UMEBA All-Star Voting: CatchersRamblings and Rumblings, Issue 5, 2042 Season
In this edition I’ll focus on possibly the most important position on the diamond outside of pitcher. I have no idea if I’ll get through all of the positions before all-star voting concludes, but I’ll give it a shot. Might not be my best shot, but I’ll try.
BURT LEAGUE
Distinct Possibilities
| Catcher | BA | OBP% | SLG% | AB | HR | wRC+ | WAR |
|---|
| Hedde Veenman, Manama | .286 | .423 | .498 | 227 | 12 | 137 | 2.6 |
| Anibal Garcia, Istanbul | .311 | .388 | .428 | 180 | 4 | 107 | 1.1 |
I could make an argument for either of these players to be named the starting all-star catcher for the Burt. At 28,
Hedde Veenman has breathed new life into his career in his first year in the UMEBA after six years in the BBA. To me, he’s having a significantly better season than Garcia with that .423 OBP.
Anibal Garcia was an all-star last year so will that help his cause? Both of these guys are decent catchers too.
More remote possibilities, but having a decent year
| Catcher | BA | OBP% | SLG% | AB | HR | wRC+ | WAR |
|---|
| Edgar Campos, Cairo | .274 | .306 | .406 | 197 | 6 | 76 | 0.5 |
| Santiago Reyes, Baghdad | .287 | .332 | .358 | 254 | 3 | 81 | 0.4 |
Both of these players have holes in their game, but they are starters for teams who are challenging for the Burt League championship, so they deserve mention. Both
Edgar Campos and
Santiago Reyes’s OBP’s are low and they have low slugging percentages. Still, like Veenman and Garcia above, these two are both good catchers so that could help their cause and garner some votes.
BANCROFT LEAGUE
Distinct Possibilities
| Catcher | BA | OBP% | SLG% | AB | HR | wRC+ | WAR |
|---|
| William Parker, Baghdad | .321 | .374 | .557 | 212 | 14 | 132 | 1.8 |
| Jose Romero, Mumbai | .288 | .408 | .485 | 233 | 10 | 126 | 2.0 |
If you tried to force me to give you my choice of who the starter for Bancroft’s all-star catcher should be between these two, I couldn’t do it.
William Parker has been named an all-star twice and is the starting catcher for first place Bucharest. He has the higher batting average and a higher slugging percentage, but four time all-star
Jose Romero gets on base a bit more through more at bats and supplies his own impressive power. It is a photo finish and both of these fine players deserve an all-star nod.
More remote possibilities, but having a decent year
| Catcher | BA | OBP% | SLG% | AB | HR | wRC+ | WAR |
|---|
| Larry Ledezma, Beirut | .274 | .306 | .406 | 197 | 6 | 76 | 0.5 |
| Antonio Robles, Jerusalem | .287 | .332 | .358 | 254 | 3 | 81 | 0.4 |
| Chip Saunders, Athens | .272 | .316 | .409 | 235 | 6 | 78 | 0.2 |
These three catchers are having a good first half, but they don’t compare to Parker and Romero. But no shame in that. They are all having good seasons and all three are deserving of all-star votes. Even though they all have pedestrian on base percentages, they are hitting the ball well.
Larry Ledezma was just recently named the Bancroft Player of the Week. After a long BBA career,
Antonio Robles has been with Jerusalem for the last two seasons and has been named an all-star both years. Could that streak continue? Don’t bet against it. That might work against Athens’s 35 year old
Chip Saunders who is in his first season in the UMEBA after a long BBA career of his own.
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