One of the few position-player battles for a Seattle Mariners roster spot this spring is at the catcher position. And this is going to directly affect the Rainiers catching situation.
It is understood that Rob Johnson has one of the Mariners two catcher spots locked up. However, he had two hip surgeries in the off-season – yet, he expects to be ready to play by opening day.
The real battle is for the other catching spot. Will it be highly-regarded prospect Adam Moore, or one of the three veterans in camp: Josh Bard, Eliezer Alfonzo, and Guillermo Quiroz?
Rainiers fans are certainly aware of Moore, who handled the brunt of Tacoma’s catching last year. He can hit and is athletic behind the plate, but some feel he needs more time to learn the finer points of calling the pitches. If he ends up back in Tacoma on April 8, that will be the reason why.
Bard may win the major league spot. He hasn’t hit much the last two years, but he had a strong offensive season in 2007. Bard will be 32 years old on opening day and he has not had an extended minor league stay since 2004.
While Bard was signed to a minor league contract, there is some question whether or not he would accept an assignment to Tacoma. I am not privy to his contract details, but often a player with his MLB experience is granted an escape clause in his minor league contract at the end of spring training, so he can try to hook on with another major league team.
Alfonzo is a 31-year-old Triple-A veteran who I feel is highly likely to be on your 2010 Tacoma Rainiers opening day roster. In his last two seasons with Fresno and Portland, Alfonzo has had 320 PCL at-bats and hit .310-19-60 with a .900 OPS – numbers which I found rather surprising, seeing how the Rainiers pitchers consistently got him out with a steady diet of neck-high fastballs.
Alfonzo also has quite a bit of MLB experience as a back-up (155 games), mostly with San Diego last season, and the Giants in 2006-07.
As for Quiroz, he was the epitome of a team player last year. He spent time in Triple-A, got into four games with the Mariners, and when Moore came to Tacoma to play every day, Quiroz agreed to a Double-A assignment that was, frankly, beneath him. Quiroz spent all of 2008 as the Orioles major league back-up catcher and has been invited to major league camp.
At any rate, the Rainiers will probably open the season with two of these guys on the roster. Personally I’m hoping Moore wins the Seattle job – he’ll be 26 in May and needs to get his career going – but hey, if he’s with the Rainiers, that’s good for us, right?
Booth, Justice and the American Pastime 
Adam would have to have an utterly miserable spring training not to start with the big club, I think.
No offense to the veteran catchers; they’re probably needed (I hear the rotation in AA is going to be fabulous this year, and they’ll need some veteran catchers to work with) but…I really like watching the young developing catchers. Never cottoned to Clement (cuz he was a hitter, not a catcher), but still miss Rob, and Adam grew on me quickly. The hazards of loving the minor league ball; you want them to succeed, but then, well, then they just leave you.
I’ll just hold out for a few years, till Steve Baron comes my Tacoma way…
@olymaryg
Moore’s presence in Seattle would have him splitting time with Rob Johnson. In a typical catcher split, you’re looking at Moore starting, at best, 20% of the games. That’s only 33 games over the course of a season. It doesn’t develop him, give him ample work out time, nor does it help him with the finer points of the catcher’s responsibility in game situations. As the starter in Tacoma, he would get more than twice that many games, and still have a shot with the big club in September call ups.
Unless Johnson’s hips prove to be incurably bad, he’s the starting catcher; Moore is going to be a Rainier come April 4th.
I am betting you that Moore will be back at Triple A because their no way you keep young catcher like moore on bench and have him just sit on bench on alot of game as he will be able to start in Tacoma alot more than in Seattle.
Thought Mike if guy with alot of MLB expierence has out clause than why didn’t LAD or Colorado grant the release of Shawn Estes and Glendon Rusch who both wanted to be release but was never granted it so instead they sat out the whole year.
Thought Mike who is rumored to be in Tacoma Rainers rotation and why do you think it will be great one? So far the competion for Rainers rotation is Andy Baldwin who has his up and down last season, Peti, Seddon, Vargas or French as one or other will be in bullpen as I dont think they will end up as starter with Seattle, Ryan Feirebend is givin to be in minor because he miss all last season with injury, David Pauley.
Do you know if Tacoma Rainers are looking to bring in more talent to fill out the roster?
Beyond the catching situation, I’m just trying to picture a Rainiers team that doesn’t have Bryan Lahair on it.
Weird.