Where are the Catchers now?
October 20, 2007
This is the start of a feature I’ll be doing over the next several entries. I am going to break down each position on the field and analyze every player that has been a regular starter there for the Marlins over the years and let you know where they are now. The first will be catchers so let’s get this started.
1993-1994
Benito Santiago - He was the first catcher for the Florida Marlins, and hit the first home run in franchise history as well. Before signing with the Marlins in December of 1992, Santiago had played in parts of 7 seasons with the San Diego Padres. In 1993, he hit .230 but he did improve on that in his second season with a .273 batting average. More importantly his defense improved over the two year span going from 11 errors in 1993 to 5 in 1994. After 1994, the Marlins elected to go another route and did not re-sign Santiago. He’d go on to play 11 more seasons with the Reds, Phillies, Blue Jays, Cubs, Giants, Royals, and Pirates. Santiago signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets in 2006 but did not make the big leagues and is considered retired.
1995 - 1998, 2001-2002
Charles Johnson - Has the notoriety of being the first Marlin selected in the amateur draft. He debuted in 1994 but only played in 4 games. In 1995, CJ as he became known was installed as the starting catcher for the Florida Marlins. Johnson was a fan favorite in Florida and a key reason for the team’s championship run in 1997. Known for his defense, he stepped it up even more that season with a stellar 1.000 fielding percentage. Yes, CJ made no errors that year and won his 3rd consecutive gold glove award in addition to making the National League All Star team. In 1998, he was traded along with many of the other members of the roster. Johnson played for the Dodgers, Orioles, and White Sox until December 2000 when there was a reunion. Owner at the time, John Henry wanted to make a big splash and bring back fans. A “CJ’s Back” campaign started as Johnson inked a new deal with the Marlins. CJ would go on to play two seasons for the Marlins. In his final year with the team, he batted a dismal .217 and appeared to be a shell of his former self. Johnson was traded once again to the Colorado Rockies this time ending his time as a Marlin for good. Following his days in Colorado, he’d go on to play for the Devil Rays before retiring following the 2005 season.
1999 - 2000
Mike Redmond - He was a backup in 1998, but picked up more at bats in 1999 splitting time with Jorge Fabregas. Red batted .302 in 1999 and played solid defense in all his years as a Marlin. In 2004, he led catchers in at bats for the Marlins in a wild season behind the plate sharing time with numerous others. More on that later. After his time with the fish ended, Redmond headed off for Minnesota. As of this writing, Redmond is still on the Twins.
2003
Ivan Rodriguez - Prior to the 2003 season, Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria decided to make a big signing. He surprised everyone and brought on board Pudge to catch a young and promising staff. It was quite the decision as Rodriguez is a major reason the Marlins won the championship in 2003. In his only season with the Marlins, Rodriguez hit .297, knocked out 16 homers and brought home 85 runs. He was a leader and he ran a pitching staff wonderfully. I can’t write about Pudge without mentioning the play in game 4 of the National League Division Series. Conine threw the ball home and Rodriguez hung on despite being destroyed by J.T. Snow at the plate. That clinched the series. Many catchers drop that ball there but not Pudge. He was not letting go of it for anything. Following the 2003 season, Rodriguez departed via free agency to Detroit where he remains to this day.
2004-2005
Paul Lo Duca - It was a crazy year for catchers in Florida in 2004. The duties were shared by a few but as I mentioned earlier — Mike Redmond had the most at bats that season at catcher. As for Lo Duca, he was acquired in a trade deadline deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In his first at bat with the Marlins he hit a pinch-hit home run. He was a good addition to the team and stayed with the team in 2005 before being traded to the New York Mets prior to the ‘06 season. He is now a free agent after spending two years in New York.
2006-2007
Miguel Olivo - A formerly highly touted prospect, Olivo was inked to a 1 year deal prior to the 2006 season. He had struggled during tours with the Mariners and White Sox before having an improved short stint with the San Diego Padres in 2005. This allowed the cash strapped Marlins to sign him to a low price and see what could he do. Olivo did pretty well in 2006 hitting .263 while hitting 16 homers and knocking in 58 runs. This inspired the Marlins to bring him back in 2007. His offense fell off a bit as did his defense when it comes to passed balls especially. Olivo had 16 passed balls in 2007 and it irritated fans often in the Game Threads on this site.
That concludes part 1 of the feature. Stay tuned, because next I’ll be looking back at the first basemen in franchise history.
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