Miguel Olivo (34) – $3MM club option with a $750K buyout
Ronny Paulino (32)
A.J. Pierzynski (36)
Humberto Quintero (33)
David Ross (36)
Carlos Ruiz (34) – $5MM club option with a $500K buyout
Brian Schneider (36)
Kelly Shoppach (33)
Chris Snyder (32) – $4MM mutual option for 2013 with a $500K buyout
Yorvit Torrealba (34)
Matt Treanor (37)
Add to that a few guys that would be available in trade, getting someone good enough to be a starter through trade is going to cost you a decent prospect or group of prospects in return.
Now really you can take out most of those guys with options as they will be picked up.
How many full-time catchers are there on that list?
This list is definitely meh, for the most part.
Unless we’re trading for someone’s almost-ML-ready, or ML-ready-blocked-in-minors type catcher, not sure what choices we have.
That and we’re all assuming that if they do offer Shoppach a contract, he’ll come back. Meh or not, something tells me we might not be his only offer. They’ll be several teams looking for a back-up type catcher.
Right, canyou also make a list of all the catchers we can acquire via trade please???? Or is it only via FA that we can make a move? And of course, since the SA failed at acquiring undervalue players to help the team, the excuse is we don’t have any money, and since we don’t have any money, we can only afford crap. which is what SA is bringing to NY.. Amazing..
I already addressed the trade part:
“Add to that a few guys that would be available in trade, getting someone good enough to be a starter through trade is going to cost you a decent prospect or group of prospects in return.”
My thinking as well on this.
As a backup, no problem but again the starter might remain the problem. While I don’t believe we can fix every problem in one offseason fixing a few would be nice. The theme that has been cited is “Build around pitching”. Thing is for pitching to be effective there need to be solid up the middle defense. SS & 2B are ok C & CF are woefully lacking. Let’s see if they address either. I suspect if not the park will remain as empty as it has been in the second half.
Good read Mitch, excellent question too. Shoppach is better than ANY in-house options. But we can’t know who will be available this offseason via trade, anyway, failing a trade, you could do worse than Shoppach. We saw that all year. I’m just not a Thole believer. If Shopp gives you what you said above, i’d sign him.
Thanks Mike
I don’t expect Kelly Stop Gap to be resigned quickley. I’ve heard that he will be testing the free agent market. The Mets and Kelly are an odd couple. Neither seems to be smitten with the other but may settle as it is the best each can do.
Historically, importing a premier catcher has been key to Met championship drives. Kelly is not that catcher. We have the makings of a great staff. We need the receiver. I thought it was smart to give Kelly a trial run. Unless Sandy can make a block buster trade; Thole and Kelly may be the best that we can do.
Mauer is the only catcher that could walk in and turn this franchise around. If he came to New York it would be the Bronx.
The pitchers like throwing to him. He seems to call a better game than Thole.
Think they’ll go with Thole + Shoppach to save the Wilponzi $$.
I agree with this article. Shoppach seems to have fit in nicely with this group and he’ll eventually get better at handling Dickey’s knuckler. You cant hold that against him and Dickey struggle too at first. I like that Shoppach can pop one out of the park every now and then which we dont get from Thole.
I won’t complain if they do bring Shoppach back.
He’s not the long term answer but I don’t see one available in FA either and it’s not important to fix Catcher as it is to fix the OF with a Power RH bat.
What other choice do you have? Thole? Please.