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Hundley settles in as Rockies’ regular catcher

The Sports Xchange

February 26, 2015 at 6:01 pm.

 

Nick Hundley will bring more defense to the Rockies behind the dish. (Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports)

After several years, the Colorado Rockies finally reached the point where they were willing to sacrifice power at the plate for defense behind it.

That is the quick explanation of why they signed free agent Nick Hundley, 31, to a two-year, $6.25 million contract, acquiring him to be their primary catcher. Hundley supplants Wilin Rosario, 26, who has far more power than Hundley but struggled for three years defensively with the finer points of a difficult position.

In 83 games last year with the San Diego Padres and Baltimore Orioles, Hundley, hit .243 with a .273 on-base percentage, a .358 slugging percentage, six homers and 22 RBIs. The numbers are in keeping with Hundley’s career output of .238/.294/.386 with 52 homers and 214 RBIs in 560 games.

Hundley began his career in the Padres organization. He had to learn on the fly about the stuff and personalities of the Orioles’ pitchers after being traded early last season. This year, Hundley will have all of spring training to settle in with a new team and familiarize himself with the Rockies’ pitchers.

“It’s my job to get acclimated to them, not their job to get acclimated to me,” Hundley said. “It’s not my job to be a pitching coach and change anybody. If I come in and start talking about mechanical adjustments after catching 10 pitches, you’re going to lose credibility really quick. I’m here to catch these guys and get the most out of them, but it starts with being quiet and learning.”

Hundley had four passed balls and four errors in 63 games behind the plate for the Padres and Orioles last season. He threw out 13.9 percent (5-for-36) of the runners attempting to steal. In 516 career games, Hundley has been charged with 32 passed balls and 36 errors.

Rockies manager Walt Weiss praised Hundley.

“(He possesses) the ability to handle a pitching staff, to command the game,” Weiss said. “There’s a physical toughness and a mental toughness that we really like. There’s a servant mentality.”

Rosario was charged with 12 passed balls and seven errors in 96 games catching last season. In 2012, his first full season in the big leagues, Rosario was charged with 21 passed balls in 105 games behind the plate, and he had nine passed balls in 106 games in 2013.

In 321 career games, Rosario has been charged with 45 passed balls and 30 errors.

Last season, he threw out seven of 44 runners attempting to steal (15.9 percent), down from 31.9 percent in 2012 and 26.4 percent in 2013.

Rosario hit 28 homers in 2012 and 21 the following year. Last season, Rosario dealt with Type B influenza early in the season, causing him to lose nine pounds and go on the disabled list. He also dealt with a sprained left wrist for much of the season. Rosario wound up hitting .267/.305/.435 with 13 homers in 362 at-bats.

Rosario has played nine career games at first base, including seven starts, and understandably looked rough around the edges. He will get work at first base during spring training as well as catch.

Last season, a member of the Rockies organization said Rosario ideally should be as far from the ball as possible on defense. Since there is no designated hitter in the National League, it was suggested that Rosario, who has well above average arm strength, should play right field.

“It’s not a priority,” Weiss said of Rosario getting time in right field this spring. “It’s difficult to learn two new positions — first base and the outfield — particularly for a guy who has virtually never done it. So we don’t want to put too much on his plate.”

Rosario gives the Rockies a right-handed power bat who has done considerable damage against left-handed pitchers, compiling a .328 average with a 1.009 on-base-plus-slugging percentage and 30 homers in 357 at-bats vs. southpaws.

Justin Morneau, the regular first baseman, is a left-handed hitter, so there os a chance for Rosario — if he gets up to speed at first base defensively — to spell Morneau against some left-handed pitchers. Last season, Morneau hit .341 with a .927 OPS and 14 home runs in 372 at-bats against right-handed pitchers. Against lefties, Morneau hit .254 with a .665 OPS and three homers in 130 at-bats.

“In my heart, I know I’m still a catcher,” said Rosario, who nonetheless realizes that becoming adequate at first base could work to his advantage. “I want to learn, and I want get time to play and practice. I feel like I can play first, I can catch, and maybe I can play the outfield, too. It gives me more opportunities to get (at-bats).”

As they look to set their roster as the spring unfolds, the Rockies must decide whether to keep three catchers.

In addition to Hundley and Rosario, Michael McKenry, who is out of minor league options, showed last year he can work well with pitchers, and he hit .315/.398/.512 with eight homers and 22 RBIs in 198 at-bats. McKenry doesn’t throw particularly well, catching eight of 42 baserunners attempting to steal for a 19 percent success rate, right in line with his career mark of 19.1 percent (40-for-209).

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