Buster Posey is a catcher. See? Says so right here. The Giants might make questionable personnel moves, but they’re not going to move Posey off the position.
Catching is brutal on the body. Starting catchers need regular rest. So if Buster Posey is really a magical hitter from Planet Mauer, the Giants will need to have his bat in the lineup almost every day. So it’s probably a good idea for Posey to take grounders at first or third. Every sixth or seventh day, Posey can ply his trade at another position, and the reduced stress on his knees could extend his career. The Dodgers did this with Russell Martin, who a) has played some third base, and b) can still suck it, and that's why Martin has been completely healthy for his entire career.
The only reason Posey isn’t starting this year is because the Giants think his receiving skills need some work. So the best thing for Posey would be to start as many games at catcher as he can, which almost certainly means that he’ll have to go to Fresno. If the Giants keep him as a backup, starting him at catcher once a week while shuffling him around the infield to get at-bats, the organization is truly run by a bunch of solvent-inhaling baboons, and we should probably just follow soccer.
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Why I Think Barry Zito Isn’t Worth His ContractEven internet nerds think Posey should learn another position to protect against excessive wear and tear. But if the Giants don’t let him learn catcher first, it would be the craziest, most short-sighted decision they’ve made regarding a prospect’s future during the Sabean era. It would be more egregious than the "he’s a starter, he’s a reliever, he’s a starter, he’s a reliever, he’s a startliever!" method with which they developed Jonathan Sanchez.
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The front office, though, has to know that too. Even if Buster Posey could step in and be the team’s best hitter at seven different positions, he’ll help the organization more by convincing them he’s ready to be the starting catcher in 2011. There’s no way he’s going to be some two-bit platoon partner for Aubrey Huff when not the fluffer for Bengie Molina. No way.
If that's what happens, this site will melt from the histrionics. It would be pretty amusing, actually. But to recap:
- Buster Posey taking groundballs at different positions is a good thing.
- Buster Posey starting the season in Fresno and catching every day is a good thing.
- This is a team that didn’t think they needed a legitimate shortstop to back up a 40-year-old starter, which begat the era of Bocock, but even they’re not crazy enough to make Posey some sort of super-utility man out of short-term need.
Comment starter: Well, nothing really. You all agree with that. Whole lot of groupthink going around these parts.