Atlanta Braves: Catching platoon just keeps on producing

It’s safe to say that not many who follow the Atlanta Braves could’ve seen this coming this past winter, but here we are: the Braves have one of the most productive tandems at the catcher position in all of baseball thus far in 2019.

Throughout those cruel winter months of the offseason, Atlanta Braves fans were teased (tormented, even?) by rumor after rumor (after rumor) of a big splash to be made to solidify the catcher vacancy.

After all, it was absolutely necessary.

For the previous two years, the Atlanta Braves had, almost unexpectedly, reaped the benefits of a high-yielding platoon of Tyler Flowers and Kurt Suzuki.

In 2017, the combo known as “Flowzuki” accounted for 7.8 fWAR, which was good for second among all catcher production in the National League. Their combined 119 wRC+? That was good enough for best in all of baseball.

2018 showed that the duo was no fluke: Flowers and Suzuki again combined for a NL-top five in fWAR and wRC+, even matched up against much more expensive and high-profile catcher situations around the league.

So when the stronger (offensive, anyway) side of that platoon in Kurt Suzuki signed a deal with division rival Washington this past winter, and rumors of one J.T. Realmuto as being a viable option to end up in Atlanta began to circulate, it seemed like it had to happen.

It had to happen…until Atlanta brought back old friend (35 years old, to be exact) Brian McCann on a cheap 1-year deal, seemingly filling the place left behind by Suzuki.

Even so, Realmuto rumors persisted.

Again, JTR-to-Atlanta seemed like it had to happen.

It had to happen…until Realmuto instead was included in a trade to another division rival in Philadelphia.

The Atlanta Braves, on paper, found themselves at risk of getting burned by a stagnant winter: they had just let 50% of their catching success from the previous two years go to one rival, and its top All-Star target go to another.

So who was relied on to save Atlanta’s bacon at the backstop?

Tyler Flowers...again? He couldn’t possibly do this much longer.

And…Brian McCann? This isn’t 2005, is it?

The old guys of the Braves’ “new” catching platoon are both well into their thirties, coming off injury-plagued seasons, and…producing at a level that very few could’ve anticipated.

While the Atlanta Braves appear to be cursed on certain fronts on an annual basis in recent history (see: closer’s role), they also seem to be – for whatever reason – blessed with good fortune at others.

Something about Atlanta always seems to bring out the best in its catchers, and 2019 is no different.