http://pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/NASApp/m...t=.jsp&c_id=pitPaulino proving to be a quick study
Catcher has earned pitchers' trust during rookie season
By Ed Eagle / MLB.com
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Pirates would be the first to admit that they never knew Ronny Paulino would be this good this quickly.
In fact, they almost let the budding young star slip right through their fingers.
As of the end of the 2002 season, the Pirates organization was stocked with talent behind the plate. Jason Kendall, who would go on to bat .325 and .319 the next two years, was entrenched as the starting catcher on the big-league team. Humberto Cota, the Bucs' 2001 Minor League Player of the Year, was preparing to get his feet wet as Kendall's understudy. Ryan Doumit, the team's second-round pick in 1999, was coming off a year in which he hit .322 at Class A Hickory.
As a result of this depth, Paulino, who hit .262 in 2002 during his second year at Class A Lynchburg, was left off of the 40-man roster, allowing the Kansas City Royals to scoop him up in the 2002 Rule 5 Draft.
Fortunately for the Pirates, the Royals shipped Paulino back to Pittsburgh three months later. The 25-year-old is quickly establishing himself as one of the team's building blocks for the future.
Since being recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis in mid-April, Paulino has hit .316 with six home runs and 43 RBIs, while becoming just the fourth rookie in franchise history to catch at least 100 games.
"We didn't know, to that extent, what we had with this guy when we started [the season]," said Pirates manager Jim Tracy. "We do now.
"He's got a chance to be a really good player."
Even Paulino, who hit over .300 with 19 combined home runs while splitting the 2005 season between Double-A Altoona and Indianapolis, is a little surprised by his consistency at the plate. He expected to face more bumps in the road along the way as the opposition began to establish better scouting reports on him.
"It's my first time here [in the Major Leagues], and I've faced a lot of teams in our division," Paulino said. "You pretty much know that they always find out how they need to pitch to you.
"I feel good because I know I can feel proud of myself for the way I've been playing the whole time that I've been here."
For all of Paulino's offensive potential, it would be a mistake to label him as simply an offensive catcher. Tracy and the Pirates' pitchers are quick to praise Paulino for his abilities to handle the young staff and call a good game.
"He's awesome," starting pitcher Ian Snell said. "He makes you feel more comfortable being out there.
"He watches a lot of film and he watches the hitters during the games, even when he's not playing. He goes over with you what you want to do each game. If you're in trouble, he comes out and asks what you want to do against a certain hitter, and he'll give suggestions."
The one weakness in Paulino's game to this point has been his defense. He leads all big-league catchers with 11 errors, and his eight passed balls are the second most in the National League.
"For a catcher, defense is always the most important thing," said Paulino. "I want to work more on that and be the best I can behind the plate."
According to Pirates bench coach Jim Lett, who works with the team's catchers on their defense, the extra time Paulino has been putting in is already beginning to pay dividends.
"He has real soft hands," Lett said. "He gives a good target behind the plate and he has very good arm strength. If he keeps going about his business and improving himself, one day he could be a very good leader for this pitching staff."
With one month left in a rookie season that has already surpassed everyone's expectations, Paulino still has one goal remaining that he'd like to reach -- a .300 batting average at season's end.
"I'm working on it," said Paulino, who has batted .328 in 39 games since the All-Star break. "I've been hitting consistently. I want to finish strong."
Ed Eagle is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its club