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2008 The power Bard showed in 2006 was a fluke. Everything else is a skill, making him a very valuable property-a switch-hitting catcher with real on-base skills. That he started 33 games in the middle of the order last year is a reflection of the Padres' problems assembling a lineup, not an endorsement of his bat. That he allowed 121 stolen bases in 108 games (7.6 percent caught stealing) is not an endorsement of his arm, but there's some evidence that Pads pitchers share the blame, especially Chris Young, on whom basestealers went a perfect 44-0 in their attempts last year. Bard threw out 33.6 percent of thieves in his career prior joining the Padres. 2007 After Bard took to being knuckleballer Tim Wakefield`s personal catcher like a duck takes to being repeatedly poked with a fork, the Red Sox panicked and flipped him to San Diego for his predecessor, Doug Mirabelli. They never could have anticipated he`d hit like he did in San Diego, just as there`s no reason for the Padres to expect him to do it again. Still, Bard`s a true switch-hitter, solid against both righties and lefties, and PECOTA expects him to maintain his new-found plate discipline, so he`ll still be one of the better players at his position. Although properly considered the better-throwing alternative to Mike Piazza on last year`s Pads, Bard didn`t surpass him by much. Throwing out only 18 percent of opposing baserunners isn`t very special, but, in Bard`s defense, he`s done better before; perhaps Pads pitchers need to work on holding runners as much as their catchers need to work on throwing. 2006 Appropriately enough, nobody is claiming to be the author of this Bard`s work. A backup catcher straight out of central casting, Bard has a better defensive rep than Victor Martinez, but hasn`t shown any ability to hit from either side of the plate. His value in a trade as a plausible starting catcher for somebody else has just about been used up. 2005 Muscled out of the way by an emergent Victor Martinez, Bard spent the year in Buffalo as a replacement-level catcher. With a sunny personality, strong defensive reputation, and .310 major league OBP, Bard could be a backup forever. 2003 I don’t know about you, but I’m going to name my first kid “Josh” and teach him to be a backup catcher like Josh Paul and Josh Bard. Key drills will include smiling and “aw, shucks” interviews, playing baseball like it was meant to be played, calling a good game, being white, and hiring a good agent. I’ll be retiring to Phoenix in about twenty years. So long, suckers!
Josh Bard’s game-winning heroics during his call-up may lead the Indians to do something really stupid, like trade Victor Martinez or otherwise hold up Victor’s development. In the short term, though, Bard will be the Indians’ starting catcher next year unless he’s awful in spring training, while Martinez starts throwing out baserunners. 2002 Part of the booty acquired from the Rockies for Jacob Cruz, Bard is primarily noted as a defensive catcher with a good arm. He has hit for a reasonable average and has shown some doubles power while maintaining decent strikeout-to-walk ratios. Unlike most of the prospects we highlight, Bard isn't a high-upside guy. As a switch-hitter who can throw, though, he's going to make the majors, and he is going to be around for a while.
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