Philadelphia Phillies: Andrew Knapp Needs to Start
By Larry Henry
The Philadelphia Phillies need to make a clear-cut decision at catcher for the remainder of the season.
As the Philadelphia Phillies look toward the future to become a true contender again in Major League Baseball, several decisions could be made right now on the current roster.
One main decision is who deserves to be the Phillies starting catcher for the remainder of 2017? 28-year-old Cameron Rupp and 25-year-old Andrew Knapp have both seen time behind the dish for Pete Mackanin‘s team, with Jorge Alfaro looking like the future in the minors.
So far in 2017, Knapp has played in 23 games, hitting .246 with three home runs and eight RBI’s. Not truly known for his power numbers, Knapp shows signs of pop at times, while also being a good defensive option. Also being younger than Rupp, Knapp should remain a member of the team in the coming future. He also has been seeing a recent increase in playing time, which has seen the catcher make the most of the opportunity.
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Being a 2013 draft pick of the Phillies, Knapp deserves to start right now for the club. He is a product that was watched for years by the Phillies scouts, and finally, has his time to show what made him a second-round pick.
Rupp, a third-round pick by Philadelphia back in 2010, made his debut for the team in 2013. Last season saw Rupp hit .252 with 16 home runs and 54 RBI’s. A lot of people would choose Rupp based on his bigger and stronger physical appearance. However, at 28, I feel the Phillies could afford to let him go at the end of the season or trade him to a team needing extra catching help.
24-year-old Jorge Alfaro is expected to be the team’s big-league catcher in another year or two. Alfaro is currently hitting .264 with Triple-A affiliate, Lehigh-Valley. The prior year, Alfaro hit .285 with 15 home runs and 67 RBI’s with Double-A, Reading.
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It’s understandable that Mackanin may rotate both Knapp and Rupp for the 2017 season. However, I would not be surprised if Rupp was traded before the July 31st Trade Deadline. His services would be useful to a contending team that may need an extra pair of legs behind the plate.
Keeping Andrew Knapp behind the plate for the season and possibly next year would be the smart decision by this ball club.