While the Pirates came into spring training and summer camp with a pretty good idea of what most of their roster would be, one of the few positional battles they did have was for backup catcher.
Luke Maile and John Ryan Murphy were both signed this offseason to compete for the spot, though Maile seemed to be the frontrunner since he signed a major-league deal and Murphy was a non-roster invitee.
Going into camp, the Pirates were considering other possibilities for the two backstops, including potentially using a spot on their expanded roster for a third catcher. Whomever lost the position battle would have gone on the taxi squad rather than the alternate training camp in Altoona, Pa.. So the question was who will make the team and who will be waiting on the bench for an opportunity.
That decision was made for them Friday when Maile underwent surgery on his right index finger. That will sideline him for 10-12 weeks, so the odds of him playing in 2020 are extremely slim.
"Anytime you lose catching depth, it dings you a little bit, but I’m really happy that we have Murph here to be able to catch,” Derek Shelton said Saturday night.
It isn't the way Murphy wanted to win the job, but it's his now.
"Moving forward is the only thing we can do, and that's what we're going to do," Murphy said during a Zoom call Sunday afternoon.
A seven year major-league vet, Murphy bounced between the Braves and Diamondbacks major-league and AAA teams last year. He finished with a .175/.246/.413 slash line with four home runs and seven RBIs over 70 plate appearances.
His calling card is his glove, though, being graded as one of the better defenders and pitch framers in baseball. The Pirates targeted catchers who would make their pitching staff better this offseason, both in terms of defensive metrics and handling the psychological and game calling aspects of the job.
To be better prepared for the start of summer camp, Murphy watched videos of the Pirates' pitchers from the second half of last season during the shutdown. He, Maile and Jacob Stallings also texted and had periodic Zoom calls so Stallings could tell both backstops about the staff.
"I think what he's helped with more is like the personality of the guys," Murphy said about Stallings. "How they're going to react to certain situations or certain feedback that you give them, and learning the guys on a personal level. That stuff, building those relationships, takes more time than just looking at them on video and seeing their stuff."
Murphy said he has caught all of the Pirates' pitchers between summer camp and spring training. That includes Joe Musgrove, which has happened three times so far.
While Stallings is Musgrove's usual battery mate, the Pirates' opening day starter was quick to praise the newly anointed backup.
"One of my favorite guys on the team," Musgrove said about Murphy Saturday night. "His personality, man. He cracks me up. We get along well... He's got a good feel for what I like to do and how my pitches move and stuff, so it was something about him behind the dish and a calmness about him and a certain presence that just fires me up."
And what does Murphy think of the staff he will be catching?
"I think our starters will surprise some people, and I think we have a lot of really good stuff in that bullpen. So, let’s play the games and see what happens.”
