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Friday, July 11, 2008

N.Y. Observer: Megdal: Castro Moves Up

Comandante en Jefe...Catcher?

It wasn’t exactly a risky move to find more room in the lineup for Castro, particularly in an offense-starved lineup like New York’s. Last season, Castro received 144 at-bats, while starter Paul Lo Duca claimed 445—odd, since Castro put up a .285/.331/.556 line, and Lo Duca sported a .272/.311/.378 mark. To put that in perspective, Lo Duca’s offense was 20 percent below league average, while Castro’s was 27 percent above league average.

...“I like it here,” he said. “This team gave me a chance when the Marlins took me off of their roster. I wanted to make it here.”

Once again, Castro had been losing out on playing time to a lesser offensive player. In 2008, Brian Schneider’s line was .250/.326/.300 entering Thursday’s game, good for production 30 percent below league average. Castro in 2008 is at .274/.354/.466, and under Manuel, .265/.324/.500.

To put his .819 OPS in perspective, only seven starting catchers in baseball have a better mark—and four of those are All Stars.

Repoz Posted: July 11, 2008 at 03:32 PM | 11 comment(s)
Related News: General, NY Mets

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1. JPWF13 Posted: July 11, 2008 at 03:48 PM (#2853168)

well part of the problem is that Castro can't stay healthy.

the other problem is that LoDuca and and Schneider have "STARTING" catcher stamped next to their names...

I'm a Met fan, I watch a lot of Met games

On the field Castro was better at every single aspect of the job than LoDuca save hitting singles- the qualifier is on the filed, it seems Castro always has some issue, and he gets hurt at the worst possible times.

Schneider v. Castro is a complete mismatch
2006-08 Castro, 383 PAs: .265/.332/.475
Schneider: 1163 PAs: .246/.325/.326

That offensive advantage Castro v. Schneider is real, it's not a sample size fluke, the last time Castro got everyday PT was in AAA in 2001, he hit: .336/.395/.628 in 428 PAs
(there was a small "free Castro" movement back then...)

2. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: July 11, 2008 at 03:53 PM (#2853171)

rapist.

3. Russlan is an overhyped Met BTFer Posted: July 11, 2008 at 04:01 PM (#2853181)

The Mets are scoring only .13 runs less than the Phillies, who are second in the league, which isn't very much at all considering the differences in home ballparks. They are hardly starving for offense.

4. JPWF13 Posted: July 11, 2008 at 04:05 PM (#2853184)

rapist.

Hey as long as you're not a Kobe Bryant fan you've got a right to your opinion

5. HGH Positive Posted: July 11, 2008 at 04:44 PM (#2853245)

well part of the problem is that Castro can't stay healthy.

Exactly, any time he gets any consistent playing time that back of his flairs up.

6. Ryan Jones Posted: July 11, 2008 at 04:48 PM (#2853254)

Hey as long as you're not a Kobe Bryant fan you've got a right to your opinion

Except that Kobe was never convicted. Castro pled no contest to a reduced charge.

Besides, who says that people's opinions have to be consistent.

7. Matt Clement of Alexandria Posted: July 11, 2008 at 04:52 PM (#2853256)

I'm actually quite consistent in my condemnation of rape.

8. SoSHially Unacceptable Posted: July 11, 2008 at 04:54 PM (#2853258)

If Castro pleads no contest to sexual assault, is calling him a rapist really an opinion?

9. CrosbyBird Posted: July 11, 2008 at 05:09 PM (#2853268)

If Castro pleads no contest to sexual assault, is calling him a rapist really an opinion?

Of course it is. "No contest" isn't an admission of guilt for a more serious crime. It's a plea bargain agreement to save the government the expense of trial and the defendant the risk of an uncertain jury decision. There are a variety of things Castro could have done that don't rise to the level of moral evil as rape, but were questionable enough that he didn't want to take the risk of losing at trial. Or that he simply didn't want to expose the explicit details of his sexual congress with this woman (one of the charges was "involuntary deviant sexual act") to the public, leaving a public record for his wife and children.

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, when my client put his #### in the plaintiff's #### and #### the #### wire #### turkey baster #### elephant-sized #### #### #### wax figurine #### bobblehead doll, as uncomfortable as that might sound to all of you, it was purely consensual.

I'm not saying he's some sort of saint, mind you. I wouldn't bet against him having done something wrong... I just don't know that it's necessarily rape.

10. ghost of perros Posted: July 11, 2008 at 05:17 PM (#2853276)

Waiting to here from the pro-rape contingent of BBTF. Kind of a NewsHour pro and con.

11. HowardMegdal Posted: July 11, 2008 at 06:18 PM (#2853304)

They are hardly starving for offense.

Earlier this year, when they were getting no production from LF, RF, C, 1B, and middling production from 2B, they were starved for offense.

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Friday, July 11, 2008

N.Y. Observer: Megdal: Castro Moves Up

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