Oh look, another catcher!

[rxmeister]

Giants claimed Tom Murphy off waivers from the Rockies. I actually liked Murphy a couple of years ago because it looked like he could hit, but he had some injury problems and went south quickly. He’s out if options, so let’s see Zaidi’s plan, if he actually has one.

[klaiggeb]

Now you sound like me, Mark: "If he has one..."

[sfgdood]

im not getting this obsession with backup catchers

[MordyFromMonsey]

Heard Johnny Bench and Carton Fisk are avail for the right price

[klaiggeb]

Well if not those two, how about Rodriguez' father, Pudge?

[rog]

In both 2015 and 2016, Murphy hit the ball hard 48% of the time (in a very small sample). In 2016, he hit is softly only 8%. He's had trouble making contact, but he probably has more hitting potential than Aramis, and even though he's played small portions of four major league seasons, he's only two years older.

I'm not sure the Giants can afford to keep three catchers, and I think unless someone wants to give up an outfielder for Kratz, he's the #2, but I think if the Giants do keep a third catcher, it will be Murphy. Tom seems to run pretty well for a catcher, and apparently he's considered an average defender.

I mentioned outfielder Socrates Brito in another post. Brito is a left-handed hitter, which I think makes it more unlikely he would become a Giant. I don't know how long a team has to keep a player on its roster before it waives him, but I can see the Giants trying to flip waivered players to Sacramento.

Back to Murphy, his biggest problem has been staying in the strike zone.

[sfgdood]

I see one of two possibilities...they aren't optimistic about Posey, or they are thinking of trading Belt and moving Posey to first base--hopefully.

[rog]

Both your Posey and Belt possibilities have merit, but I suspect the truth is rather mundane -- that the Giants had put in a claim for Murphy, weren't sure if they would win the claim, had a bird in the hand with Kratz, traded for Kratz, then wound up full of catchers when their claim for Murphy went through.

[rog]

That is what MLB Trade Rumors hypothesized during today's chat, as copied in another post.