For years the Phillies had no reason to worry about the man behind the plate. Carlos Ruiz solidified the catching position in Philadelphia for 11 seasons, and was a favorite not just of the fans, but the pitching staff.
More recently, the lack of catching in the Phillies organization made fans worried knowing Chooch did not have much longer.
Ruben Amaro Jr’s deal with Texas involving Cole Hamels resulted in the acquisition of Jorge Alfaro, one of the best catching prospects in baseball. Shortly after Alfaro was acquired, Andrew Knapp had a breakout season, hitting .308 with 13 home runs in Reading.