The Rangers addressed their catching quandary. Not that it’s totally fixed.
With the addition of Dallas native and TCU grad Bryan Holaday, they upgraded their backup. But, still, can a team with Robinson Chirinos as the everyday catcher be considered a legit World Series contender?
Something had to be done, and the trade for Holaday is a step in the right direction.
A graduate of W.T. White High School, he arrives in Surprise in exchange for catcher Bobby Wilson and pitcher Miles Jaye, neither of whom were going to make the Rangers’ 40-man roster.
If all goes according to plan, Holaday will be the backup catcher to Chirinos when the Rangers open the season Monday in Arlington against the Mariners.
That’s in part, however, because of the woeful spring of Chris Gimenez.
Slated to be Chirinos’ backup, he’s been limited by an ankle infection and gone only 6 for 27 (.222) in 14 games. And we all know about his defensive inadequacies, having thrown out only two of 31 base-stealers in 2015. He might begin the season on the disabled list.
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Holaday is a career .251 hitter with the Tigers, but caught only 24 games last season. He has thrown out 32 percent of base-stealers over the last two seasons.
Bottom line: The Rangers’ catching has a better backup. But it remains a position of weakness.
A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.
