Javy Lopez

[Pogotheostrich]

Pudge in front of Piazza?? NO way. Sorry don't see it.

Maybe if Pudge played with a better lineup but to put him in front of Piazza as a Tiger is a Fantasy Mistake.

I don't see why everyone thinks Pudge as a Tiger is bad for fantasy. Park effect is a wash. Fla had a better lineup yes, but the AL Central pitching and DH should make up for those lost numbers easily.

[mightyian5]

if piazza is 100% healthy, which could be a reach, than hes second behind posada. javy comes in 3rd, and pudge is left in 4th.

if you like to mention piazza on a slide, dont forget that pudge is near the same age as him, and those 16 homers last year didnt do much to prove otherwise.

[dannahann]

Personally, I feel you can make an argument for any of the four to be ranked anywhere from 1 to 4. All have questions, be it health, hitting lower in the lineup, new staffs and leagues, following a career year, etc... Piazza has the highest ceiling so if I were forced to rank them I'd go Piazza IRod Lopez Posada BUT they'd all be ranked within a few spots of each other OVERALL, maybe all in the same round or two?

As for Javy in particular here's my take:
I remeber 2 HRs Javy hit to left center at Camden during an interleague series I attended about 3 years ago. Both were only 2 rows in and wouldn't have been HRs in the majority of ballparks including ATL. So all things being equal I might assume more HR, but all things aren't equal IMO. Typically it's toughest on catchers to change teams, their primary concern (at least early on) is learning the nuances of their own pitchers and the opponents hitters. Their own offense is secondary. Additionally, compared to the other four catchers, Javy is more of a guess hitter and could struggle some while learning the opposing pitchers in the AL.

Here's an unbiased take on the four catchers (I keep an updated spreadsheet that averages any projections I've found...so far I have 10 sources) The composite sheet projects these numbers:

Javy 447AB/ .292AV/ .902OPS/ 30 HR/ 92RBI/ 72R/ 0SB
Piazza 446AB/ .296AV/ .921OPS/ 29HR/ 90RBI/ 74R/ 0SB
Posada 490AB/ .276AV/ .871OPS/ 26HR/ 95RBI/ 79R/ 2SB
Pudge 482AB/ .298AV/ .846OPS/ 19HR/ 80RBI/ 80R/ 8SB

[Guest]

The top 5 catchers are:

1. Javy Lopez
2. Jorge Posada
3. Matt LeCroy- full-time DH batting clenup
4. Mike Piazza
5. Pudge

[Area51's]

To stay on topic.....I am a bit nervous about picking Javy Lopez at all. Nothing's to say he won't go Javy Lopez and disappear off the planet of talented hitting catchers, just like he's done before...even w/ the AL and DH. Posada is probably the surest thing out of the top 4. Piazza has the most upside, and I honestly have no clue what to expect from I-Rod.

Posada would probably be the only one out of that 4 that I would pick early, else wait and pick and choose out of the LeCroy/C. Wilson/J. Phillips situations.