The Phillies have been the center of a lot of trade talk in recent days. Ryan Howard and the Royals. Jimmy Rollins and the Mets. Cole Hamels and the Red Sox. But one name that has been absent from talks is Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz. Ruiz would make a lot of sense for three teams that appear in real need of a catcher.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers are interested in veteran catcher Russell Martin. The Dodgers had Martin on their team several years ago and for some reason non-tendered him, in a move I will never understand. But they want their old catcher back, as 33 year-old catcher A.J. Ellis was unable to hit above the .200 mark in 2014. If they are unable to land Martin in free agency, they may find a good fit in Ruiz.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates would love to retain Martin, but because he has hit free agency, it could be a sign that Martin is headed elsewhere. If (when?) he does so, the Pirates will be in need of a veteran backstop to lead their young pitching staff. Pirates General Manager Neil Huntington said that he would acquire a catcher if they cannot sign Martin:
We are going to do everything we can that makes sense. It’s not just about retaining one player, it’s about building a championship club and sometimes the small markets have to let players go and sometimes large markets let players go because other teams are willing to pay more. If that happens, we will regroup, we will go acquire the best available catcher we can and then reallocate those resources to try to make the rest of our club stronger and try to get back to the postseason in 2015.
Ruiz could be a really nice fit in Pittsburgh, as a veteran presence that pitchers really enjoy throwing to.
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs too are in on Russell Martin, according to the Chicago Sun Times. ESPN says that the Cubs met with Martin, though they would not confirm that they had done so. The rebuilding Cubs want the same thing that the Pirates want: a veteran catcher who would work well with their young pitchers.
So really, it all comes down to Russell Martin. Martin is going to be 32 years old when Spring Training opens. Carlos Ruiz will be 36. Ruiz is signed for two more seasons at $10 million per, while Martin reportedly wants a five-year contract worth $85 million. That may prove to be a bigger risk than signing Ruiz for two years. While Martin is younger, Ruiz did not catch until being signed by the Phillies.
Once Russell Martin signs with someone, do not be surprised if the losers in that sweepstakes call the Phillies.
