Jesus Montero Is Not Too Big to Catch in the Major Leagues
April 15, 2011 · Perry Arnold · Jump to comments
Article Source: Bleacher Report - New York Yankees
Those who deny that Jesus Montero could be a major-league catcher usually start by saying that he is too big. People say he must be shifted to first base or DH because of his size.
Montero is 6’4″ and weighs about 235 pounds.
That is almost exactly the size of a catcher who has been a major league MVP. Joe Mauer is 6’5″ and about 230 pounds.
At any point in time did anyone say Mauer was too big to catch? If so, I don’t remember it.
Please don’t interpret this to mean that Montero is going to be Mauer. No one knows. I am only trying to make the point that size makes no difference for a catcher.
There is a young catcher in Baltimore that drew raves as he moved through the minor leagues and made his way to the bigs. Has anyone cautioned using Matt Wieters behind home plate? Don’t think so, and the Orioles seem to like him back there.
By the way, all Yankee fans must hope that if Montero gets to NYC he will hit better than Wieters. Again, I am only talking about size.
There was a time when the prototype catcher was short and stubby like Yogi Berra or Roy Campanella.
But that is no longer the prototype. Think Carlton Fisk 25 years ago. Think Javy Vazquez.
There is no such thing anymore as someone being too big to be a catcher.
If Montero is too slow afoot, he cannot get down to block balls or cannot throw to second, then we have something to talk about.
But if any of those things were true, why would he still be catching at the Triple-A level?
Why did Brian Cashman say last November that Posada was the Yankee DH and Montero would be given a chance in camp to start for the Yankees behind the plate?
There was a time a few years ago when a certain gentleman was considered too big to play shortstop.
That man was Cal Ripken, Jr.
Because of Ripken, the future was paved for shortstops such as Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and Nomar Garciaparra.
It is simply ridiculous for anyone in this day and age in baseball to say that anyone cannot play a particular position because of his size.
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