Coste on the catcher trade
After the Phillies got backup catcher Ronny Paulino from the Pirates FOR Jason Jaramillo at the winter meetings last week, the person most impacted seemed to be Chris Coste. After all, that has been Coste's job the last couple of years.
Coste on the catcher trade
Paul Hagen
Paul Hagen reporting ...
After the Phillies got backup catcher Ronny Paulino from the Pirates FOR Jason Jaramillo at the winter meetings last week, the person most impacted seemed to be Chris Coste. After all, that has been Coste’s job the last couple of years.
Immediately after the deal went down, the fan favorite asked for some time to collect his thoughts. Now that he’s formulated his thoughts, he passed them along in an e-mail.
‘There seems to be a lot of speculation taking place regarding the Paulino/Jaramillo trade, and many people are perceiving this to mean that I am on my way out the door,” iut read. “I think this is a little overblown.
“Let me just say this – if I was GM of the Phillies I would have made the move in a heartbeat. In fact, even if Ruiz was an All-Star and I had hit .350 in 2008, I still would have made the move. You can never have too much catching, especially when it is such a volatile and injury-prone position. And they got Ronny Paulino, a former major league starting catcher for Jason Jaramillo, a guy they had apparently given up on. This trade was a no-brainer.
“If there is a competition then so be it. If someone gets traded then so be it. I have never expected to be handed anything in the world of baseball, and I expect 2009 to be no different.”
What a true ball player and utmost professional. Chris Coste is an inspiration and a poster-boy for hard work. It would be a shame to lose a man with such work ethic as Chris Coste for a guy who has a true reputation for being a lazy, disrespectful individual. Beat him out this spring Coastey, we ALL want you too.— gulls3012- Unless they plan to make Paulino the everyday starter, the move makes little sense. He obviously does not view himself as a backup. He was described last year in Pittsburgh as "unmotivated" and "lazy" as a backup to Doumit. He has shown little in his ML career as a pinch hitter where he is 3 for 21. So don't expect much off the bench. I aways thought that Marson is the catcher of the future. But Gillick/Kerfield like oversized catchers as in the Fasano/Barajas type. See where that got the Phils. So far the Amaro moves have shown him to be little other than a Gillick lackey. Mayberry was originally drafted by Seattle out of high school, Ibanez, and now the Paulino pickup have old Gillick's finger prints all over them. Ruben be your own man!— Dull
- Regardless of who the backup catcher is, hasn't Coste proven himself as a clutch MLB hitter, either in the lineup or off the bench? At 35 or whatever Coste is this year, wouldn't he be an incredible bargain as a righthanded pinch hitter off the bench...WHO CAN ALSO BE A 2ND OR 3RD CATCHER...which give Charlie the flexibility to use him in games? And as he said...injuries at the catcher position? C'mon...they are going to happen.— phillybob
- While I also read the comment about Paulino's attitude last year, I think there is a difference between being a back-up on the AAAA Pirates and being one on the defending World Champs. I am also not convinced he makes the team. He could also be traded or sent to AAA. In any case, as COste says, competition is good for everyone— jeff gross
- Coste is going to be a very successful big league manager some day. The guy has a head on his shoulders. He's been competing for a position his entire career, why should it be different now. He may not have a problem having a job once Paulino is introduced to cheesesteaks and Tandytakes. I don't know if he's been a diet lately, but there were times Paulino's waist line made Rod Barajas look like baseball's version of Twiggy, the original 50lb. photo model.— jp
- I love Chris Coste but folks lets recognize from August on he was a noncontributor offensively. He is a poor defensive catcher with a good ability to call a game but if he is a noncontributor offensively then he will not be on a team despite all the intangibles he brings to the table. At worst Paulino is an asset that can be used during the season if Marson shows he's ready in AAA. The more Major league players on your roster the better. Rumors were swirling that Florida was trying to get Paulino to shore up their catching if we can poach a pitching prospect from their deep system for Paulino I will be thrilled.— rhcjr2
- JP, Yourthoughts on Coste becoming a manager someday is what I've been saying for 2 years. The man seems pretty smart.— phineas
Coste has more class in his piky finger than Rube has in his entire body!- I love this guy!!!— NickEeee
- Chris Coste is the epitome of class. Hopefully, the Phils will keep in mind that he is a right-handed batter off the bench and he can play first base as well as catcher.— riles1875
- two words: Class Act.— Frank Lloyd Wrong
- Rumor is that Amaro will try to move Coste. Apparently he is also looking into trading Philly's Rocky statue to Cleveland for the Phil Spector Statue.— baseman
