If it was Jim Leyland in the dugout for the Pirates, it doesn’t sound like Austin Hedges would be catching.
“You can’t hit .160, I mean you just can’t do that, especially if other guys around you aren’t hitting,” Leyland said on Cook & Joe Thursday. “I’m a guy that would sacrifice a little bit of catching ability for the bat.”
Hedges is currently batting .169
Leyland added if players around him are hitting then it’s easier to keep him in the lineup but right now, everyone is struggling.
The Pirates only had two hits in Wednesday afternoon’s ninth loss in a row and are opponents have scored over three times more runs compared to the Pirates over that time.
Leyland says that while Hedges does an “excellent” job behind the plate, they should be playing Henry Davis, even though he is a little “unpolished” at catcher right now.
He also isn’t a fan of pitch framing. Stats show Hedges is the best pitch-framer in baeball.
“I think they over rate this pitch framing stuff, I think that’s going to all go out when they bring in the automatic strike zone, which I think they will bring in eventually . . . I was never a big believer in that,” added Leyland.