Who Will Backup Wilson Ramos?
By Pablo Roa
Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Though the Nationals have plenty of in-house options, they may still choose to look elsewhere for a backup catcher. However, with the Seattle Mariners signing John Buck last week, the free agent catching market is very limited. Miguel Olivo, Yorvit Torrealba and Kelly Shoppach are some of the last remaining catchers available, and the Nationals have not shown interest in any of them. That being said, Rizzo didn’t shut the door on the idea of bringing in someone from outside the organization to compete with the other three during Spring Training.
"“Going into Spring Training right now, we’re comfortable with what we have,” Rizzo told NatsInsider.com’s Mark Zuckerman. “We’re always looking to upgrade. We did it two years ago when Wilson got hurt and we went and got Suzuki.”"
All signs point to Solano, Leon and Snyder battling it out for the job during Spring Training. A backup catcher may not seem all that important, but when it comes to a position as grueling and potentially dangerous as catching, a backup catcher can make or break a team. This is especially true for the Nationals as Wilson Ramos has yet to start more than 106 games in a big league season.
Of the options that the Nationals have right now, there is no clear-cut favorite to win the job out of Spring Training. That being said, I think Snyder will outperform the other two and get his chance with the Nationals in 2014. Sure he’s struggled with the bat over the years, but that can all be forgotten if he helps the Nationals make it to the playoffs and beyond. Snyder’s experience and veteran presence alone puts him miles ahead of his competitors, and Solano and Leon would remain as much-needed depth for the Nationals.
Regardless of who actually gets the job, the Nationals will need someone who is capable of playing everyday if Wilson Ramos is out for an extended amount of time. Someone who will be there to help the team go deep into the playoffs. Someone who will take the reins in Spring Training and carry them into the regular season. Only time will tell if that ‘someone’ actually exists.