Batter's Box Interactive Magazine

I feel some trivia coming on!

I had an idea for a trivia question after reading some Jays-related discussions just now.

By my count (helped out by bb-ref, obviously), there have been 23 catchers to make their major-league debuts as Toronto Blue Jays. Now, you need to give me a bit of leeway with that, because they didn't all stay catchers, and a couple of them who were catchers didn't play that position for the Jays. But still: 23.

Name them!

Hint: Ernie Whitt made his major-league debut with the Red Sox; Ashby and Cerone had been Indians.

Bigger hint: the years they debuted were, respectively, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1987, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010.

Posted by Matthew E on Friday, January 28 2011 @ 12:13 PM EST.

Developing Catchers | 55 comments | Create New Account

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Magpie - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 12:26 PM EST (#229701) #

I feel confident about Matt Stark, Greg Myers, Pat Borders, Sandy Martinez, and JP Arencibia.

What about Kevin Brown the Lesser?

Brian W - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 12:35 PM EST (#229703) #

Delgado and Sprague were both catchers at one point. Randy Knorr, Kevin Cash and Guillermo Quiroz are some others that likely started off with the Jays.

Magpie - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 12:36 PM EST (#229704) #

I got one! Jeff Hearron (good glove, no hit whatsoever...)

Magpie - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 12:41 PM EST (#229705) #

I think Delgado actually made his debut as a catcher. Sprague got there eventually. It wasn't pretty...

Did Jayson Werth or Josh Phelps ever don the tools of ignorance while they were here? They were both catchers coming up.

John Northey - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 01:06 PM EST (#229708) #

Hrm...
1978/1980/1982/1984
1985: Hearron (sp)
1987: Myers, Stark, 1 other
1988/1990/1991(2)
1992: Sprague
1993: Delgado
1995: Angel Martinez?
1996:
2000: Kevin Cash?
2002/2004/2007/2008/2009
2010: JPA

Geez, I'm blanking a lot here. I remember how Stark was looking like such a big hitter then was hurt and that was that.

smcs - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 01:07 PM EST (#229710) #

Arencibia, Kyle Phillips, Curtis Thigpen, Robinzon Diaz (though he never caught a game, as I recall), Andy Dominique, Josh Phelps (he did catch), Guillermo Quiroz, Kevin Cash, Pat Borders, Carlos Delgado (he also did catch), Sprague, Randy Knorr, Sandy Martinez and Greg Myers. Jayson Werth never caught (I saw him in his 2nd game or so and I will always remember him because he made one hell of a throw from RF to 3rd).

Matthew E - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 01:10 PM EST (#229711) #

Hearron (1985), Stark (1987), Myers (1987), Borders (1988), Knorr (1991), Sprague (1991), Delgado (1993), Martinez (1995), Phelps (2000), Cash (2002), Quiroz (2004), and Arencibia (2010) are all correct. I forgot about Werth, but according to bb-ref he's never caught in the major leagues at all, so that's fine.

Remaining debut years are 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1990, 1992, 1996, 2007, 2008, and 2009. I think there's only one guy left to guess who was actually a good player (and he was quite good!); the others were all some obscure-ass catchers indeed.

Matthew E - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 01:14 PM EST (#229714) #

Whoops! Overtaken by events. Kyle Phillips (2009), Curtis Thigpen (2007), and Robinzon Diaz (2008) are also correct. Dominique didn't debut as a Jay.

Remaining years are 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1990, 1992, and 1996.

Magpie - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 01:17 PM EST (#229716) #

Brian Milner's the guy from 1978. The youngest Jay ever, as I recall.

What about the Bug-Man? I don't think Mike Maksudian ever caught for the Jays, but he was described as a catcher when he made his brief appearance here and may have eventually caught for someone else.

Dave Till - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 01:20 PM EST (#229717) #

Geno Petralli is one of the catchers from the 1980s (1984?)

Matthew E - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 01:20 PM EST (#229718) #

Milner (1978) and Maksudian (1992) are correct.

1980, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1990, 1996 still outstanding.

Matthew E - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 01:21 PM EST (#229719) #

Petralli is correct; he debuted in 1982 and was the guy I meant when I said there was only one good player left unguessed.

1980, 1984, 1987, 1990, 1996.

John Northey - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 01:22 PM EST (#229720) #

Gruber didn't debut as a catcher in '84 or something did he? I keep thinking there is another third baseman or first baseman in there who caught at first.

Magpie - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 01:23 PM EST (#229721) #

There was a guy around 1990 - Jeff Hearron mark two, he couldn't hit a lick. Latino name. Carlos...? Oh, I'm this close to remembering....

Matthew E - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 01:30 PM EST (#229723) #

I should have mentioned: Kevin Brown the catcher debuted as, I think, a Ranger. Gruber wasn't a catcher, nor do I think there were any other position shifts among the remaining five (although I think one of them developed Mackey Sasser disease and tried to convert to a pitcher with Milwaukee).

A hint about the guy Magpie is trying to guess: his name has already been mentioned in this thread.

Mike Green - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 01:30 PM EST (#229724) #

Do you want to buy a vowel? One cuttlefish, old man. :)

My memory of obscure back-up catchers from Jay history is absolutely pathetic. They should just dress 'em in a no-name uniform with the year on it and save me the trouble.

Magpie - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 01:36 PM EST (#229725) #

his name has already been mentioned in this thread.

Yeah?

Carlos ....Martinez? Nah. Carlos...Diaz? Hey! Carlos Diaz? That's the guy, isn't it?

Matthew E - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 01:42 PM EST (#229727) #

Carlos Diaz (1990) is correct.

1980, 1984, 1987, 1996 still on the board.

Magpie - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 01:43 PM EST (#229728) #

My memory of obscure back-up catchers from Jay history is absolutely pathetic.

Ah, but most of these guys don't even qualify as backups! They're the backup to the backup, when someone hit the DL for a couple of weeks.

Wasn't Joey Lawrence the original Brett Lawrie? You know, a catcher-second baseman (always an unusual and startling thing to see.) Did he ever catch here?

Matthew E - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 01:50 PM EST (#229730) #

Lawrence never caught in the majors.

Geoff - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 02:12 PM EST (#229741) #

Here we go again. It's been a few days since AA caused some offseason excitement, so the momentum to Opening Day must be maintained.

Buster Olney has it that the A's are trying to acquire Figgins and the Jays may be involved to acquire Kouzmanoff from the A's

Magpie - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 02:12 PM EST (#229742) #

I folded, and looked them up. The four remaining players between them played 31 games in the majors and went 13-65. For three of the four, their brief cup of coffee with the Jays constituted their entire major league career. The other guy actually got into 12 major league games, over three seasons.

Matthew E - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 02:22 PM EST (#229746) #

Well, the thread's only been here for a couple of hours; might as well leave it open for a while in case anyone else has any guesses for the last four.

Magpie - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 02:23 PM EST (#229747) #

the Jays may be involved to acquire Kouzmanoff from the A's

Well, bringing in a guy with a .283 OBP would certainly be consistent, if nothing else.

whiterasta80 - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 02:31 PM EST (#229751) #

Any reason we can't go after Figgins instead? He'd look awful good at the top of our lineup (I think last year was an aberration, and even still). We could rebuild his value and move him if necessary. And while I think it unlikely he's only 3 more years if he crashes.

Did we get Julio Mosquera yet?

Magpie - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 02:39 PM EST (#229753) #

Did we get Julio Mosquera yet?

How could anyone actually remember Julio Mosquera? Did you get an autograph? Is he a relative?

Three to go!

Mike Green - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 02:40 PM EST (#229754) #

It should be a model type- RH power hitter who will not take a walk but will strikeout, and does not run well. Didn't the Cleveland Indians of the mid-late 80s have about six of these guys at one time? I guess that it just seemed that way. Personally, I am happiest if the home team has no more than one of these guys at a time.

Evair Montenegro - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 02:54 PM EST (#229758) #

I remember Mosquera, he is panamanian.

85bluejay - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 02:57 PM EST (#229759) #

While I'm not a great fan of kouzmanoff - I can see the merit esp. if Seattle takes Rivera in return - allow Bautista in RF

better defense in RF & 3rd. and Rogers centre should be kinder to kouzmanoffs' power than San Diego/Oakland - if his

value increases then flip him when Lawrie is ready or if he continues to suck, nontender at end of season.

BalzacChieftain - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 03:56 PM EST (#229762) #

Haven't noticed ol' Ken Huckaby named yet. Assuming because the fountains of knowledge that roam this site know more than I do and he may not have debuted with the Jays.

Magpie - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 03:58 PM EST (#229763) #

The 13 career hits would be about right, but Huckaby started out with - was it Arizona?

Brian W - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 03:59 PM EST (#229764) #

Huckaby did get one AB with Arizona the year before he joined the Jays (he struck out).

Magpie - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 04:01 PM EST (#229765) #

He struck out? Huckaby? You're kidding!

Alex Obal - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 04:13 PM EST (#229766) #

Mark Dalesandro... had 37 PA for the Angels in 1994 and 1995. Damn. Who knew? He He resurfaced with the Jays in '98 as a 30-year-old rookie.

I'm stumped.

Magpie - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 04:16 PM EST (#229767) #

The fact that you remember Mark Dalsandro impresses the hell out of me. Of course, I'm still in shock over Julio Mosquera...

Matthew E - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 04:22 PM EST (#229768) #

Well, of the remaining three guys, two are just names on a list to me (although one of them, if you change a letter in his first name and a letter in his last name, becomes a much more famous Jay!). The 1987 guy, though, I do remember. He's the one I mentioned above tried to turn himself into a pitcher. He was also talked up just a little bit in van Rjndt and Blednick's Fungo Blues. He was the guy they brought up when Stark got hurt and before the team signed Charlie Moore. Not much of a hitter, but in Fungo Blues his minor-league manager said he was a good on-field captain.

Alex Obal - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 04:24 PM EST (#229769) #

I think you only remember guys like this when you were 10 years old at the time and had no concept of hype, talent, sample size...

I did a creative writing assignment around that time about a future World Series between the Jays and Pirates. Pretty sure Mosquera is the MVP.

Matthew E - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 04:27 PM EST (#229770) #

I do remember Mosquera a little bit. In my mind he had a bit of pop in his bat and may have deserved a bit better shot than he got.

Mike Green - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 04:35 PM EST (#229772) #

Here's the Huckaby game in 2001. Short story. On October 6, having sewn up the division title, the D'Backs lead the Brewers 4-1 in Milwaukee through 5 innings with Miguel Batista on the mound and Rod Barajas behind the plate. Brenly pinch-hits for Batista with Jack Cust in the top of the sixth and brings on a new battery of Mike Koplove and Huckaby in the top of the seventh. The wheels fall off the bus as the Brew Crew score 3 in the 7th off Koplove. Huckaby strikes out with a runner on first and two out in the eighth and Milwaukee scores a run in the bottom of the ninth to send the fans home happy. The D'Backs somehow overcome their disappointment soon enough to win a World Series that year.

John Northey - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 04:46 PM EST (#229773) #

Gave in and check 1987 - he was a guy I followed through the minors and always hoped would do well. Of course, I was a teen back then with too much time on my hands. I remember his experimenting with pitching even though B-R doesn't seem to have it. B-R lists him as finishing his career after 1987 at the age of 22, which I have to think isn't right. Found his facebook 'like' page - he has 5.

whiterasta80 - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 04:53 PM EST (#229774) #

Mosquera I got because I had seen him with Syracuse back in the Shannon Stewart years. He ended up being just one of those prospects I followed for no apparent reason but had faith in. Like Eddie Zosky before him he obviously never amounted to anything.

MatO - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 05:03 PM EST (#229775) #

Gave in as well. I should have gotten 1987. I remember 1980's name. I have absolutely no recollection of 1984, but I was out of the country for a chunk of that season (no idea as to how the Jays were doing). I wondered for years about what ever happened to that Andy Kaufman guy and it turned out he had died when I was away in 1984.

brent - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 11:04 PM EST (#229784) #

Tim Crabtree?

codyla - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 11:15 PM EST (#229785) #

If I'm not mistaken I believe the other catcher in 1987 was Jeff DeWillis. The only reason I remember that is because I got an autograph from him in was of his only games with the Jays. Naturally, as a kid I was excited anyways and it remains one of my only in person autographs.

Matthew E - Friday, January 28 2011 @ 11:17 PM EST (#229786) #

DeWillis is correct. Tim Crabtree was a pitcher. Only two left!

Dufour - Saturday, January 29 2011 @ 12:51 PM EST (#229789) #

Don't ask me how I remembered this because I forget to put on underwear half the time, but is 1984 Toby Hernandez?

Magpie - Saturday, January 29 2011 @ 02:20 PM EST (#229791) #

Wow. Toby Hernandez.

One more. This guy's namesake also played for the Blue Jays...

Magpie - Saturday, January 29 2011 @ 02:24 PM EST (#229792) #

Ernie Whitt went on the DL for two weeks in June 1984, and Hernandez replaced him on the roster. Buck Martinez actually played every single game while Whitt was out - Hernandez just finished up a couple of blowouts (one of them was also the second game of a DH.)

John Northey - Saturday, January 29 2011 @ 02:37 PM EST (#229794) #

For 1980 I sure didn't remember him. 3 guys (including him) have played MLB with the same name. The one who lasted the longest of the 3 finished his career as a Jay at 2B after starting out as a hot Yankee prospect (at least I remember a lot of hype around the namesake in the early 90's). Funny thing, his last season had a 100 OPS+, his highest ever. Go figure.

Original Ryan - Saturday, January 29 2011 @ 02:59 PM EST (#229795) #

For 1980 I sure didn't remember him. 3 guys (including him) have played MLB with the same name.

The catcher in question later returned to the Blue Jays to manage in Syracuse for a couple of seasons.

Speaking of Blue Jays catchers and Syracuse managers, Randy Knorr is going to be managing Syracuse in 2011 for the Nationals. Interestingly, the Nationals have assigned Gary Cathcart, a former minor league manager in the Blue Jays' system, to manage the recently-castoff Auburn Doubledays in 2011.

Magpie - Saturday, January 29 2011 @ 03:06 PM EST (#229797) #

3 guys (including him) have played MLB with the same name.

The first one is the subject of a memorable Earl Weaver story. Our man discovered Jesus, and proudly told Weaver "Earl, I'm going to walk with the Lord."

To which Weaver said "I'd rather you walk with the bases loaded."

Mike Green - Saturday, January 29 2011 @ 04:48 PM EST (#229799) #

Oh yeah, one of my favourite Earl Weaver lines. Another of the players with that name was a fixture at second base on my Rotisserie team in the early 90s (before we got good when we acquired A-Rod and Manny).

Hal - Saturday, January 29 2011 @ 09:47 PM EST (#229809) #

The fella from 1980, the Jays gave up Ron Fairly to get him?

Doom Service - Monday, January 31 2011 @ 12:10 AM EST (#229834) #

Is the straggler Pat Kelly?

Matthew E - Monday, January 31 2011 @ 08:55 AM EST (#229837) #

Yep. That's all of them!

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