Catchers

If you'd have waited a couple of weeks, then I'd have 2002 defensive data. But, ...

In 2001, the six main catchers in each league had a caught stealing ratio of:

Central League
1. .543 Tanishige (YBS)
2. .488 Furuta (YS)
3. .395 Yano (HT)
4. .353 Abe (YG)
5. .238 Nishiyama (HC)
6. .218 Nakamura (CD)

Pacific League
1. .380 Johjima (FDH)
2. .333 Noguchi (NHF)
3. .316 Matoyama (OKB)
4. .309 Hidaka (OBW)
5. .268 Itoh (SL)
6. .260 M. Shimizu (CLM)

If you like, remind me again in a few weeks and I'll try to put up more detailed 2002 defensive data.

Data aside, the most popular catchers are the three you mentioned, Furuta, Johjima, and Abe, Abe being the up and coming star behind the plate. (Personlly, I've felt that Tanishige has belonged on that list since 1998, but despite his better stats, Furuta has still been considered the best back stop in the Central League by the populus.)

Furuta is obviously getting older, but in terms of defensive prowess career-wise, I think he may have been the best defensive catcher in all of baseball, and that's including Ivan Rodriguez (gasp!). I believe he still has a career CS ratio over .500, and he had a couple seasons at over .600. That's amazing. A catcher is doing his job if he throws out 30%!

Lifetime going into 2002, Tanishige was in the mid-39% range. But the last two seasons, he has really lit it up.

Abe's CS percentage was right at 40% from what I've read. But I look forward to Michael's data.

By the way, it looks like we might soon get a chance to see how Johjima will do in MLB. See my story at BaseballGuru.com.

By the way, it looks like we might soon get a chance to see how Johjima will do in MLB.

Hurray!

Well, that's not exactly the farsightedness and willing to change I was trying to explain to Jim Albright! :P

Well, it's just words hurled across the printing press right now. We'll see if either side sets word to deed...