What does the V-Mart Loss Mean for the Red Sox?

What does it mean? Well, primarily it means that the Red Sox will either acquire another catcher for their Opening Day lineup, or trust Jarrod Saltalamachia, who, by the way, has by far the best name in professional baseball, with their catching duties.  What happens at this position is vital to the success of the Boston Red Sox in 2011, not the least because they haven't had star-like production from that position since Jason Varitek started his nosedive off the cliff of talent in 2008.  Victor Martinez provided excellent production in 2009, but was injured for much of 2010, and played woeful defense in his 1 and a half years with Boston.  An excellent statistical study for the Red Sox to make would be the effect of bad catcher defense on their teams.  Varitek lost his defensive talent several years ago, Martinez never had it, and if you want to look back to Scott Hatteberg, be my guest, but I wouldn't recommend it.  Saltalamachia doesn't have that offensive talent, but in my opinion, he has a good arm that can be built upon.  You can refine someone's throwing accuracy into a very good arm if they have the natural arm strength beforehand.  V-Mart didn't have that.  Saltalamachia does, and that bodes well for a strong defensive future.  However, Saltlamachia hasn't a hope to live up to Martinez's strong offensive production.  He does, however, project to be an average catcher who doesn't decimate your offense.  Saltlamachia's best season so far in his career has been 2007 where he hit .266 with 11 homers and 33 RBIS between Atlanta and Texas.  He's only 25, as many of us don't remember, and if he is the Red Sox starting catcher this year, he has major breakout potential if he stays healthy.  However, in the early going, he is going to be faced with the negative press of being a significant offensive drop-off from V-Mart.  However, it's best to wait on him, for he projects to be solid in 2011.  On a different note, Victor Martinez provided the boost to the Sox offense in 2009 the way Jason Bay did in 2008, and someone may need to fill that role in 2011 in the event of Saltalamachia struggling as he is apt to do.  Options include players like Miguel Olivo, Chris Ianetta (whom I've heard the Sox have been interested in) and any other catchers having solid offensive seasons.  But beside this negative possibility, Saltalamachia projects to be a large drop off in production from Martinez, but he'll not be nearly as bad as people might think.



Statistics sourced from ESPN.COM and YAHOO.COM