| Inspired (and expensive) choices | |||
| Toby Hall | LAD | 31 | Has hit lefties to tune of .292/.333/.500 over course of career. Most talented and expensive option. Only costs money now. |
| Ryan Doumit | PIT | 25 | Switch-hitter, can handle both sides of plate, shows plus power, career ~.360 CS rate, possible successor to AJ. |
| Jeff Mathis | LAA | 23 | Has hit in the minors, especially against lefties, but hasn't shown much in brief time in majors. Threw out only 20 percent of runners in limited experience |
| A step down | |||
| Yorvit Torrealba | COL | 28 | Career line of .281/.346/.502 against lefties, throws out at least 33 percent of runners.Balky shoulder keeps him from being full-timer. |
| Josh Paul | TB | 31 | Remember him? Career .272/.340/.418 line against lefties, ~25 percent CS rate |
| Robby Hammock | ARI | 29 | Career .280/.333/.471 hitter against lefties, coming off shoulder surgery, ~30 percent CS rate |
| Humberto Cota | PIT | 27 | Never panned out in Pittsburgh, in his fullest season hit .294/.315/.482 against lefties, no threat against righties. ~30 percent CS rate |
| Interchangeable | |||
| Matt Treanor | FLA | 31 | Mr. Misty May gets on-base despite not being able to hit for power. .268/.348/.366 against lefties, threw out 16 of 34 runners last year. |
| J.D. Closser | MIL | 27 | Hit better in minors than majors thanks in part to altitude; high-20s CS rate; no real track record against lefties |
| Mike Rivera | MIL | 30 | No real track record against lefties, lucky to get 25 percent of runners thrown out |
| Jeff Clement | SEA | 23 | Possible future replacement, mentioned because his name has popped up. Lefty, can't hit lefties. I have no concept of his throwing arm. |
| Miguel Ojeda | TEX | 30 | Signed to back up Laird, but might become available if Piazza signs. Hits lefties better, decent throwing arm. |
| Wiki Gonzalez | WAS | 31 | Career .278/.355/.439 against lefties, holds his own throwing runners out. Getting old. |
| Mystery men | |||
| Paul Phillips | KC | 29 | Career minor-leaguer, but has hit in limited big-league experience. Hit lefties better than righties in minors, threw out 4 of 9 at major-league level |
| Guillermo Quiroz | SEA | 24 | Came out of nowhere to post .304 .359 .428 line in Triple-A, no idea if it's real, stuck behind Johjima and Rivera in Seattle. |
| Rob Bowen | SD | 25 | Switch-hitter, weird minor-league track record, appears to be better against righties, no throwing arm |
| Brandon Harper | WAS | 30 | Took his sweet time getting to majors, but hit well when he did. 0-for-9 throwing out runners last year |
| Almost as depressing as Alomar | |||
| Chad Moeller | MIL | 35 | Not a lot of success against lefties, 25-30 percent CS rate |
| Sal Fasano | NYY | 35 | Chicago native; career .228/.305/.449 against lefties, kick-ass mustache, look for fork sticking out of back |
| Adam Melhuse | OAK | 35 | Switch-hitter, decent at throwing out runners, no real track record against lefties, but has shown at least some power. Pretty old, too. |
| Mike Rose | STL | 30 | Career minor-leaguer, nothing to report here. Only on list because he's better than Alomar/Widger |
General
21 possible backup catchers
By Jim Margalus
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