When one thinks of catchers, catcher defense is usually the most important factor when deciding how good that catcher is. It’s sometimes been accepted wisdom that the defense of a catcher is priority to how he handles a bat. Having a catcher that is good at both? Utopia.
When the Phillies sent Garrett Stubbs to Lehigh Valley to begin this season, it was mostly because they knew that Rafael Marchan was going to be plucked by another club. Out of minor league options, Marchan was prime bait to be grabbed by something of a rebuilding club to be a catcher who was good behind the plate, helping starting pitchers with their game while at the same time giving a smidgen of offense.