Gary Carter Award

[Edgy MD]

As much fun as it has been to solicit votes for Metly post-season awards, many of these categories had an obvious standout. But no position category is so doomed to feature an obvious winner as catcher, where a single man staffs the position at once, and usually one guy has clear primacy in that role over his teammates, whether he's particularly good or not.

Not so much this year, even though there were few injuries and not trades. (But there was a suspension.)

Please vote for your top three Mets catchers of 2011. They will be awarded five points for each first-place vote, four for each second-place vote, etc. He with most points after a week is awarded the Crane Pool Forum Gary Carter Award for Outstanding Mets Catcher.

Three Mets made themselves eligible by catching for the Flushing Nine this season: Mike�Nickeas, Ronny�Paulino, and Josh�Thole. If you want to fill out a five-man ballot, I won't stop you from including Eric Langill and Dave Racaniello. Just, you know, do it with some degree of seriousness. History is in your hands, here.

Please vote so we may honor the most esteemed of the Mets' catchers of 2011. In voting, please consider only the performance of the players in question that occurred while they were catching. (See the stats below.) Feel free to include your arguments in your posts or to add stats beyond those included. Tweeters, please send the word out to Crane Pool Nation.

Catcher Hitting

Catchers	G	PA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	SB	CS	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	TB	GDP	HBP	SH	SF	IBB	ROE
Mike Nickeas	18	57	52	4	10	1	0	1	6	0	0	4	10	.192	.250	.269	.519	14	1	0	1	0	0	1
Ronny Paulino	60	229	213	20	60	13	0	2	17	0	0	11	34	.282	.316	.371	.687	79	9	1	1	3	3	2
Josh Thole	97	369	326	21	90	16	0	3	39	0	2	35	41	.276	.351	.353	.703	115	8	4	1	3	5	2

Catcher Fielding (See Glossary of Terms Below)

�?	G	GS	CG	Inn	Ch	PO	A	E	DP	Fld%	Rtot	Rtot/yr	Rctch	Rdrs	Rdrs/yr	RsbC	RerC	RF/9	RF/G	PB	WP	SB	CS	CS%
Mike�Nickeas	20	15	13	143.2	124	118	6	0	0	1.000	-1	-5	-1	1	8	0	1	7.77	6.20	4	5	9	4	31%
Ronny�Paulino	68	56	46	511	412	375	30	7	3	.983	-4	-10	-4	-4	-9	-3	-1	7.13	5.96	6	17	47	12	20%
Josh�Thole	102	91	76	793.1	703	657	44	2	4	.997	-5	-8	-5	-5	-8	-4	-1	7.95	6.87	16	24	65	17	21%

Glossary of Terms
G -- Games Caught.
GS -- Games Started at Catcher.
CG -- Complete Games at Catcher.
Inn -- Innings Played as Catcher.
Ch -- Defensive Chances. Putouts + Assists + Errors.
PO -- Putouts.
A -- Assists.
E -- Errors Committed.
DP -- Double Plays Turned.
Fld% -- Fielding Percentage. Putouts + Assists / (Putouts + Assists + Errors).
Rtot -- Total Zone Total Fielding Runs Above Avg. The number of runs above or below average the player was worth based on the number of plays made. This number combines the Rtz, Rdp, Rof, Rcatch numbers into a total defensive contribution.
Rtot/yr -- Total Zone Total Fielding Runs Above Avg per 1,200 Inn. The number of runs above or below average the fielder was worth per 1,200 Innings (approx 135 games). This number combines the Rtz, Rdp, Rof, Rcatch numbers into a total defensive contribution.
Rctch -- Total Zone Catcher Runs Above Avg. The number of runs above or below average the catcher was worth based on baserunner kills and baserunner advances.
Rdrs -- BIS Defensive Runs Saved Above Avg. The number of runs above or below average the player was worth based on the number of plays made. This number combines the Rpm, Rbdp, Rbof, Rbcatch numbers into a total defensive contribution.
Rdrs/yr -- BIS Defensive Runs Saved Above Avg per 1,200 Inn. The number of runs above or below average the fielder was worth per 1,200 Innings (approx 135 games). This number combines the Rpm, Rbdp, Rbof, Rbcatch numbers into a total defensive contribution.
RsbC -- BIS Catcher Runs Above Avg. The number of runs above or below average the catcher was worth based on baserunner kills and baserunner advances.
RerC -- BIS Catcher Pitch Calling Runs Above Avg. The number of runs above or below average the catcher was for the pitcher ERA.
RF/9 -- Range Factor per 9 Inn. 9 * (Putouts + Assists) / Innings Played.
RF/G -- Range Factor per Game. (Putouts + Assists) / Games Played.
PB -- Passed Balls.
WP -- Wild Pitches.
SB -- Stolen Bases.
CS -- Caught Stealing.
CS% -- Caught Stealing Percentage. CS / (SB + CS).

[MFS62]

Thole
Paulino
Nickeas

And, I have that issue somewhere in my house.
Its the only issue of SI I ever kept.

Later

[seawolf17]

I distinctly remember filching that issue from my pediatrician's office.

Thole
Paulino
Nickeas

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I think that maybe this should be one of those we give out only in years when it's merited.

Thole
Paulino
Nickeas

[Gwreck]

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: I think that maybe this should be one of those we give out only in years when it's merited.

I think LoDuca's 2006 was the last time that happened.

2011:
Thole
Paulino
Nickeas

[Benjamin Grimm]

Thole
Paulino
Nickeas

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Pole
Thaulino
Knickers

[G-Fafif]

The winner of the 1976 Iowa Democratic caucus was uncommitted. Wouldn't be a bad choice here.

1. Thole
2. Paulino
3. Nickeas

[Edgy MD]

Thirteenth of 16 NL teams in catcher OPS. Not sharp, but not that far off the mean, standard-deviation-wise. There's something to work with in there, I think.

Houston looks like the re-activated young Jerry Grote.

# Team OPS sOPS+
1 ARI .831 135
2 ATL .816 132
3 STL .785 123
4 COL .739 112
5 CIN .733 110
6 WSN .708 101
7 PIT .702 100
8 SDP .700 99
9 LAD .698 98
10 MIL .696 98
11 FLA .691 97
12 PHI .687 98
13 NYM .682 96
14 CHC .663 89
15 SFG .628 80
16 HOU .550 57

[G-Fafif]

SNL once did an ESPYs sketch in which three teams were nominated for best professional football team. The winner was the team that won the Super Bowl.

Or in this case the catcher who played the clear majority of games.

[Ceetar]

Thole
Paulino
Nickeas

can I include Piazza 4th for a great catch of a ceremonial first pitch?

[Benjamin Grimm]

Schaefer wrote: Thole Paulino Nickeas

[TransMonk]

Thole
Paulino
Nickeas

[Benjamin Grimm]

[metirish]

Thole
Paulino
Nickeas