Gerald Laird fine behind the plate, bad beside it

by Kurt Mensching on Oct 21, 2010 6:00 AM EDT in Detroit Tigers Analysis

Every weekday between now and mid-November, we'll be looking closer at a Tigers player. For more information on the series, including a schedule, please check this post out.

It's a good thing Gerald Laird is respected for his abilities behind the plate, because he sure didn't demonstrate too much ability when he stood beside it.

Laird spent almost five months beneath the .200 Mendoza line this season, finally rising above it with a two-hit day on Aug. 25 against the Royals. He even got his batting average as high as .211 by the end of the season, though it finished at just .207 with a .263 on-base percentage. It goes without saying 2010 was Laird's worst season at the plate during a major-league career that dates back to 2003.

Fortunately he worked well with the pitchers and threw out 32 percent of runners who attempted to steal on him. He also stuck up for fellow catcher Alex Avila, and I imagine taught him a thing or two.

So Laird's final season in Detroit wasn't a total disaster. It just wasn't any good.

At the plate:

Year	Age	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	OPS+
2010	30	89	299	270	22	56	11	0	5	25	3	1	18	57	.207	.263	.304	.567	54

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 10/18/2010.

Via Texas Leaguers

If you had to guess (you do!), what outcome do you think happened most often when Laird made a plate appearance? According to Texas Leaguers, he struck out 18.9 percent of the time. He grounded out 18.2 percent. He flew out 16.5 percent. And finally, fourth down on the list, he singled in 13.6 percent of his appearances. Even in a sport where failure occurs more often than success, that's pretty bad.

It showed in his average and on-base percentage, as we discussed.

If there's one good thing I can say about Laird, it's that he had a .286 average in late games with a runner on first base. Oh, and a .286 average with the bases loaded.

Past that... uhm, yeah.

In the field:

In 2009, Laird's defense was strong enough that he should have been given a Gold Glove, if only defensive awards were given for defensive play. Since they're not, he could only watch as Joe Mauer got the award.

Most of his catching stats appear to be at similar rates in 2010, though he threw out 8 percent fewer runners than in 2009.

I think he remained a good defensive catcher.

What 2010 tells us about 2011:

He struck out more often than normal, walked less, and had a similar line drive rate as he had in the past. He probably did get a bit unlucky on his balls hit in play, and I'd expect that to rebound a bit, and with that his batting average. But don't confuse that with my saying he'll be a much better batter. He won't, given past results.

Laird won't be a Tiger in 2011, but he will be a major league backup for some team. I think his time as a starter has passed, but you never know.

Resources:

I used Baseball-Reference, Fangraphs, Texas Leaguers,

Poll

What grade does Gerald Laird deserve?

A

3 votes

B

3 votes

C

31 votes

D

181 votes

E

90 votes

308 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

D

His defensive skills seemed solid. I think he blocks pitches in the dirt pretty good. I wish there was a stat for how many wild pitches a catcher saves.

The .267 OBP and .304 SLG won’t cut it any MLB line-up. He was a good bunter though. Too bad he usually didn’t have anybody to bunt over.

I think G-Money is going to have to take a serious pay cut and a back-up role if he wants a job somewhere. I wish him good luck.

by linuxit on Oct 21, 2010 7:59 AM EDT reply actions

Too Bad

Or maybe just plain bad, but GMoney hitting below .200 for most of the year was a horrible thing to watch. It was like watching a NL pitcher come to bat with no chance at all of getting a hit. An automatic out. I wish him the best but hope we get someone who can at least hit in the .250-.260 range and be respectable defensively. I see the chatter about Victor Martinez but if he’s in the lineup as a DH then we’d have to carry a third catcher if you want to ph for Avila. So his position flexability 1B/C/DH brings with it some other roster considerations. Maybe someday Brandon Inge will be the super utility (3B/SS/OF/C) guy that really helps a roster.

by KeystoneTiger on Oct 21, 2010 8:49 AM EDT reply actions

E-

The only unfortunate part is that he got his aberage above .200, way to start hitting when we were out of the race, he was hitting .190 when the games meant something, his stats may say he was a decent defensive catcher this year but my eyes definetly saw a decline, especially in the first half. He had more errors than last year in half the time.

by Caruss on Oct 21, 2010 9:40 AM EDT reply actions

E

because what he does behind the dish isn’t enough to make up for his really poor skills at the plate.

President & Founder of the "Bring back the Big Tilde in 2k11" Campaign

by Detroitchik on Oct 21, 2010 9:51 AM EDT reply actions

D-, but could stomach Laird as an inexpensive backup,

Bet he will rebound to that .270 BA level, with another team that doesn’t have LLoyd. I would offer him arbitration, for that sandwich pick, as he is, believe it or not, type B. How much potentially could the arb stick the tigers with, maybe 3 million tops, it might be worth the gamble. If it is understood that playing time is once a week he may decline even if arb gives him top money. He said his offseason decision would rest with playing time.

Anyway, Gotta love his Barroom brawl in Pheonix. “Don’t mess with my Grandpa, You Amazon”.

"Always 1984"

by Hack Johnson on Oct 21, 2010 10:10 AM EDT reply actions

Probably the only E I'll give.

His defense skills have diminshed. Made a lot of bonhead plays. Not terrible behind the plate, but not good either. When you’re flirting with below .200 you better be THE BEST behind the dish. In my mind this guy is not even a major league ball player…

Country Strong

by Rusty Kuntz on Oct 21, 2010 10:14 AM EDT reply actions

Luckily, I consider Catcher a defense-first position

Otherwise, my ‘D’ would surely have been an ‘E’. I still waffled a bit, but my expectations are so low offensively from a catcher, that I had to give him enough glove points to get a really low D- (and he’s luck I round up, because we’re talking 59.6%).

I don’t think it would have been as bad to have his bat be such a huge liability if we wouldn’t have been playing Everitt also for the start of the season. You can’t have two pitchers batting in the damn American League.

Granderson was my Tiger, then Sizemore, then Willis. Since they're all gone, I'm taking Raburn and hoping the pattern holds.

by momotigers on Oct 21, 2010 11:14 AM EDT reply actions

This guy wouldnt even be on my 40 man roster

I gave him a solid D. I havent liked Laird from day one he put on a Tiger uniform. He is a third string catcher which means the minors for most teams. The only reason he didnt get an E is becasue catcher is probably the hardest postion to play and he was at least adequate behind the plate. The rest you can forget. I dont know how many times the first 1/2 when Neverhit (Everett) and Laird was coming up thats when I’d leave the room to go pee, eat a sandwich or smoke a cig because I knew the inning was over and it ALWAYS was. Not only did he not hit, but he took bad swings and bad pitches in the dirt, way outside etc… He is/was completely clueless at the plate. And, sorry Hack Johnson, read my subject line. There is no way I would retain Laird for free. Any roster spot he takes is taking away from someone who probably has a clue at the plate more then GL does. I wish GL well he tried hard, but just doesnt have it. Thats why he was always a backup before the tigs got him. Most guys can hit 200 just being in the lineup. GL had to fight to get to 200. NA NA NA NA, HEY HEY HEY GOODBYE!!!!!

by blueleo1 on Oct 21, 2010 11:36 AM EDT reply actions

Ugh

Tough choice. I see the arguments for the “E” (and I’m not a huge fan of the “defense has tons o’ value” movement in the stathead community) but I’ll go D just because his defense was at least above average this year.

Deputy Editor, Bless You Boys

Free Scott Sizemore!

by David Tokarz on Oct 21, 2010 2:38 PM EDT reply actions