 |
| Carlos Ruiz is another veteran on the trade blocks |
A month from now, Carlos Ruiz, the beloved fan favorite Phillies catcher known as “Chooch”, will turn 36 years old. He is the least discussed member of the club’s ‘Glory Era’ aging stars in public trade talks. So, is Chooch on the trade block?
Let’s first look at what he has to offer. What would any team that might need a catcher find attractive about the Phillies veteran?
Despite playing the most difficult, physically demanding position on the field, Ruiz has been healthy and reliable. Since his first full season in 2007, Ruiz reached at least 370 plate appearances in 7 of 8 years.
He has, in fact, gone over 400 plate appearances 5 times, including in 4 of the last 5 seasons. Yes, Chooch is turning 36. But he is healthy, strong, and remains one of the best defensive catchers in baseball.
Based on FanGraphs values which were looked at this past season, based themselves on fWAR value, Ruiz was the 6th-most valuable catcher in the game behind elite names like Brian McCann, Yadier Molina, Buster Posey, Russell Martin, and Miguel Montero.
