Catcher Martín Maldonado labored carefully with Pedro Grifol for a part of the 2019 season with the Kansas City Royals.
Maldonado appeared in 74 video games for the Royals earlier than being traded to the Cubs that July. Part of Grifol’s duties on the time included teaching the catchers.
The two are collectively once more after Maldonado and the Chicago White Sox on Friday finalized a one-year, $4.25 million deal.
“It’s always good when you have somebody you know from the previous years,” Maldonado mentioned of the Sox supervisor throughout a video convention name Friday afternoon. “We got to spend some time together. And that was one of the easiest parts to making the decision.”
Reports of the deal surfaced Dec. 26. Under phrases of the settlement, Maldonado will obtain $4 million in 2024 with a $4 million membership choice for 2025 that features a $250,000 buyout.
Maldonado pointed to a chance to information younger pitchers as one of many objects that stood out.
“I know I can help,” he mentioned. “Whatever I can do to help those guys to win games, that’s what’s important to me.”
Maldonado, 37, skilled loads of successful throughout his final six seasons with the Houston Astros. He has performed in 65 profession postseason video games and was a part of the 2022 group that received the World Series.
He has a profession .207/.282/.349 slash line with 129 doubles, 111 dwelling runs, 361 RBIs and 349 runs in 1,119 video games in his 13 major-league seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers (2011-16), Los Angeles Angels (2017-18), Astros (2018, ‘19-23), Royals and the Cubs. He slashed .191/.258/.348 with 12 doubles, a career-high-tying 15 dwelling runs, 36 RBIs and 33 runs in 116 video games in 2023.
Maldonado is finest identified for what he brings behind the plate. He’s the second catcher the Sox added this offseason after buying and selling for Max Stassi in early December.
Maldonado joked the primary steps to coping with a brand new pitching workers is “you’ve got to know the names.”
“Just show them what I do and make them believe they can trust me, having conversations,” he mentioned. “It could possibly be from saying, ‘Good morning’ at spring coaching, simply so simple as beginning to construct that relationship.
“It’s hard, especially at the beginning, but I think spring training gives enough time to build that up.”
Maldonado mentioned the robust relationship with pitchers up to now comes from “my preparation and the way I care about the pitching staff, the way I explain to them why, the reason why I do this or why I do that.”
“I’ve been blessed. Throughout my career I’ve been working with a lot of great pitching staffs, and I always learn something from everybody, every time you have a conversation,” he mentioned. “It could be between innings, it could be after a bullpen, spring training, it could be in the weight room. Wherever we have that conversation, just understand what they want to do and how you can contribute to their success.”
Since the beginning of the 2017 season, Maldonado ranks second amongst catchers in video games (756), begins (730) and innings (6,320 2/3). He’s tied for second in assists (320), fourth in runners caught stealing (97) and catcher’s ERA (3.85), tied for seventh in fielding share (.995) and thirteenth in pickoffs (seven).
Maldonado tied for the American League lead with 116 begins at catcher in 2023. His 3.91 catcher’s ERA ranked sixth within the majors.
He’s happy with that sturdiness. And doesn’t plan on slowing down.
“I love to play,” Maldonado mentioned. “At that place, you’re by no means going to be 100% every single day. I don’t assume anyone’s 100% in baseball due to the schedule. But I prefer to play the sport. I prefer to be on the market for my teammates. I do quite a lot of stretching, deal with my physique. I really feel just like the day that you just don’t play, that’s in all probability the day you’ll do one thing cool. So I just about need to play every single day.
“I’ll be ready every day. I never ask for off days. As long as me and Pedro communicate, see where we’re at. I will be there as much as they need me.”
In Friday’s corresponding transfer, the Sox designated Zach Remillard for project. The infielder had a .252/.295/.320 slash line with seven doubles, one dwelling run and 18 RBIs in 54 video games for the Sox in 2023.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com