would be an improvement / over mathis

Wins Above Vacuum Expectation, i.e. the value a warm body provides relative to purely empty space.

The slashes depend on how you feel about Windows and Unix.

And an average catcher hits .240 (as they are this season), he costs us a hit every 25 at bats vs an “average” catcher.

he does believe that a baseball offense can survive the drop in production from a single slot in the batting order. In the National League, that slot is the pitcher’s. In the AL, since we have a DH to hit for the pitcher, the manager can assign that drop to any other position player.

Sosh’s reasoning is that, since Mathis is so Premium on defense and worth so many runs saved, the team can absorb a deficiency in the bat he brings.

Ok, that’s his theory. (Not mine. Not ours, of course.) But what can be discerned from the information that IS available is that this theory is nothing but a wet noodle lost within Sosh’s brainpan.

First of all, no other team in the AL is required to sacrifice an offensive slot in the lineup. So while Sosh is happy to roll out 8 offensive contributors each game (in a perfect world!), he matches up against teams which roll out NINE. So over time, this team plays on an unlevel field, and it is Sosh with his thumb pushing down on one corner.

Second, the one piece of data that Sosh confesses to be using (CERA) has been well-proven to be a totally worthless piece of crap and predominantly the credit of whomever throws the ball to any catcher.

Third, we know from direct quotes out of Sosh AND Reagins that they absolutely reject every available piece of empirical data that the rest of the baseball world has learned would reveal Mathis to be one of the worst defenders behind the plate. Which means they both are blind to the reality that Mathis is not the Greate Secret Weapon Of Defense which they use to inflict massive damage upon the balance of MLB.