Beyond the Box Score: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Sports blogs for fans, by fans.
New Blog: The Boxing Bulletin for Boxing Fans!

John Buck

I'm amazed this guy is still a catcher in the majors, not because of his offense, which stacks up okay, if not great overall, with other backstop. Buck has a .243 GPA which is just below the average .244 GPA for catchers. The problem is Buck is only a catcher in the sense that he does indeed sit behind the plate for the 27 outs his team makes and isn't the umpire.

You see, it's his actual catching game that has me distraught, not his iffy bat. Through more than 600 innings catching Buck has a 7.7% caught stealing percentage. I did a quick scan over the past few seasons (using THT's database) and only a few catchers have accomplished such a feat as catching over 600 innings and having a CS% sub-10%. In fact only two since 2004:  Johnny Estrada and Josh Bard, both from the 2007 season. 

Buck's CS% has been dropping since 2005 when he hosed 31%. From there it dropped slightly to around 28%, then 17%, and now 7.7%. My first instinct (since the SBA/G haven't increased) was to look for a record of disabled list time for a shoulder or arm injury, but no such luck, I then thought perhaps he had off-season surgery. No luck, again.

For you Royals readers, am I missing something with my Google searches, or has Buck went from making good throws to awful throws consistently within four years?

0 recs  |  Comment 2 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

If the question is,

could the Royals definitely improve on Buck? The answer is yes. He’s not so good that he’s worth extending beyond his arb years.

However, right now I think he’s okay. The CS% this year is an outlier compared the rest of his career. In the department of “oddities that I don’t know if they mean anything” every single time someone has tried to steal a base on the battery of Buck and a Royals reliever, they’ve been successful. I can’t really explain why.

Anyways, Buck’s likely to continue to be a league average catcher until his bat speed goes, which should be right around the time his arb years are up. He’s a dead average player, and so he probably won’t last long after 30.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on Jul 28, 2008 4:28 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Not to mention, we have plenty of other things to complain

about. Even if Buck is a below average catcher, he is not the worst in the league. We spent much of the beginning of the year bemoaning the fact that we have Possibly the 3 worst at their respective positions in the league (Tony Pena, Jr. – SS, Ross Gload – 1B and Joey Gathright – CF).

My mother's basement is better than YOUR mother's basement!!

by Royal Kingdom on Jul 28, 2008 4:44 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

We use numbers and stuff.
Community Guidelines
Why be a member?
Start posting on Beyond the Box Score »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recent FanPosts

Leopold_butter_scotch_southpark_small
Using the TVC
Small
Determining Batted Ball Rates using Pitch Type and Location
Small
a new xBABIP calculator
Img587561916661595
Top 15 high school MLB draft prospects
Small
PZR-based Win Values 2001-2006
Small
The "30 parks on a budget" challenge
Sunflower_small
World Series Simulation, Game #6
Small
JT20 Dynasty League
E52205a2_small
New Look
Sth70021_small
Exploring Hit f/x, Albeit Badly

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

FanShots

Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.

Recent FanShots

Defensive Projections Take 2
The Baseball Nation Sim League has an opening
Primer on BaseRuns
Cool Baseball Infographics
ESPN's Jerry Crasnick on defensive metrics
I’m also a follower, since Brian Bannister’s on our team, of sabermetric st...
Top Ten Baseball-Reference.com's Sponsorships
Primer on Linear Weights
JC Bradbury on "Hot Stove Myths"

+ New FanShot All FanShots >

BtB on Twitter

Main Feed: @BtBScore

Tommy B: @tommy_bennett
Sky: @BtB_Sky
Dan: @dturkenk
Harry: @harrypav
Jinaz: @jinazreds
Jack: @jh_moore
Erik: @Erik_Manning
Tommy R: @trancel
Justin: @justinbopp

Subscribe to BtB via Email

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

BtB Goes Social


Managers

Nando_small R.J. Anderson

Limes_125_small Sky Kalkman

E52205a2_small Tommy Bennett

Editors

Face_small Harry Pavlidis

Rawlings_baseball_bigger_small Dan Turkenkopf

770insig_small Jeff Zimmerman (TucsonRoyal)

Aviles_small Justin Bopp

Authors

Banny_small erik

Raysring1_small Tommy Rancel

Jinaz-reds-avatar_small JinAZ

Jmlogo_small Jack Moore

1753738656_110919ebe9_o_small vivaelpujols

1_small Graham

Baseball_small Mike Rogers

Redcap_small SFiercex4

Small Patrick Clark

Walter_album_small Walter Fulbright