Question from a Novice

[TahoeHorn]

Backround

I follow the Huntsville Stars (AA- Brewers) and have for a while but I'm not really a baseball guy. Until recently they had two catchers, Salome and Corporan.

Salome



My impression was that, at the start of the season, Corporan was thought to be a better player but Salome had more potential. Both were getting time but Corporan seemed to get more time. But Salome was hitting great. At one point he had about a .380 BA but didn't have enough ABs to qualify a league leader. At that point Salome started playing every day. He got the time at C in games with no DH and became the DH in games with one. He was also moved to cleanup. He kept hitting. He is at about .335, is second in the league and has power as well. Salome was selected to the league All-Star team but Corporan was not. Corporan is hitting about .230. The AAA team has a good catching prospect, Rottino. The Stars just promoted Corporan.

Corporan Promoted


Question
Why was Corporan promoted and what does it say about Corporan and Salome?

Clearly Salome needs more time at catcher to develop defensively. What else?

 

[AugieBall]

Sounds like the organization had a need for a backup catcher in AAA and they wanted to keep the better prospect in AA where he can get regular playing time.

 

[PFD]

One of the truisms of minor league baseball is that it is better to be playing everyday anywhere than riding pine everyday somewhere higher... the idea being that organizations allocate ABs to the guys whom they consider "prospects."

 

[TahoeHorn]

I assumed it was a commitment to Salome to get him more time. (He needs to learn to catch better.) But I thought that promoting Corporan is like giving up on him as I'll bet he doesn't split time with Rottino. The Sounds have a backup catcher (but I don't know much about him). I thought if Corporan is to have a future he needed to be traded. I'm surprised the Brewers didn't want to trade him and/or somebody didn't want him.

It seems like other position players are easier to figure out. If they want to play you they can shuffle five guys around in four positions. But catcher seems funny because they don't shuffle so well and I don't understand it.

Is Corporan's shot at the majors dead?

 

[AugieBall]

Not necessarily. Good catchers are always in demand, if he can hit a little better. But I don't have enough info to comment. This may be a temporary thing due to a minor injury or something.

 

[TahoeHorn]

Thanks

 

[Beau Vine]

Just looked them up on BA.

Corporan has was drafted in 2003 and he has never hit. Unless he's the Latin Brad Ausmus, he'll never stick in the majors.

Salome is the Brewers' #8 prospect, the only catcher in their Top 10. Here's what BA says about him:

In reply to:

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[TahoeHorn]

Thanks. I didn't know about the PED stuff. I guess that's why he wasn't getting time at the beginning of the season, and maybe why they didn't commit to Salome sooner. (Until now they didn't seem fully committed to him. Many games they played him at DH. There would have been more offense with Corporan on the bench and another DH. And more important a catcher hitting .350 could learn how to catch.)

I guess it just took a while to decide to give Salome all the time at catcher.