Oh F**k — Alvarez Out

[MFS62]

Chris Williams, as noted above, is immediately behind Torrens in the depth chart. He is guaranteed to make you forget Mike Nickeas, but Jakson Reetz and Kevin Parada and Hayden Senger are all in the mix as well, despite Parada being sent to minor-league camp already.

Does Reetz still have rookie status?
He has played very sparingly in two major league seasons. But his Baseball reference page doesn't say if he exceeded the rookie status time on a major league roster.

Later

[Edgy MD]

If it doesn't say that, then I guess he doesn't, but I don't see how that's of any consequence.

[Centerfield]

You're making that up

Seriously, you really believe that?

OK

I would guess that few teams have a backup catcher as good as Torrens. Some might not even have a starting catcher as good as Torrens.

I don’t think we’ll find a Ramon Castro out there.

[MFS62]

If it doesn't say that, then I guess he doesn't, but I don't see how that's of any consequence.

There was a question on another board asking if there are any rookies who will make the club this year. I couldn't find that info on b-ref.
Later

[Channel9]

Luis Torrens has looked good this spring and I think he's a better able backup catcher than many teams have.

Agreed. I also liked what I saw of Torrens last season and if Alvarez can really be back by beginning of May I’m comfortable with him.

[Edgy MD]

You're making that up

Seriously, you really believe that?

OK

Sounds like I am not alone.

[Frayed Knot]

Most of us here (save maybe for those currently in the midst of late winter preparation for Fantasy Team drafts) would have trouble naming the backup catcher on most clubs and have likely never heard of each teams' third string guy. So to automatically assume that the combo of Torrens + TBD represents weak sauce compared to the counterpart #2 & #3 pairs on the other 29 squads is engaging in big time grass-is-greener thinking. Some teams might have a 2/3 duo who could out-perform Torrens + ??? but probably not many and probably would, at best, be marginally better. And there'd be at least as many teams who would be in worse shape if forced to rely on their #2/3 duos for an extended time.

[roger_that]

I'd be curious to read a poll asking if people think the Mets would do better to acquire a FA catcher now (and then be stuck with 3 MLB quality catchers once Alvarez comes back) or to tough it out with what we've got, which isn't terrible. 6-8 weeks is an interesting period. If it were a lot more, door # 1 would be mandatory and if it were much shorter #2 would be the obvious way to go.

I'd make up such a poll myself but I'm on my phone and it's hard to do.

[Frayed Knot]

If a FA catcher is currently available even as teams do their final cut-downs towards Opening Day, should we even consider those to be ML quality catchers right now?
James McCann, for instance, is on that list. And while he has nearly 1,000 ML games under his belt, a figure likely higher than the combined projected careers of any randomly selected two dozen minors league backstops, would you really prefer his soon-to-be 35 y/o butt over the most available pick from your system for a short term assignment in 2025?

Probably not a question that even can be definitively answered. But I'd say that it's probably just as likely that you'd catch some temporary lighting in a bottle from a not-yet-ready-for-primetime youngster as it is that you'd get one final 'dead cat bounce' from an aging vet.

[Edgy MD]

I am sure they are being considered.

Whether the Mets have good reason to believe McCann (or the like) is a better option than Williams is an open question however. Torrens was a journeyman with -0.3 career bWAR on a minor-league contract with the Yankees when the Mets plucked him from obscurity. They ended up releasing two more experienced big-leaguers in order to stick with him.

[MFS62]

Old friend Tomas Nido is currently signed to a minor league contract with the Tigers, so it might not take much to get him back.
I'm not sure he would relish a reunion, knowing he would have to fight for the #2 spot when Alvarez returns.
But it wouldn't hurt to kick the tires on a deal for him.

Later

[Fman99]

James McCann, more like James TomatoCann. That guy sucks and it's been Met-documented

[metirish]

I would much rather see whatever youngster is behind Torrens than see the likes of Nido and McCann etc

[Edgy MD]

I hope Chris Williams is young enough at 28.

FUN FACTS:

He is apparently part Japanese, as his middle name is Kenichi, or 賢.

He plays all over, logging time at first, third, left, right, and (naturally) pitcher.

While in the Minnesota system, he was honored with The Harmon Killebrew Award, recognizing the player at each Twins affiliate who demonstrates outstanding commitment to community service.

Slugged 38 homers in 709 plate appearances over the last two seasons in AAA.

[Chad ochoseis]

James McCann, more like James TomatoCann. That guy sucks and it's been Met-documented

The shocker is that is occupation is still "major league baseball player". Get yourself a reputation as a good defensive catcher and you'll always have a job. I'm guessing Henry Blanco is still on a 40-man roster somewhere I don't think about much, like Seattle.

[Channel9]

I would much rather see whatever youngster is behind Torrens than see the likes of Nido and McCann etc

Bingo.

Sign a catcher? Alvarez will be back in May. Torrens should be perfectly capable of holding down the fort for a few weeks. Jeez Louise.

[Edgy MD]

James McCann, more like James TomatoCann. That guy sucks and it's been Met-documented

The shocker is that is occupation is still "major league baseball player". Get yourself a reputation as a good defensive catcher and you'll always have a job. I'm guessing Henry Blanco is still on a 40-man roster somewhere I don't think about much, like Seattle.

Led the league in caught-stealing percentage in 2023, and was much closer to offensively passable with the O's the last two years than he ever was with the Mets.

He is unemployed, and probably with good reason, but his package is pretty close to what backup catchers tend to look like. Like many substandard hitters, just a dozen more walks per year and he'd have a gig.

I just hope you are all ready for Chris Williams Fever.

[MFS62]

I just hope you are all ready for Chris Williams Fever.

He sounds like the kind of Swiss army knife type of versatile player that every team needs.
And, as they used to say in my old neighborhood, "That power don't hoit".*

Later

* = no homonym intended

[Cowtipper]

Chris Williams is so good that he is 28 years old and no team has given him a sniff of the majors yet.

Let's not get excited.

[Edgy MD]

Let's get excited.

If anybody is ever going to get excited over a third-string catcher, why not this one?

[CitiFieldPornRoom]

Give me a chance to wager right now and I'd take the under on Chris Williams, 1 PA.