DUNEDIN, FLA. — The body language and sensibility suggest Curtis Thigpen belongs in a major-league clubhouse. Soon. More to the point, they suggest he knows it.
So you don't mind, then, when he asks whether he can continue doing a stretching routine while he answers questions.
It's catch as catch can in spring training for veterans Gregg Zaun, Rod Barajas, Sal Fasano and the four minor-leaguers who will supplant them as soon as next year, if all goes according to Hoyle.
Running from one field to the next before the Grapefruit League games start. Catching this bullpen. Batting practice. And for Thigpen, Robinzon Diaz, Brian Jeroloman and J.P. Arenicibia, the demands are even greater.
Related Articles
Related Information
"For a young guy, it's tougher, because we're the ones who go on the road trips and at home we stay for the full game," Thigpen said.
"There's a lot of moving around and stuff, but, really, it's not as bad as it looks. You learn how not to overload yourself."
Thigpen is a master at that, even at this callow stage of his career. He was a second-round draft pick in 2004 out of the University of Texas, and his slight, un-catcher-like build and athleticism led to suggestions last season that the team might get him to shift position, à la Craig Biggio. Second and third bases were the whispered destinations, and in his first limited action in the majors last season, he started almost as many games at first base (12) as he did behind the plate (14.)
And in yesterday's 6-1 Grapefruit League win over the Cleveland Indians, he made four splendid, cat-quick plays late in the game at first base, leading to obvious questions for manager John Gibbons. "No, he's going to catch," Gibbons said. "It's just a way to get all of them some at-bats. Besides, we only have two other first basemen in camp."
Barring an injury to Barajas or Zaun, Thigpen will be catching at Triple-A Syracuse, along with Diaz, a raw offensive talent from the Dominican Republic, who, as Gibbons says, "has got it all and just needs to hit at a higher level."
Jeroloman was selected to the Single-A Florida State League midseason all-star team, while Diaz, who batted a combined .329 at Double-A New Hampshire and Triple-A Syracuse, was chosen to the Eastern League's midseason all-star team and also played in the all-star futures game.
All four of the Blue Jays' catching prospects have a different skill set, and watching the picture develop this year will be fascinating because, as general manager J.P. Ricciardi said, "I think all four of these guys will pan out, I just don't know if it will all be in Toronto. The timetable may be that somebody comes up here and locks up the job. What we're trying to do is get these guys ready for 2009 and 2010.
"Jeroloman might be the most complete guy we have and he'll be in Double-A this year," Ricciardi continued, referring to the Blue Jays' sixth-round pick of 2006, who performed the neat statistical feat of walking 85 times in 110 games, posting an on-base percentage of .421, which was .162 percentage points higher than his batting average.
"These guys all do different things: Arenicibia has power and throws well, Jeroloman has great plate discipline and catches very well and throws well. Diaz … I just keep thinking of Manny Sanguillen every time I see him. He's unconventional. He hits. He's not going to walk … but he hits. He's a little cruder than the rest, but his game plays and Thigpen is probably the best athlete out of all of them. They all bring something. It's just who's the best fit."
What Ricciardi won't say is that Thigpen or Diaz could also be used as a "sweetener" in any trade. But Thigpen pays as much attention to that as he did rumours he was going to be asked to shift positions.
"I know I can catch, and I had a lot of people backing me, like teammates and pitchers," he said. "My thought was if I had to play other positions to get at-bats and get to the majors, so be it. But my main goal is catching."
Thigpen smiled when asked to choose between going to the minors knowing he was the catcher of the future or being in the majors as a utility player or third catcher.
"Hard question," said Thigpen, who will turn 25 on April 19 and who batted .285, with three home runs and 20 runs batted in, at Triple-A Syracuse and hit .238, with 11 RBIs, in the majors.
"I got to see what it's like in the big leagues and I know what it's like in the minor leagues. There's a huge difference in things like lifestyle. So it's tempting to say you'd rather be in the bigs even if you're not playing, compared to being in the minors and playing every day. It just comes down to being patient. I struggle with it — I'm aware of that — because I have goals. But at the same time, you need to just stay patient and deal with things."
