Wagner - tjperr on Flickr
At the risk of stating the obvious, 2010 was a lost season for catcher Mark Wagner when he was with the Pawtucket Red Sox.
Wagner’s season commenced unraveling on April 29 when he broke the hamate bone in his left hand while taking a swing during a game.
He had an operation on May 4 to remove the wedge-shaped bone which is located at the base of the pinkie and ring fingers. The operation isn’t major in nature but the normal recovery time is six to eight weeks. Wagner was reinstated on July 6 after playing three rehab games with the Gulf Coast Red Sox, but returned to the disabled list on August 2 (retroactive to July 31) with a sprained ligament in his left wrist which created weakness in that hand when he swung a bat.
He played one rehab game for Lowell before rejoining Pawtucket on August 19 — barely two weeks before the end of the season. As a result, Wagner only played in 36 games for the PawSox and hit a subterranean .205 with only three home runs and 16 RBI.
Depending on who you talked to outside the Boston organization, one got the impression that Wagner was keeping the spot behind the plate warm for either Ryan Lavarnway or Luis Exposito.
“Those kids are great, young catchers who are loaded with talent,” said PawSox manager Arnie Beyeler. “Their ability and upside is off the charts. But they’re still in the developmental stages of their careers.
“It’s unfortunate what happened to Mark because he was progressing nicely here and doing a great job of developing. Based on my experience, something positive will come out of this.”
Depending on how fast Lavarnway and Exposito develop, Wagner may have to do something really positive this season to remain on Boston’s radar screen. But because he missed so much time last season, he began 2011 with Salem in the Carolina League (.264, four homers and 14 RBI in 26 games) before getting a promotion to Portland (.264 through his first 29 games with five homers and 14 RBI).
When healthy, Wagner is a solid defensive catcher who’s shown an ability to shut down an opponent’s running game.
He’s improved his ability to block balls in the dirt and catch — or at least knock down — mistake pitches that are off the plate. Wagner always has shown an ability to call a good game and handle a pitching staff. What he could improve on is framing pitches.
What he does at the plate is another story — which is one reason why Boston designated him for assignment (and removed him from its 40-man roster) when the Red Sox obtained the since-traded Mike McKenry.
“Offensively, I don’t think he’s going to do it,” said an American League scout. “Whether it’s hitting for average or power, I don’t think it’s going to happen for him.
“But he has shown the ability to be a good defensive catcher in the major leagues.”