Feb. 16 -- CATCHING ON

BY SCOTT LAUBER

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- So, there I was yesterday, watching Brad Lidge and Chad Durbin and Cole Hamels and Jamie Moyer throw their first bullpen sessions of the spring when I realized I was more interested in the catchers to whom they were pitching.

In a camp that features few battles for jobs, catcher is among the most intriguing positions.

For now, at least, the Phillies' starting catcher is Carlos Ruiz, a favorite of pitching coach Rich Dubee. Pitchers love throwing to Ruiz, and his defense and game-calling were so impressive last season that Charlie Manuel basically ignored his .219 average that made the No. 8 spot in the lineup a black hole for long stretches of the season. But, for as good as he is behind the plate, he didn't become the outright starter last season until Chris Coste stopped hitting. Coste ended the season in a 3-for-32 slump, and although Ruiz wasn't hitting much better, Manuel elected to start the better defensive catcher in 19 of the final 28 regular-season games and all 14 playoff games.

Coste's poor finish has left him to battle this spring with newcomer Ronny Paulino for the backup job. And in today's News Journal, we examined that competition. Coste maintains (and I tend to agree) that he has unfairly gained a reputation as a subpar defensive catcher. There are advanced sabermetrics, things like "catcher's ERA" and "wild pitches/passed balls per inning," that support Coste's claim. Yet, for Coste, playing time will always be dictated by how well he's hitting. Over the past 2-1/2 seasons, Manuel has put Coste in the lineup more often when he's swinging a hot bat. So, if Coste hits well this spring (he always has been a good spring-training hitter), odds are he'll have a job, either as the backup catcher or a right-handed pinch-hitter.

We don't know much yet about Paulino, except that he lost the Pirates' starting job to Ryan Doumit last spring. Word out of Pittsburgh is that Paulino was out of shape last season. But the Phillies believe they can unlock his potential, so they traded for him in December. I watched Paulino take batting practice yesterday, and he has serious pop in his bat. He's a big dude (6-foot-3, 235 pounds), but his conditioning doesn't appear to be a problem this year, especially after he played in the Dominican Winter League.

But here's where the catching situation gets really interesting. Lou Marson, a 22-year-old prospect, had a breakout 2008 season for double-A Reading and the U.S. Olympic team before homering in his major-league debut Sept. 28. Marson is expected to start at triple-A Lehigh Valley, but check out what Coste said about him yesterday: "They throw around that 'can't-miss' tag a lot, but he's got every skill that a major-league star catcher has -- a Jason Varitek, Brian McCann, Russell Martin. Physically, he's got every tool. He can throw it, catch it, block it. Offensively, he can drive the ball. He's going to put himself in position to be an All-Star-type catcher for many years."

Now, Manuel said it's possible, perhaps even likely, that Ruiz, Coste and Paulino will all make the team out of spring training. But all have contract options, meaning they can be sent to the minors without clearing waivers. And if Marson starts fast at Lehigh Valley, he could force one of them out of a job before too long.

OK, you be the manager. How would you handle the catching situation this spring?

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Meanwhile, across the state, Mets closer Francisco Rodriguez says he "had no idea" about the Phillies-Mets history with regard to the "team to beat" comment made famous by Jimmy Rollins two years ago. "I was in a different league," K-Rod told the New York Daily News. "I don't know if people are going to get offended with this. I'm not trying to make any ball club offended in our division or the National League. That's the opinion of me as a player. I'm just giving it."

And, regarding his characterization of the Mets as "choke artists" in December, Cole Hamels (right, AP photo) explained, "I don't know what happened. My personality is that I don't need to make comments like that. I don't need that kind of attention. I hope I get that label cleaned up. My teammates and players know I don't talk like that."

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Check back later today for another video blog. You'll find a story about our topic on the front page of today's News Journal: What effect will the nation's spiraling economy have on the Phillies?