The Catching Championship Belt

[ImSmartherThanYou]

I'm bored and find doing these things fun...

See my explanation here: http://www.sportshoopla.com/forums/...7385-starting-pitching-championship-belt.html

This is the catcher's version.

2013-present Buster Posey & Yadier Molina (co-champions)
2012-2013 Buster Posey
2006-2012 Joe Mauer
2005-2006 Victor Martinez
1999-2005 Ivan Rodriguez
1993-1998 Mike Piazza
1992-1993 Darren Daulton
1991-1992 Mickey Tettleton
1988-1991 Carlton Fisk
1987-1988 Benito Santiago
1979-1987 Gary Carter
1977-1979 Carlton Fisk
1973-1977 Thurman Munson and Johnny Bench (co-champions)
1969-1973 Johnny Bench
1967-1969 Bill Freehan
1965-1967 Joe Torre
1961-1965 Elston Howard
1960-1961 Del Crandall
1956-1960 Yogi Berra
1949-1956 Roy Campanella and Yogi Berra (co-champions)
1948-1949 Yogi Berra
1944-1947 Walker Cooper
1934-1944 Bill Dickey
1927-1934 Mickey Cochrane
1924-1927 Gabby Hartnett
1922-1924 Bob O'Farrell
1917-1922 Wally Schang
1914-1917 Ray Schalk
1911-1914 Chief Meyers
1909-1911 George Gibson
1905-1909 Roger Bresnahan
1904-1905 Mike Grady
1902-1904 Johnny Kling
1901-1902 Deacon McGuire
1898-1901 Ed McFarland
1896-1898 Deacon McGuire
1890-1896 Jack Clements
1888-1890 Buck Ewing
1881-1888 Charlie Bennett
1880-1881 John Clapp
1872-1880 Deacon White
1871-1872 Cal McVey

 

[Chef99]

Perhaps an HM for Josh Gibson?

 

[ImSmartherThanYou]

Perhaps an HM for Josh Gibson?

Absolutely. I would say that between 1933 and 1946, that the championship belt was disputed, with Gibson holding a claim to the belt as well.

 

[Omar 382]

interesting list. i think that you should do it by a year-by-year basis, rather than just a time period. for example, you said the best catcher in '08 was joe mauer. here are the side by side stats for mauer and mccann for that year
McCann: 145 G, .301/.373/.523, 135 OPS+, 266 TB, 23 HR, 87 RBI
Mauer: 146 G, .328/.413/.451, 134 OPS+, 242 TB, 9 HR, 85 RBI

I understand that Mauer is a better defensive catcher, but i think McCann made up for it with his bat that year. I think it's close, but between the two, I would have rather had McCann on the Phillies in '08

 

[ImSmartherThanYou]

interesting list. i think that you should do it by a year-by-year basis, rather than just a time period. for example, you said the best catcher in '08 was joe mauer. here are the side by side stats for mauer and mccann for that year
McCann: 145 G, .301/.373/.523, 135 OPS+, 266 TB, 23 HR, 87 RBI
Mauer: 146 G, .328/.413/.451, 134 OPS+, 242 TB, 9 HR, 85 RBI

I understand that Mauer is a better defensive catcher, but i think McCann made up for it with his bat that year. I think it's close, but between the two, I would have rather had McCann on the Phillies in '08

That's not the premise here at all. Read the explanation in the link I provided, and you'll understand. This is about more than just being the best in an individual season. Anyone can have a random great season. It's about having an established track record as the best for an extended period. Sometimes, that turns out to only be a year, but in most cases, one guy is "the best" for at least two seasons, if not more.

And besides, McCann was by no means better than Mauer in 2008. Those offensive stats are almost identical. There's a one point difference in OPS+. That's a total wash. Once you factor in that Mauer was an elite defensive catcher at that stage of his career (he's still excellent, but he was otherworldly back then), and McCann was mediocre at best, Mauer blows him out of the water. This is catcher, remember. Defense is an essential element of the position. IMO, Mauer was the AL MVP in 2008. Should have been his 2nd (after 2006).

 

[gunnarthor]

I haven't done any research in this but the thing that popped out to me at first was Gary Carter had a pretty long run there. No Ted Simmons era?

 

[ImSmartherThanYou]

I haven't done any research in this but the thing that popped out to me at first was Gary Carter had a pretty long run there. No Ted Simmons era?

I viewed this from an all-around persepective. It's no secret that Simmons was a subpar defensive catcher. He had an individual seasons or two where he was marginally better than Carter, but not enough to unseat Carter, in my opinion.

Like I said, I'm open to suggestions and revisions.

 

[Omar 382]

2013-present Buster Posey

 

[Clayton]

2013-present Buster Posey

Probably more accurate to say 2012- present. I like Molina but this is definately Posey's category. Molina had a solid 6 year stretch but never really to the point to take the title.

 

[calsnowskier]

Probably more accurate to say 2012- present. I like Molina but this is definately Posey's category. Molina had a solid 6 year stretch but never really to the point to take the title.

The problem with giving it to Posey in '12 is that he hardly played in '11. If thus is looking at a 2 or 3 year window, it is hard to give it to a guy who didn't play one of those seasons. 2013 -current is clearly Posey, though.

 

[Omar 382]

I was surprised Ernie Lombardi didn't sneak into this list, but when I looked up his numbers, he just had a bunch of years of being pretty good. Outside of his 5.2 WAR in 1938, his next highest WAR was 3.7 (which he had twice)