=== Qwibbles and Bits Dept. ===

Needless to say, the above list is not a controlled study, just a baseball chat. 

If you did start trying to control a study, you’d run into major issues in defining the terms, and in isolating the variables …. how do you define which catcher is a leader?  How do you isolate his influence vs. that of his teammates? 

Obviously many of the above catchers played with some loaded rosters.  …but how many "loaded rosters" — fell flat

.

=== Catcher In The Wry, Dept. ===

If it WERE the case that Johnny Bench WAS 40% of everything you need to become a contender -- why would that be?   If Johnny Bench WOULD take a talented-but-floundering 85-loss team and turn it into a pennantwinner …. wherein does his effect lie?

.....................

1.  He adds an extra impact bat to your lineup.  Most catchers ::olivoborderscough:: are either (a) automatic outs, or (b) just, "pretty good hitters for a catcher."   Go look up 6 or 8 "name" catchers and you’ll be surprised how soft their hitting stats really are. 

You get a real 100-RBI bat at SS or C, and it’s like you’re playing with two DH’s.  How fair would that be, for Bud Selig to announce that the Rangers and Indians and Blue Jays got to play with two DH's this year, and then they all went out and signed Adam Dunn types for their #2 DH slot?  That's what a Johnny Bench does for a team.

.......................

2.  He does lead the team.  My uncle once advised me to put my son at pitcher or catcher.  "Why’s that?"  Because those are the only two positions that handle the ball every play, he said.

GOOD catchers DO control the team.  It’s hard to control the team from right field, but you CAN take over the team from catcher.  IF you’re the best player out there, and IF you’re a John Wayne type.

Incidentally, the Johnny Bench type also comes into contact with all of the OPPOSING players every AB.  And he influences the PITCHER, each and every play.

......................

3.  He plays in the middle of the field, which is another way of talking about point 2.  As Bill James put it, "in any sport, there is just no overstating the importance of having intelligent players in the middle of the field.".

.

=== Dr’s Prognosis Dept. ===

I wouldn’t doubt that great SS’s influence teams almost as much as catcher — probably Honus Wagner and Arky Vaughn and Cal Ripken (and Yount and Banks and Larkin) tended to play for teams that were almost as good as The HOF Catchers’ teams.

Position Scarcity is the principle that finds impact players at C, SS, 2B, and/or CF for pennant-winning teams.  Impact Catchers take position scarcity to the Nth degree. 

......................

If I were the Red Sox, I'd be taking a serious look at Kenji Johjima.  His HR scatterchart is probably the most extreme pull-array you'll ever see; he's tailor-made for Fenway.  His K/BB are solid and to a large extent, he's been a victim of circumstances in Seattle.  Obviously, he'd jell nicely with the Sox' NPB pitchers.

Cheers,

Dr D