Here, friend, are some catchers that I will be targeting at my 2017 fantasy drafts after the top options are gone. I’m not going to get into the strategy of punting catchers. Been there, half-drunkenly wrote that years ago. Click on the player’s name where applicable to read more and see their 2017 projections. This is a (legal-in-most-countries) supplement to the top 20 catchers of 2017 fantasy baseball. Now, guys and five girl readers, I am not saying avoid catchers like J.T. Realmuto if they fall, but to get on this list, you need to be drafted later than 200 overall, and, to preemptively answer at least seven comments, yes, I will go around the entire infield, outfield and pitchers to target very late. Anyway, here’s some catchers to target for 2017 fantasy baseball:
Matt Wieters (ESPN 222, Yahoo 278) He landed with the Nats late in February, and I updated the top 20 catchers, but more because it moved Norris down rather than Wieters up. With that said (Grey, you got a good thing going here, don’t backtrack on me), I don’t dislike Wieters if I’m getting him around 280 overall. ESPN has him a little high for my taste, but 222 or 280 is more or less the same diff. Like Isla Fisher or Amy Adams lit by only the dim glow of my iPhone.
Welington Castillo (ESPN 300) Mean’s while, Yahoo has him ranked at 186 overall, which is goofy high. Perhaps they’re just overwhelmed with excitement to see Boeuf Welington behind the platé. BTW, if you’re opening up a store that sells paté, you should call it, Daydream Be-Liver. Or maybe, From The Best to The Liverwurst. Okay, you’re not selling effin’ liver anyway, except on the black market and that’s a human liver. Boeuf has played in decent parks before, and has never exactly exploded for a great season, but 15-17 homers seems doable for this late round pick (in ESPN).
Cameron Rupp (ESPN NR, Yahoo 289) For those of you wondering, ESPN ranked only thirteen catchers in the top 300 overall. I can’t figure out exactly why. At first I thought, “Hey, that’s pretty smart. They think every team should draft one catcher and they’re ranking for 12 team leagues with one extra catcher in case someone drafts two.” As they say, those that think ESPN is smart are dumb. The thirteenth catcher is Welington who is marked as “Not Ranked” in their positional rankings, but ranked 300th overall, so I don’t think they even meant to rank 13. So, maybe they just want everyone to draft only one catcher and went with twelve. Okay, but they’re 12th ranked guy is Yadier Molina at 227 overall. Aside from Molina being overrated and a sure bet for about seven homers and two steals — lowercase yay! — if ESPN wanted everyone to draft only one catcher, and essentially punt catcher, why not rank the last five or so catchers crazy late in the 200’s since, if you’re punting, you should grab Molina at around 280 overall, not 227? Ya know, because in 12 team leagues, around 290 players are drafted. Unless these ESPN ranks are for ten team leagues and Molina is ranked at the end of drafts at 227, but then why rank twelve of them and not ten? I’m getting a migraine; I need to move. Draft Rupp; he’s cheap power.
Tom Murphy (ESPN NR, Yahoo 301) If I were drafting in one hundred 12-team leagues, I’d draft Murphy one hundred times. Ninety-nine times I’ll say, “Yay, I got Tom Murphy!” Then one time I’ll be like, “I got Tom from Myspace and he’s totally going in my top eight!” If I wrote sleeper posts for catchers, Murphy would’ve got one. What’s to like? He has 20 homer power if he gets everyday at-bats. Will he get everyday at-bats? He has Tony Wolters in front of him and he hits like Barbara Walters. And not like, “Barbara is a hard-hitting journo, yo,” but like Barbara in a batting cage.
Travis d’Arnaud (ESPN NR, Yahoo NR) Newsday reported d’Arnaud has been working on fixing his swing, looking at a ton of video with catcher instructor, Glenn Sherlock. So far, the Mets haven’t learned much, nor can they figure out why Sherlock keeps making bizarre deductions and wants to talk to Tony Watson. “Sherlock, when you’re done emptying your pipe, can we talk about d’Arnaud’s swing?” So, d’Arnaud is obviously a gamble, but he will once again be the Mets catcher and supposedly has 20-homer power.
Andrew Susac (ESPN NR, Yahoo NR) All of my hopes and dreams I’ve placed at Murphy’s doorstep will likely be wasted. I will call that Murphy’s Law. Did I just make that phrase up? Yes? Awesome! I’m smart! All of those hopes and dreams might be better off being laid at Susac’s feet, because he also has solid power, and a starting job.
Devin Mesoraco (ESPN NR, Yahoo 316) There’s a tale told about Medusa that says she was made ugly after being raped by Poseidon. With that in mind, I have no idea the reason behind Mesoraco’s face. My Reds’ mythology textbook ends with, “Mesoraco’s face launched a thousand squints, because looking at him with open eyes was too much.” Mesoraco is basically d’Arnaud without the easy-on-the-eyes looks. He has power, but injuries have derailed him.
