DENVER – Whether we readily admit it or not, we all like a little recognition for the work that we do.
And, while he says there is plenty more to do, Tony Wolters has absolutely put in the work.
Despite a disappointing season for the Colorado Rockies in 2019, they are likely in store for a fair share of individual recognition. Every Opening Day at Coors Field features a few Silver Sluggers being handed out, and Nolan Arenado is going to fall down the rankings a bit but will still get plenty of MVP votes after a career season at the plate.
Of course, Arenado can more than expect his seventh consecutive Gold Glove. Actually receiving the award is basically a formality for him at this point. And there is an excellent chance that his left-side teammate, shortstop Trevor Story, is in line for his first bit of defensive gold.
But they aren’t the only Rockies who should be considered for the highest honor for that aspect of the game.
In his first year as a primary catcher, Wolters made tremendous strides at the plate, raising his batting average nearly 100 points from a year ago, but he also continued to make dramatic improvements behind the plate, turning himself into one of the most reliable and consistent backstops in the National League.
He managed this while also taking on a full-season workload at the Bigs for the first time and trying to help navigate a franchise-record 31 different pitchers through a myriad of trials and tribulations, pitching in the most difficult environment in baseball.
“I felt like I was going to be more tired this year,” he told us after the final game of the season. “My legs actually feel pretty good. I have some bruises and bumps and stuff like that. But to be honest, I feel actually really good at where my body is and I do want to get stronger where I can. I don’t have to worry about my body getting fatigued to where I want to be able to get on the field every day. I’m just going to try to work hard on my conditioning… running… getting faster and just keeping my legs so they’re stronger than ever.”
When it comes to the 2019 campaign, though, it’s worth appreciating what he accomplished.
Public metrics for measuring catchers on defense do exist. They range from incredibly unreliable to outright misleading, though. At their absolute best, they are tantamount to scratching the surface of the tip of the iceberg.
The framing stats are perhaps the most volatile. Wolters was among the league leaders a year ago then dropped off a cliff.
Sources have told DNVR on several occasions that umpires across MLB have, in sync with their rise in popularity, become hyper-aware of pitch framing stats and have, in some cases, even told some catchers that they didn’t get a call because they were trying too hard to frame.
It is hard to say exactly what this means for Wolters and what it all meant for Rockies pitching this season is a conversation for another time.
Baseball Reference’s Defensive WAR views Wolters as the 10th most valuable defender in the game, seventh in the NL, and best among all backstops. Fangraphs has him as the 39th best defensive catcher in baseball among players with at least 100 plate appearances.
Do with that what you will.
As far as the rest of the data, he caught the fifth-most games of anyone this season at 112 and committed just a single error on the year for a .999 fielding percentage, the second best in baseball.
He was also second in caught stealing percentage, throwing out 34.3 percent would-be base-stealers. He thwarted the hopes of 23 runners, good for fourth in MLB, a bit lower of a ranking than his percentage as word got around that you do not dash on the ‘stache and fewer attempted to.
“I absolutely love throwing guys out,” he says with a wide smile.
As is his nature, though, his focus narrowed and he zeroed in on how to improve even the most elite aspect of his game.
“I just want to make it to where I’m able to just put it on the base every time,” he says. “That’s what my goal is. And I felt like this year, I was a little inconsistent. I want to be where I can put the ball on the base whenever I want.”
The quick-release will be even deadlier then.
Put it all together and you have a strong candidate to receive his first Gold Glove nomination in 2019.
“That’s the one thing I’ve always dreamed about getting,” he told DNVR.
“I always felt natural in the infield and then catching… I just feel naturally good at it. So I that’s been a goal. I would love to win a gold glove. I can’t control it and I’ll be happy for the guy that does win it. That’s a big accomplishment… but hopefully in the future my name might be pulled out.”
And if not?
“I’ll be working hard to try to win one for the next year,” he says. A bit of fuel for the fire, he admits.
He already has his sights on some specific elements of his run-prevention game that could be made even better.
“I want to get better at blocking, I want to get better at throwing, I want to get better at pitch calling, I want to get better at managing the staff, better doing my job hitting. I think this whole offseason I just need to try to fine tune.”
So while Arenado is pulling up to the specialty drive-through window that has been set up for him to gather this award, and Story gets all the national attention for a guy who should get his first, don’t forget about Tony Wolters: the man in the mountains with the mustache… searching for gold.
