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  4. title => "Opportunity convinces Davey Martinez to throw aside an old baseball trope"
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  6. article_body => "<p>WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Remember that time a manager had to use his \u201cemergency\u201d catcher? No? Well, that\u2019s because it rarely happens.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Maybe once in a lifetime. Maybe never. It long operated as the unverifiable excuse for not putting the backup catcher into a game, always enabling that pervasive detriment to change, \u201cWhat if?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>What if the replacement is hurt? Then the manager is stuck with the so-called emergency catcher. That could be hairy.<\/p>\n<p>Except it\u2019s a longshot. Very long. Nationals manager Davey Martinez sat down during the offseason and thought it through. Checked the numbers. Realized this concern is poppycock.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLast year, I thought about it at the end when [Matt] Wieters wasn't able to really catch and he was on the bench, I said, you know what, he's going to hit,\u201d Martinez said Saturday. \u201cIf it's a good spot for him, let him hit. I thought all winter, you have two catchers and one guy's playing and you don't want the other guy to play, you might as well just play with 24 guys, really. So why not use them with the right opportunity?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Aiding this epiphany is two viable options at catcher: Yan Gomes and Kurt Suzuki. In a Pedro Severino-Spencer Kieboom offensive situation, the options are not quite as enticing. Martinez also argued last season he preferred one catcher throughout the game because that person had a feel for what was&nbsp;happening. By that, as much as anything, he meant what was working for a pitcher on a given night against specific hitters.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s easy to wipe away that argument, too. Suzuki will rarely be working with the starting pitcher if he pinch-hits in the eighth inning straight for Gomes or takes his place in a double-switch. He would instead be matched with a bullpen piece. Sequencing becomes more clear, pitching strength more obvious, the entire package more straight forward. A beneficial feel to again wade through the order for the same pitcher won\u2019t exist if Trevor Rosenthal jogs to the mound in the eighth and Suzuki is suddenly behind the plate.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Gomes is significantly better against left-handed pitching. Suzuki\u2019s splits are close to even. Paired, they give Martinez options both to start and later in the game. The days he rests, Gomes will count as a matchup bat against left-handed relief. Howie Kendrick will also be another option there.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s unclear is how the catchers will split time. Gomes appears slated for more starts. Suzuki could well be paired with Anibal Sanchez a season after catching his year of rejuvenation in Atlanta. Each says they don\u2019t care how the time is distributed. Such a claim is often made in the sun-induced pleasure of spring training. Suzuki\u2019s date of birth, Oct. 4, 1983, makes it sound more like fact in this instance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t even care,\u201d Suzuki said. \u201cAt this point in my career, picking a team that has a chance to win a World Series is very important to me and like I told [Mike Rizzo] and Davey from Day 1, whatever you need me to do I'll be ready. Whether it's 50 games, 60, whatever. However many games you want me to catch. If I can help the team win every time I\u2019m out there, that's great. I just want to win at this point in my career. I know the clock\u2019s ticking a little bit. I\u2019m not getting younger. That World Series is getting to be pretty important right now.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s easy for Gomes to agree. He\u2019s in line for 100 starts. Perhaps more.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s just something that if we make that a deal, this team is not going to go forward,\u201d Gomes said. \u201cI just think we need to both be ready whenever our names get called. That\u2019s two guys that have done it with some good pitching staffs and it\u2019s only going to benefit [everyone]. But if we put the playing time thing ahead of [things], it\u2019s not going to be beneficial for the team. And the guy has done it for a long time, man. You have to respect that, especially from a catching standpoint, so you just kind of get to talk to him even more and we already have a little bit of a relationship. He\u2019s an awesome guy and I\u2019m just looking forward to a great season together.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Washington finished 14th in National League catcher OPS last season. This time, Martinez has two above-average offensive options and new thinking. Gone is a hole and an old trope. In are Gomes&nbsp;and Suzuki. Emergencies are not a concern.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>MORE NATIONALS NEWS:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Barrett Battles Back:&nbsp;<\/strong>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/aaron-barrett-reaches-another-milestone-his-comeback-attempt\">Pitcher reaches&nbsp;<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/aaron-barrett-reaches-another-milestone-his-comeback-attempt\">milestone<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Hellickson Returns:<\/strong>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/jeremy-hellickson-had-wait-all-offseason-end-right-where-he-wanted-be\">Starter is where he wants to be<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>Scherzer Speaks:<\/strong>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/max-scherzer-leaves-another-first-day-imprint-spring-training\">Nats ace&nbsp;leaves first-day imprint<\/a><\/li>\n<li><strong>First Day Jitters?:<\/strong>&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/washington\/nationals\/patrick-corbin-leaves-positive-first-impressions-during-his-first-day-spring-training\">Corbin's first Spring Training in FL<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><div class=\"video-filter art19-player-iframe\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/45f390d2-bee9-421b-b519-fb712394d291\/episodes\/4324e4de-34c2-4aec-a235-36cb5ab52bc5\/embed?theme=light-blue\" width=\"100%\" height=\"250px\" class=\"video-filter video-art19 vf-45f390d2bee9421bb519fb712394d291 vf-4324e4de34c24aeca23536cb5ab52bc5embed\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" scrolling=\"no\" title=\"Art19 Player\" style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px; border: 0 none;\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/p>\n"
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Nationals

Nationals

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Remember that time a manager had to use his “emergency” catcher? No? Well, that’s because it rarely happens. 

Maybe once in a lifetime. Maybe never. It long operated as the unverifiable excuse for not putting the backup catcher into a game, always enabling that pervasive detriment to change, “What if?”

What if the replacement is hurt? Then the manager is stuck with the so-called emergency catcher. That could be hairy.

Except it’s a longshot. Very long. Nationals manager Davey Martinez sat down during the offseason and thought it through. Checked the numbers. Realized this concern is poppycock. 

“Last year, I thought about it at the end when [Matt] Wieters wasn't able to really catch and he was on the bench, I said, you know what, he's going to hit,” Martinez said Saturday. “If it's a good spot for him, let him hit. I thought all winter, you have two catchers and one guy's playing and you don't want the other guy to play, you might as well just play with 24 guys, really. So why not use them with the right opportunity?”

Aiding this epiphany is two viable options at catcher: Yan Gomes and Kurt Suzuki. In a Pedro Severino-Spencer Kieboom offensive situation, the options are not quite as enticing. Martinez also argued last season he preferred one catcher throughout the game because that person had a feel for what was happening. By that, as much as anything, he meant what was working for a pitcher on a given night against specific hitters. 

 

It’s easy to wipe away that argument, too. Suzuki will rarely be working with the starting pitcher if he pinch-hits in the eighth inning straight for Gomes or takes his place in a double-switch. He would instead be matched with a bullpen piece. Sequencing becomes more clear, pitching strength more obvious, the entire package more straight forward. A beneficial feel to again wade through the order for the same pitcher won’t exist if Trevor Rosenthal jogs to the mound in the eighth and Suzuki is suddenly behind the plate. 

Gomes is significantly better against left-handed pitching. Suzuki’s splits are close to even. Paired, they give Martinez options both to start and later in the game. The days he rests, Gomes will count as a matchup bat against left-handed relief. Howie Kendrick will also be another option there.

What’s unclear is how the catchers will split time. Gomes appears slated for more starts. Suzuki could well be paired with Anibal Sanchez a season after catching his year of rejuvenation in Atlanta. Each says they don’t care how the time is distributed. Such a claim is often made in the sun-induced pleasure of spring training. Suzuki’s date of birth, Oct. 4, 1983, makes it sound more like fact in this instance. 

“I don’t even care,” Suzuki said. “At this point in my career, picking a team that has a chance to win a World Series is very important to me and like I told [Mike Rizzo] and Davey from Day 1, whatever you need me to do I'll be ready. Whether it's 50 games, 60, whatever. However many games you want me to catch. If I can help the team win every time I’m out there, that's great. I just want to win at this point in my career. I know the clock’s ticking a little bit. I’m not getting younger. That World Series is getting to be pretty important right now.” 

It’s easy for Gomes to agree. He’s in line for 100 starts. Perhaps more.

“That’s just something that if we make that a deal, this team is not going to go forward,” Gomes said. “I just think we need to both be ready whenever our names get called. That’s two guys that have done it with some good pitching staffs and it’s only going to benefit [everyone]. But if we put the playing time thing ahead of [things], it’s not going to be beneficial for the team. And the guy has done it for a long time, man. You have to respect that, especially from a catching standpoint, so you just kind of get to talk to him even more and we already have a little bit of a relationship. He’s an awesome guy and I’m just looking forward to a great season together.”

Washington finished 14th in National League catcher OPS last season. This time, Martinez has two above-average offensive options and new thinking. Gone is a hole and an old trope. In are Gomes and Suzuki. Emergencies are not a concern.

 

MORE NATIONALS NEWS: