Did the Padres just get their fans an early Christmas present? Is Ryan the Catcher of the Future?
Maybe I should back up and let you know what I am talking about.
Today the San Diego Padres traded for Detroit Tigers catcher Dusty Ryan.
Ryan, 25, is a very good defensive catcher with a strong arm and some power at the plate, but he has never really hit very well. In 2009 he hit 257/.359/.455/.814 in 62 games in AAA with 63 strike outs in 202 abs and a robust.154/.267/.192/.459 in 26 games for the Tigers.
Sound familiar Padres fans?
That is not just my opinion of Ryan. John Sickels of Minor League Ball said this about him in his Detroit Tigers Top 20 Prospects for 2009.
"Strong arm, has power...he’s never been a good hitter."
In all fairness, Ryan has hit .257 in 72 abs over 2 seasons for the Tigers, but he was passed up by Alex Avila in the pecking order of prospects an so was expendable. In fact he was designated for assignment on December 10th as a result of the Granderson trade.
The Padres didn't give up much for him. A little cash or a player to be named later. Normally that means a schmo from the depths of the minors.
At least Hoyer is doing SOMETHING to try to fill the holes in the roster and the system as a whole with his two moves this off season.
Nothing of a spectacular nature yet. Not even a player that will be a starter on the 2010 Padres squad. But now he has at least made some moves.
