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March 20, 2008 Spring Training 08 Joe Janish

Emergency Catcher

Brady Clark batting for the New York MetsNot sure if anyone else “caught” this tidbit during the SNY broadcast of last night’s spring training game, but the Mets have an emergency catcher.

Brady Clark.

Clark claims to have been the “emergency catcher” while with the Cincinnati Reds — which was six years ago. He’s never appeared in a Major League game behind the plate, and to my knowledge has never caught a professional inning.

By the way, anyone remember the ten games he played with the Mets back in 2002? He — along with Pedro Feliciano — was part of the deal that sent Shawn Estes to the Reds. Clark spent the last month of the season with the Mets, hit .417, but was DFA’d the following January and the Brewers picked him up on waivers. BTW, only a week before acquiring Clark, the Mets traded Jason Bay to the Padres in a package that brought Steve Reed and Jason Middlebrook eastward. Bay was eventually traded by San Diego along with Oliver Perez to Pittsburgh for Brian Giles. But I digress …

So Brady Clark might be considered an emergency catcher, and if that’s so, I wonder why he hasn’t spent at least an inning or two behind the dish during ST. If he proves he can handle the position, it would immensely help his chances to make the 25-man roster.

Joe Janish began MetsToday in 2005 to provide the unique perspective of a high-level player and coach -- he earned NCAA D-1 All-American honors as a catcher and coached several players who went on to play pro ball. As a result his posts often include mechanical evaluations, scout-like analysis, and opinions that go beyond the numbers. Follow Joe's baseball tips on Twitter at @onbaseball and at the On Baseball Google Plus page.
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  2. isuzudude March 20, 2008 at 8:03 am
    I saw that same segment, Joe, and it didn’t seem like Brady was all to enthused to reveal that information. Almost as if he doesn’t want anyone to know about it. Because, if you recall, it was Burkhardt who brought it up, not Clark. Maybe I’m looking too far into things, but to me it seems like Brady’s catching days are in the past, and he wants to keep it that way (unless it’s going to help him make the club). Certainly it’s worth considering from the Mets’ standpoint to keep him around in a ‘just-in-case’ scenario, but I’m not confident this will help Clark much to win a roster spot.
  3. Walnutz15 March 20, 2008 at 8:19 am
    I’ve always maintained that Brady Clark would make the team out of ST — barring an acquisition, I feel the same way.

    The “emergency catcher” angle last night struck me as odd. Burkhardt did bring it up, and as Mr. Isuzu stated, it didn’t hint to me that Brady was all that enthused about it.

    I just fear that if the Mets don’t have something lined up: waiver-wire, trade, etc. — that they’ll have a handful of players who are essentially the “same guy” on the bench, and filling in for guys like Delgado and Alou — provided they go down.

    It’d be nice to pick up a more bonafide option to start in those cases.

  4. joe March 20, 2008 at 8:34 am
    I’m still trying to figure out if Brady Clark can leave something in the past that he’s never done before lol!

    He was pretty evasive about the idea …. though not as negative as Carlos Delgado — who actually came up to MLB as a backstop!

  5. Walnutz15 March 20, 2008 at 10:10 am
    Anyone have an idea where we can pick up one of the shirts Delgado was sportin’ last night in the tunnel of the dugout?

    It was an orange job, with Bozo The Clown’s face on the front — and “ENOUGH” written underneath.

    I loved it, and while I know it’s very likely a player’s only issue….want one for myself. It’s time to stop clownin’ around and do the damn thing in ’08.

    Can’t wait for Opening Day.

  6. Is Brady Clark Done? -- Mets Today April 24, 2008 at 3:49 pm
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