Dewan: Kyle Schwarber at catcher
From SABR member John Dewan at ACTA Sports on February 17, 2017:
Earlier this week, Cubs GM Theo Epstein told reporters that they plan to give Kyle Schwarber some innings at catcher this spring so that he can serve as the team’s third catcher during the season. One concern is whether Schwarber can handle catching duties given that he is less than a year removed from tearing the ACL and LCL in his left knee.
Another concern is his ability to handle the position defensively, in particular in limiting the opposing team’s running game. In 2015, Schwarber caught 21 games, and he failed to throw out any of the 13 runners who tried to steal second base against him. There is no doubt that Schwarber can hit, but if he is that bad defensively at catcher, is it worth potentially risking his health at the position, even in a limited role?
Read the full article here: http://www.statoftheweek.com
Originally published: February 17, 2017. Last Updated: February 17, 2017.