Could Coste Fit Marlins’ Plans?
Posted by Tim Malcolm, Mon, January 19, 2009 03:26 PM | Comments: 21
Posts, Rumors
Joe Frisaro of MLB.com wrote about the Marlins priorities (hat tip to MLBTR), saying the team is hoping to find a veteran catcher to play behind John Baker. They don’t want to spend more than $2M on a backup, however, so there’s not too much out there.
Unless they want Chris Coste.
Coste is expecting a raise from the $0.45M he made in 2008. The Phillies could trade Coste – now in a logjam with Ronny Paulino for a 25-man roster spot (and Lou Marson not far behind) to Florida for young pitching. Of course, there’s the thought that you don’t want to trade a player to a division rival, especially one that has young pitching who might benefit from Coste. But a trade is a thought.
Posts: 0 Don M
I immediately thought of Coste when I read that earlier too.. he’s already been linked to the Marlins this offseason, we just added a Catcher, and they have a specific price range they need to stay under.
I wonder what you could get in return, my guess is we would shop for a LHP for the bullpen… I’d like to see Coste get traded, and get some playing time more than I’d like to see him sit the bench here.
The guys on the team seem to like throwing to him a bunch, but I think its pretty clear that Ruiz is the full-time guy behind the plate… You want Marson to catch everday at Lehigh Valley… so Coste and Paulino are the odd men out. I though Paulino would just get flipped when we traded for him, but Coste would be more desireable to most teams as a backup Catcher.. calls a good game, can hit for average and power.. he just can’t do it multiple times per week
Posted: 03:55 PM on January 19, 2009
Posts: 0 Chuck P
Coste has done a lot of good things (very clutch) but he is expendable. Paulino is younger and kills lefties… Coste could help the Marlins and it would be nice to see him get the shot he deserves. However, he has not proven that we can depend on him in September and October (.225 BA in Sept/Oct).
Posted: 04:27 PM on January 19, 2009
Posts: 0 Monktavian
Coste deserves a chance to play and Marson does as well. I say trade him to the Marlins and do the right thing for Coste and Marson. After all, we may get a very solid pitcher somewhere down the pike, and we all know the Phils need prospects. We also know that the Marlins have a great farm system
Posted: 04:27 PM on January 19, 2009
Posts: 0 Manny
In the DVD The Perfect Season, Lidge talks about how Coste and Ruiz want to be the catching-duo for a few more seasons, like in 2008. But Coste could definitely go to another team like the Marlins… the problem would be: 1. how much could we get in return? 2. he’ll share all our pitching staff “secrets” and tips with a division rival… All in all, if a trade could get us a decent reliever, then obviously it would make a lot of sense.
Posted: 04:39 PM on January 19, 2009
Posts: 0 Mazinman
I agree with Manny about the problem of him sharing info to a division rival. I would like to keep him but realize the situation he is currently now in. Better, I think, to trade him to an American League team that could benefit from his experience than a team who we will be seeing a lot of this year.
Posted: 05:00 PM on January 19, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
What secrets are there to tell.. Hamels has a nice changeup, Myers has a nice curveball, etc.. He might say what certain guys like to throw in certain situations.. but that is all on film anyway, and hitters study pitchers before each game and each series.. I wouldn’t worry about that part of it at all
Posted: 07:32 PM on January 19, 2009
Posts: 0 ActuallyChilled
word up coast
Posted: 08:14 PM on January 19, 2009
Posts: 0 Richie Allen
I thought late last year that our guys DIDNT LIKE pitching to Coste…Thats why I thought we got Paulino.Isnt that why Ruiz started catching every day?
I would say its a good bet Coste wont be with us for 09.
Posted: 08:22 PM on January 19, 2009
Posts: 0 Brett
Without Coste, there’s no Coste Guard…. What can we do with Paulino?
Posted: 08:24 PM on January 19, 2009
Posts: 0 Justin
i agree with don m nothing that will really help the marlins
Posted: 08:56 PM on January 19, 2009
Posts: 0 IRONPIGPEN
RONNY PAULINO
2006 PITTSBURGH (129 ga, 6 HR, 55 RBI, .310 avg)
2007 PITTSBURGH (133 ga, 11 HR, 55 RBI, .263 avg)
The Phillies are betting Paulino returns to form. I believe Coste was gone the day Paulino arrived. Hoover has sealed his fate.
Posted: 09:10 PM on January 19, 2009
Posts: 0 NJ
We’re overlooking Paulino needs to go some to beat Coste out as the back-up as it’s unlikely were going to carry 3 cathers with the plethora of versitile infielders. There’s no doubting Paulino can flat-out hit but I’d hate to see Coste go, he’s the modern Vince Papale.
Posted: 09:21 PM on January 19, 2009
Posts: 0 MikeMc26
I’d really hate to see Coste go, he’s one of my favorite Phils. I have the utmost respect for him after reading his book; that guy is a fighter.
Posted: 09:49 PM on January 19, 2009
Posts: 0 IRONPIGPEN
I like Coste, too. He’s a definite warrior who paid his dues in the minor leagues.
Paulino is like seven or eight years younger, I think that is something else the Phillies like.
Posted: 11:29 PM on January 19, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
I liked Coste’s book too… but I didn’t like the way he recounted what people told him… it sounded way too proper. “You know Chris, you are one of the best cathcers that I have ever thrown to. You set up a great target, and I really like throwing to you, and I will tell the manager such.”
It would have been better if it was a more real, “Coste you setup a great target man, Im going to see if I can get you to catch my everytime.”
or however it would actually be said.. anyway, if they make a movie, they’ll make it flow better fa sho
Posted: 10:06 AM on January 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
Sticking with books for a minute… does anyone have any Baseball MUST READS?
I’ve read:
The 33 Year Old Rookie,
Moneyball,
3 Nights in August,
Planet of the Umps… probably some other stuff that I can’t remember right now
Posted: 10:14 AM on January 20, 2009
Posts: 0 deal
I would think the Phils would be more likely to get a veteran back from the Marlins then prospects. since they (the marlins) are pepetually in salary dump mode.
I have no idea who that would be. Perhaps a right handed OF bat.
Posted: 12:22 PM on January 20, 2009
Posts: 0 MikeMc26
Don,
I’m reading the book about the 93 Phils “More than Beards, Bellies, and Biceps” by Robert Gordon and Tom Burgoyne now and its a really good read. I also have Kruk’s book, Moneyball, Eight Men Out, Baseball’s Natural: The Story of Eddie Waitkus, and Occasional Glory: A History of the Philadelphia Phillies on my list of “to read.”
Posted: 03:13 PM on January 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Don M
I read Kruk’s book.. it gets slow at times, talking about the Mexican leagues and whatnot, but if you like Kruk, you’ll like the book..
I wanted to read that book on the ’93 team, but couldn’t find it anywhere
Posted: 03:26 PM on January 20, 2009
Posts: 0 phils 50+
“The Bad Guys Won” about the ’86 Mets.
Written by Jeff Pearlman in 2003. A book I couldn’t put down. They really were a bunch of derelicts.
Posted: 05:11 PM on January 20, 2009
Posts: 0 Dominican Team Falls Short, But Paulino Leads | Phillies Nation
[...] with this is news that the Florida Marlins are looking at Chris Coste. Indeed, I thought this would be the case, but don’t expect anything yet — the Phils want to get Paulino in camp and see how he [...]
Posted: 11:15 AM on February 8, 2009