| Christine Cartafalsa. 9th February, 2009 - 11:14 am
 Even before pitchers and catchers are scheduled to arrive in Clearwater, Fla. on Feb. 14th, the competition starting positions has been a top story for club and fans alike.
Most of the emphasis has been over the much-coveted fifth spot in the pitching rotation, and who will wind up in the bullpen, in the minors or going home.
A quieter, less publicized battle has been going on behind the plate in Philadelphia thanks to the recent acquisition of Ronny Paulino from the Pirates.
When Rod Barajas packed his bags for Toronto, the backup catcher's spot seemed set in stone for Chris Coste. He felt so secure about his place in the team's lineup that he even released a book about his journey in becoming "The 33 Year Old Rookie," detailing his long, but eventually triumphant, crusade into the majors.
However, 2009 may be a year for Coste to start outlining his next autobiography, "What I Left Behind."
Whereas Carlos Ruiz's spot as the starting catcher is a definite, the backup role is now between the familiar Coste and newcomer Paulino. Both will compete this spring, and the loser might wind up taking a trip the minor leagues.
There isn't much room there, either, as Lou Marson remains the Phillies' top catching prospect, and bumping him to give someone else playing time just doesn't make sense in the long run.
Coste has already proved himself worthy as a backup, batting .263 in 274 at-bats last season, pounding in nine home runs and 36 RBIs. His defense is solid and his motivation doesn't need to be explained. After all those years of trying to make his mark in the big leagues, there is no one who appreciates the gift he has been given more than Coste, hence the need for a book.
Paulino finished 2008 with a .212 average, 2 home runs and 18 RBIs in 118 at-bats. Following a shaky start, Paulino was sent to the minors in June and immediately showed signs of improvement.
An ankle sprain kept him out of commission for seven weeks, but he still managed to produce impressive numbers during his minor league stint, hitting .306/.373/.550 in 111 at-bats. During this offseason, he continued to wow the crowd, batting .313 in 16 games with the Dominican Winter League as of December 7th.
Motivation for either player really doesn't seem to be a question.
Should Coste lose the job to Paulino, he could still remain in Philadelphia as a much needed right-handed bat off the bench. Coste can also contribute as back-up for other positions as well. He was an All-American pitcher and third baseman at Division III Concordia College in Minnesota.
Still, Coste should not have to be the one proving himself to anyone after what he's given the Phillies and their fans since 2006.
It should be Paulino proving why he's even in the drawing. |
