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View Full Version : John Flaherty Retires

FlashGordon
03-07-2006, 11:25 AM
The Boston Globe is reporting that catcher John Flaherty (http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/2006/03/flaherty_retire.html), the candidate most likely to replace Doug Mirabelli as Tim Wakefield's regular battery mate, has retired from profession baseball. Flaherty, who started his career in the bigs with the Red Sox (1992-1993), had spent the last three seasons as Jorge Posada's back-up for the NY Yankees. His departure leaves the 2nd slot behind the plate wide open.
Mike D.
03-07-2006, 12:02 PM
Wow, didn't see that one coming...but wish Flaherty luck in whatever is next for him!

I'd imagine this makes Josh Bard the favorite for the backup catchers job, although they do have Ken Huckaby in camp, as well.
SoxSon
03-07-2006, 03:24 PM
I'm surprised by this, too. Good luck, John.
DoubleX
03-07-2006, 04:55 PM
Surprising. Defensively, he was a still a very good catcher, and he has shown in the past few years the ability to come through in needed situations. That being said, his bat seemed pretty much dead last year, and as a Yankee fan, I was thinking that Girardi or Torre would do better.
Evangelion
03-09-2006, 12:21 AM
Josh Bard will probably be our opening day back-up catcher? With Flaherty retiring and Shoppach gone, he's the only catcher to come to mind to replace him. I guess the rest of the Spring Training for him would be used getting use to Wakefield and being his catcher.
efin98
03-09-2006, 01:32 AM
Bard is inexperienced and is probably better off in Pawtucket for the start of the season.

They do have another guy in camp trying to make the roster that should get a good look- Ken Huckaby. He's got the most experience among the contenders for the backup spot, having been in 153 games over the past five seasons with a high of 88 in 2002. I'd rather have him on the team catching Wakefield until Bard is experienced enough.
Mike D.
03-09-2006, 09:35 AM
Bard is inexperienced and is probably better off in Pawtucket for the start of the season.

They do have another guy in camp trying to make the roster that should get a good look- Ken Huckaby. He's got the most experience among the contenders for the backup spot, having been in 153 games over the past five seasons with a high of 88 in 2002. I'd rather have him on the team catching Wakefield until Bard is experienced enough.

Well, Huckaby has 153 career games over the last 5 years, but Bard has pretty much the same....156 career games, with 149 games caught. His season high is 91. Both have below league average FP, but I haven't seen either catch enough to really know how they handle themselves behind the plate.

I think Bard is the favorite because he's healthy...Huckaby hasn't caught an inning at all this spring due to a injury (knee, I believe).

If he gets healthy and ready to catch, he might make the squad, but right now, Bard has got to the favorite.

Other options are that the Sox make a move for a backup catcher, or Varitek catches Wakefield and a backup either catches all of anohter pitchers games, or just spells Varitek on occassion.
Tigerfan1974
03-09-2006, 02:02 PM
Flaherty played for Detroit for awhile.
He was ok. :clapping
Good Bye John!! :waving
Evangelion
03-09-2006, 08:37 PM
The Red Sox's counter-strike by signing Flaherty against the Yankees signing Damon back-fired on them. :grouchy
efin98
03-10-2006, 11:38 AM
Well, Huckaby has 153 career games over the last 5 years, but Bard has pretty much the same....156 career games, with 149 games caught. His season high is 91. Both have below league average FP, but I haven't seen either catch enough to really know how they handle themselves behind the plate.

I think Bard is the favorite because he's healthy...Huckaby hasn't caught an inning at all this spring due to a injury (knee, I believe).

If he gets healthy and ready to catch, he might make the squad, but right now, Bard has got to the favorite.

Bard is the favorite but at least they have options. One will be the backup and one will be with Pawtucket. I'd rather have the guy with experience backing up Varitek than the young guy but if he is healthy and the veteran isn't they have no choice but to bring along the young guy...

Other options are that the Sox make a move for a backup catcher, or Varitek catches Wakefield and a backup either catches all of anohter pitchers games, or just spells Varitek on occassion.

Another thought- do they even need a second catcher just for Wakefield this year? They have 6 startes, 7 starters if you consider Papelbon as a full time starter. They only need 5, that leaves Wakefield free to go to the bullpen to strengthen that up. Varitek's bat is too key to take it out of the game just because Wakefield is pitching so I'm inclined to think that they will just go with who is healthy and and ready to play and eventually switch up the 2nd catcher if they need to.
efin98
03-10-2006, 11:41 AM
The Red Sox's counter-strike by signing Flaherty against the Yankees signing Damon back-fired on them. :grouchy

I think it's more like he went out on the team that he broke into the big leagues with- Boston.
YOUgodofwalks
03-11-2006, 09:07 AM
They have 6 startes, 7 starters if you consider Papelbon as a full time starter. They only need 5, that leaves Wakefield free to go to the bullpen to strengthen that up.

I agree Varitek's bat is very valuble and it's too bad to not have him in the lineup but I would like to point out Wake was at least the most consistent starter last year leading the Red Sox in wins (16), innings pitched (225.1) and ERA among regular starters (4.15). So I disagreee with moving him into the bullpen.

I would just really like to see Varitek work with Wakefield on the knuckleball, but With Varitek in the WBC there probably isn't enough time this spring to do the kind of work that it would take to prepare him to catch the knuckler.
RedSoxVT92
03-11-2006, 03:49 PM
I think that varitek should try to catch more wakefield games. even though he has trouble with it he is the best offensive catcher and maybe the best defensive catcher in the league as well. With flahtery gone ive got to go with bard. He is healthy and also is better defensively and offensivly then huckaby. Bard has 13 homers, 61 RBIs, and a .238 average in 156 games and 495 ABs for his career. Huckaby has 3 homers, 30 RBIs, and a .223 average in 153 games and 422 ABs. on defense Bard has a .989 fielding percentage and huckaby has a .988 fielding percentage. Not much difrence there. And you cant really say that huckaby has more experiance at the major leauge level because of 5 seasons compared to 4 because one of those seasons Huckaby only had 1 AB and 1 game. So neither are great and most defently wont be as effective as Mirabelli but Bard has got my vote to be the backup but i would like to see Varitek catch Wakefield more often.
SoxSon
03-11-2006, 04:56 PM
If anything, Jason needs more rest this season, not less. By the end of '05, he was looking dog-tired.
VTSoxFan
03-11-2006, 05:04 PM
It looks like it might be Bard as the backup catcher anyway, by default; with Tek in the WBC, Flaherty gone, and Huckaby nursing a sore knee, Bard's the primary catcher in camp at the moment. The last 4 innings of today's game were caught by a fellow by the name of Concepcion, who didn't seem to really be all that good (today, at least).

Tek was looking a little worn by the end of '05. His batting average dropped precipitously in the last 4-5 weeks of the season. If he'd had to catch even more games, he would have been a rag by the end of the regular season.

By the way, Welcome to RedSoxVT92! the more, the merrier! :waving :gt
DoubleX
03-11-2006, 05:07 PM
I'd say that Red Sox fans should not fret too much over the lack of a quality backup catcher. First, Flaherty's bat was pretty much dead at this point, so I'm sure Bard or Huckaby or someone else, could provide more offense than Flaherty.

But also, from experience, before the Yanks had Flaherty, and after they had Giradi, they went three seasons with patchwork at the backup catcher spot. In 2000 it was Chris Turner, in 2001 it was Todd Greene, in 2002 it was Chris Widger, and in none of those three seasons did any of the backup catchers get more than 96 ABs. Granted, Varitek is a little older than Posada was in those days and probably does need some more rest (especially considering that he has tired in the second half the past few years), but I think the Sox will be ok with Bard or Huckaby catching. Of course, there is still the concern about catching Wakefield's knuckleball, but again, I think the Sox will be able to get by. Plus with Arroyo and Papelbon around, Wakefield may be pushed out of the rotation at some point anyway.
TheKingofKings
03-12-2006, 09:51 AM
Bard is inexperienced and is probably better off in Pawtucket for the start of the season.

They do have another guy in camp trying to make the roster that should get a good look- Ken Huckaby. He's got the most experience among the contenders for the backup spot, having been in 153 games over the past five seasons with a high of 88 in 2002. I'd rather have him on the team catching Wakefield until Bard is experienced enough.

Efin , you think AAA baseball gives MLB experience :confused: :confused: :confused:
efin98
03-12-2006, 04:13 PM
Efin , you think AAA baseball gives MLB experience :confused: :confused: :confused:

I never said that. I said spending time in Pawtucket while the other play and could switch out at a later point. They can only get major league experience in the majors but at least in Pawtucket they could refine their skills to conform to Boston's pitching. It's the only way to get that refinement in a real game setting, it can't be done in Spring Training while catching AA and A level pitchers.