Updating the Top 100; Honorable Mention - Ramon Hernandez

by riverfront76 on Dec 6, 2011 10:00 AM EST in Stat-Colored Glasses

The high point of the season, CMM style.

Honorable Mention: Ramon Hernandez

From a fan's perspective, there're the games between the lines, which are paramount, and then there are the extracurriculars: roster management, trades, etc. We, the fans, love to see the team win, but we also love to watch good decisions which work out for the best. From that perspective, then, it's hard not to appreciate Ramon Hernandez. The Reds traded for him as he was entering the final year of a contract with Baltimore. The scuttled players: Ryan Freel, Brandon Waring, and Justin Turner, none of whom have yet given cause for regret.

As for the game between the lines, Hernandez was also a win, eventually. His first year as a Red (2009), saw him hit much in the pattern of his years with the Orioles, posting an OPS+ of 85, and looking like his career was ready to dwindle, quickly. Instead, the Reds offered him a two-year, reduced-salary contract extension, and his bat responded as though it were still in its prime, with back-to-back years of OPS+ levels above 110.

He's not just been a pretty bat, either. His defense, most notably marked by his above average caught stealing percentage, has been a significant ingredient in making the Cincy catching a relative strength over Hernandez's tenure.

In the three years he's been here, Hernandez has averaged roughly 90 games per season, with an aggregated batting line of 280/348/413 (103 OPS+). And although his run production has been on the low side (121 aggregated RBI), Hernandez has showed an uncanny knack for the big hit. Clutch Man Monie. While it's not readily apparent to my eye what has rejuvenated Hernandez's career while with the Reds, it's at least plausible that the part-time role was the right tonic at the right time. Kudos, on this point, to the front office for finding a hidden gem.

Through his platoon success, Hernandez is credited with ranking #240 on our list. He was granted free agency on October 30, and subsequently signed with the Rockies.

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Was thinking about where CMM ranks in the post-Bench era

He’s got the second highest OPS+ for a Reds’ catcher with at least 500 PAs over the last 30 years. He has fewer than half the PAs as three other catchers, but was still within 2 WAR of the lead. Not a particularly distinguished crew obviously, but still a very solid three years.

Rk Player PA WAR/pos OPS+ Rbat Rfield From To G R H HR RBI BA OBP SLG OPS
1 Joe Oliver 2648 3.5 84 -66 11 1989 1997 769 210 593 72 342 .246 .298 .387 .686
2 Jason LaRue 2544 6.2 90 -38 7 1999 2006 715 263 532 84 303 .239 .325 .415 .740
3 Ed Taubensee 2324 4.8 105 9 -57 1994 2000 694 281 600 77 330 .286 .343 .460 .803
4 Bo Diaz 1695 4.1 80 -40 21 1985 1989 460 143 401 39 196 .254 .294 .375 .668
5 Javier Valentin 1086 1.0 93 -13 -11 2004 2008 441 107 259 34 149 .264 .326 .429 .755
6 Jeff Reed 1018 0.8 79 -26 -2 1988 1992 329 60 217 10 79 .241 .314 .326 .640
7 Ramon Hernandez 1011 4.1 103 7 6 2009 2011 269 83 251 24 121 .280 .348 .413 .761
8 Ryan Hanigan 949 5.8 99 3 15 2007 2011 287 86 224 16 93 .275 .371 .368 .740
9 David Ross 817 3.3 96 -9 10 2006 2008 254 86 157 41 104 .227 .324 .457 .780
10 Dann Bilardello 634 1.3 61 -30 18 1983 1985 219 49 126 12 57 .216 .266 .321 .588
11 Alex Trevino 602 0.1 70 -23 1 1982 1990 207 38 129 2 47 .241 .309 .303 .612
12 Benito Santiago 573 1.7 99 -3 -4 1995 2000 170 62 142 19 89 .274 .332 .448 .779

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Play Index Tool Used
Generated 12/6/2011.

by ken on Dec 6, 2011 11:38 PM EST reply actions

Dang.

Two things: I had always remembered Benito Santiago being better than that, and DANG Ryan Hanigan has been a solid as hell catcher!

Tequila and pancakes, anyone?

by Kevin Mitchell is Batman on Dec 7, 2011 9:37 AM EST up reply actions

Yeah

Hanigan might be the best of the bunch in terms of total career value. I don’t particularly trust WAR for catcher defense. Does anyone think of Jason LaRue as a plus defensive catcher? He had a good arm for a while but he seemed awful at blocking pitches in the dirt.

Hopefully, Meso destroys this list. If he stays healthy for the next six years he’ll have the most PAs with a better OPS+.

by ken on Dec 7, 2011 9:55 AM EST up reply actions