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2008 Minor league free agent Corky Miller hits a little better than the average backup catcher. 2005 Another one who didn't quite pan out while perennially riding the Louisville-Cincinnati shuttle, Miller sealed his fate with a brutal 1-for-39 season in Cincy. Rany Jazayerli likes to say that any backup catcher with some degree of skill can put up a magical season given 200 or fewer at-bats—the same holds true for a disastrous season, though a .026 average is pushing it. Still, Miller's shown a pulse in the past, and Minnesota should at least get an upgrade over a 67-year-old Pat Borders. 2003 Catchers can come from anywhere. Miller wasn’t even drafted out of college, but made The Show just three years after signing a pro contract. Last season, he had played his way into the majority of the starts, but was farmed out to Louisville when Stinnett was activated because he had options left. Miller is an outstanding receiver, pitchers love working with him and he even has fair offensive potential. He’ll be on the Reds roster this year, probably as the starter. Cool fact: Corky is his given name. 2002 Miller is an outstanding defender who gets good marks for his receiving, plate-blocking, and game-calling, from Bob Boone himself no less. He’s not the athlete that Jason LaRue is, but that might not be the criterion the Reds use in choosing between them. The Reds are intrigued enough to consider going with a Stinnett/Miller combination if the right deal for LaRue comes along, and it would be cheap and effective to do so.
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