Phils sign catcher Bako
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Phils sign catcher Bako
Andy Martino
This press release came my way just as I was boarding an airplane to Cincy. Not a move likely to impact the major league team, but this is why they call me the media (or medium, I guess):
Catcher Paul Bako agreed to a minor league contract with the Phillies, Assistant General Manager Scott Proefrock announced today.
Bako, 36, will report to extended spring training in Clearwater today until a schedule is set. He will then advance through the minor system when he is physically able to play. He began the 2009 season with the Chicago Cubs spring training camp before being released on March 30.
“Paul has a tremendous amount of major league experience and he gives us the opportunity to add greater catching depth to our system,” Proefrock said.
For his career, Bako has hit .231 with 21 home runs and 186 runs batted in over 745 major league games between the Tigers (1998), Astros (1999-2000), Marlins (2000), Braves (2000-01), Brewers (2002), Cubs (2003-04), Dodgers (2005), Royals (2006), Orioles (2007) and Reds (2008). He has thrown out 28% of potential base stealers for his career (155 out of 549).
Comments (39)
You're no Arbuckle, Proefrock. Way to land the big one! Maybe I'll add Bako to my fantasy team.- What is the secret story behind why Ruben Amaro Jr. loves to sign crummy catchers to meaningless contracts? America demands an answer!— Jeffrey
- What, why? Amaro is brutal.— scars73
- Because the Phils minor league system is short on catchers. And considering your post, America would be better off demanding common sense - which, unfortunately, isn't very common, especially on the internet.— judas_priest
- Thanks for the information.
I don't think Amaro is doing his homework well enough. If he's really looking for organizational depth at catcher, check out this post from MLBRumors.com Tim Dierkes on May 6th: "Who wants a 27 year-old switch-hitting catcher who hit .303/.376/.462 at Triple A last year? No one, apparently. According to MLB.com's Dick Kaegel, Royals catcher Brayan Pena cleared waivers and was assigned to Triple A Omaha. This marks Pena's fifth trip to Triple A. In their 2007 Handbook, Baseball America suggested Pena's defense was at least decent. In a world of $2MM backup catchers, it's surprising Pena wasn't picked up."— RAS- Yawn.....I'm sleepy.— psuwelsh
- Reading furhter into this, I guess we can assume that the Lou Marson/Chris Coste combination will be the right handed bat off the bench now that Cairo is history? A slight upgrade but not earth shattering. I'd still like to see Mayberry get a few rips up here.— RAS
- We had plenty catching depth in the minor league system until Amaro shipped Jaramillo for Paulino and then Paulino for that lefty who most likely will be either release or send to the minor leagues. Bako?, you got to be kidding me. Maybe he can replace Ramon Henderson as our bullpen catcher.— EL Zorro
- Hoover is good backup for 'pigs. His specialty is the "sweep" tag.— mick314
Comment removed.- I smell BS.— Downie27
- Crash Davis to the rescue!— Philly Jinx
- Comment removed.
- A 36yo catcher? They must be hard up. This is newsworthy?— StevenT
- Maybe they got him to toughen up Kendrick / Carrasco... Crash / Nuke style.— fcskills
- I've said it before; we have catching depth. His name is Lou Marson!— thejerz
- Comment removed.
- The Phillies need to look into what the Rockies would want for Garrett Atkins. The price has to be pretty low, considering they've benched him in favor of Ian Stewart. He has been ice cold to start this season, but still has great ability and would be a great addition to the team. At worst, he's a right handed power threat off the bench. At best, he displaces Pedro Feliz at third base, and spells Ryan Howard against a tough lefty at first.— silverfade80
- picking-up bako, in what way doe's this help the team,both catchers that we have can't hit any better,how many years do we have to wait for a good catcher?— stillaphillesfan
- Comment removed.
- BAKO,THEY CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT.— stillaphillesfan
- They could have kept Jaramillo and saved themselves the trouble.— SteveS11
- thank you El Zorro, someone who actually knows what they are talking about, as opposed to judas— scars73
- You guys just don't get it. Baseball is a game of accumulated knowledge and passing that knowledge onto the prospects in the system. In addition to Marson, we have Travis D'Arnaud and Sebastian Valle, all three of whom the Phils like a lot. Philly Jinx has it right. Bako will be like Crash Davis, without the dingers. He will act as a mentor to both pitchers and catchers down on the farm.— southpaw57
- Southpaw, why don't they make him a coach instead of allowing him to steal playing time from these kids? And do you think Bako wants to babysit prospects and travel by bus in the minors, after a decade playing in the Majors? Give me a break.— EL Zorro
Bring up Marson- I dont get it either— raywright
- The only logic I see with this move is that they are considering bringing Marson up to replace Cairo in the roster. Then Bako will play at AAA. They have two catchers in AAA and three in AA, plus D'Arnaud and Valle in Single A. Coste is hitting a little better now, so I don't think Bako would be replacing him anytime soon, plus he is a LF hitter. The Phillies have plenty of those.— EL Zorro
- Guys, can't you read the wrting on teh wall? Who is supposed to catch at LV when Marson is called up? the way COste (Whom I love) is playing, they may very well need to move Marson up to the big leagues soon. SOmeone needs to catch the ball in AAA. They aren't looking for a prospect, or someone to help the Phillies, but catch and help the pitchers (our future starters named Kendrick, carlos, etc) in AAA.— jeff gross
- Zorro, didn't see your post when I sent mine. Glad to see we're thinking alike again— jeff gross
- Oops meant LH hitter.— EL Zorro
- The way he hits you can say LF hitter with no problem. lol— jeff gross
- Just saw an interesting post saying that Moyer is throwing with teh same speed this year on both his FB and change as last year. The difference being how the umps are calling the balls and strikes now that they are bing judged based on comparisions to a computerated strike zone. Any knowledge of this or thoughts? It would explain so much of his problems, not having the umps give him the strike a bit off the plate any more— jeff gross
- Yeah, Jeff, MLB replaced the old computerized strike zone program with a new one this year to monitor the umpires and to enforce the 'real' strike zone. Those finesse pitchers that make a living painting the outside corners -like Moyer- are having a tough time because now they have to locate their pitches more close to the plate than what they want to. The hitters know that, and they just keep taking pitchers until they see some they like. I guess now with the steroid era maybe coming to an end, MLB needs another way to put runs on the board. Have you seen how many hitters are hitting close to .400 this year?— EL Zorro
- EZ: It's still early. I have noticed that there are all kind of "top rate" pitchers who are having awful years and all kind of no-names having cy young years. By my count there are 11 batting over .350 who qualify, I am currious to know how that rates with years past. who is the resident expert on stats?— jeff gross
- His daddy invented the artificial stuff you sprinkle on tossed salads.— mick314
- I remember in 2008 Chipper flirting with .400 this early and Joe Mauer batting around .400 a few years ago and in the past guys like Todd Helton, Wade Boggs hitting for very high average early. But this year it’s been ridiculous. Those guys won a few batting tittles. This season you have Victor Martinez (Cleveland) .401; Cristian Guzman (Washington) .385; Jason Bartlett (Tampa Bay) .384; Miguel Cabrera (Detroit) .375; Adam Jones Baltimore .370; Carlos Beltran (NY Mets) .367; and Joey Votto (Cincinnati) .366. These are pretty high averages for 150 ABs, especially for some of these guys. Bartlett and Jones are hitting 100 points higher than their career avgs. and Beltran over 84.— EL Zorro
Paul Bako will be playing the role of Crash Davis in Reading. Kyle Drabek will be playing the role of Nuke Laloosh.
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