Beyond the Box Score 2011 Catcher Defense Ratings: May Edition

And now... the moment you've all been waiting for...   the first installment of the Beyond the Box Score Catcher defense ratings of the 2011 season! What, you haven't been waiting for them? What, you aren't interested a catcher defense metric that doesn't  give extra credit for a guy hitting like a pitcher or interrupting a generic interview to defend a helpless youngster? Well, too bad.

These rankings are expressed in runs above and below average based on comparing each players fielding errors (FERns), throwing errors (TERns), passed balls and wild pitches (PBWPRns), and of course, caught stealing (CSRuns), and converting them to their linear weight values. For more specifics on the methodology, click here. As I've written before, I don't make any great claims to originality with this, other people have done it before in similar ways, I've simply added my own tweaks. However, I was encouraged to do them again this season, and will try to update them  monthly. Keep in mind that this is over a short sample (we have to start sometime!), that I don't claim that this is anything like great or comprehensive (it is quick and dirty), and, of course, that there is a difference between observed performance and "true talent," particularly over a small sample size. Without any further ado, let's take a look at some leaders and trailers.

This is raw runs above/below average, not a rate stat. The stats are through Sunday's games.

Overall leaders: Matt Wieters may not be setting the world on fire with his bat (although he's above average in this run environment, very good for a catcher), he's been exclennent defensively, which is, of course, mostly ignored, since a guy has to be old and an awful hitter before his defense is praised. He's currently the overall leader at +5.7 runs. In what is likely an illustration of the small sample issue, Kelly Shoppach is in second with +2.7 runs, although I think he's better than his reputation. Old Man Ramon Hernandez, Buster Posey (if only he could hit, too!), and Kurt Suzuki round out the top five. For those wondering, perennial defensive great Yadier Molina is at -1 so far; I expect taht will change as the season continues.

Overall Trailers: Josh Thole has been as bad behind the plate as he has beside it so far this season, the worst so far at -4.4 runs. Hopefully the Mets will stick with him. Miguel Olivo (-3.6) is another Mariners failure so far, didn't they laern anything the first time they had him? Miguel Montero is at -2.9 runs, but with the way he's been hitting, the Diamondbacks can live with it. America's favorite son A.J. Pierzynski (-2.9) and Toronto's J.P. Arencibia (-2.5) are the fourth- and fifth-from-the-bottom, respectively.

Caught Stealing Leaders and Trailers: As you might expect, this is the main difference between catchers at this point, with Wieters (his arm is Deadly Accurate!) and Hernandez leading the way so far. Matt Treanor (TREANOR!!) totally justifies his existence by coming in third so far at +1.8 runs. Thole and Pierzynski are on bottom, with the Reds' Ryan Hanigan being third-worst.

Passed Balls and Wild PItches Leaders and Trailers: Wieters leads the way here as well at +2.2 runs, followed by Shoppach and Geovany Soto at +1.5 apiece. As for the trailers, this is where Yadier Molina has had some trouble so far at -1.9 runs, which is also Josh Thole's number. But our trailer is fittingly... wait for it... Miguel Olivo, who has returned to being to being Miguel Olivo (-2.0).

The overall rankings and values are in the table below. Take your grain of salt and enjoy, or don't and be infuriated! Until next time...