Brewers Find New Starting Catcher, Sign Gregg Zaun

On Friday, the Milwaukee Brewers signed catcher Gregg Zaun to a one-year, $1.9 million contract with an option for 2011 for $2.5 million.

Zaun signed with the Brewers because not only was the price right for Milwaukee, but Brewers’ GM Doug Melvin told Zaun he would be the No. 1 catcher going into spring training.

Zaun will be the Brewers No. 1 catcher in 2010

While I don’t have an issue with the Brewers signing Zaun, I do have an issue with him being the team’s starting catcher in 2010.

I understand the catching market is weak and I understand that Jason Kendall wore out his welcome in Milwaukee. But I have hard time believing that a team that is going to be a contender, or hopes to be a contender in 2010, is fine with having Zaun as their starting catcher.

Zaun, who will be 39 at the start of the 2010 season, is what he is at this point. He is a backup, who hits .250 with little pop.

He shouldn’t be catching more than 60-70 games with the Brewers. In 2010, the Brewers will ask Zaun to catch 110-plus games.

I wouldn’t mind Zaun as the Brewers’ starting catcher if this was 2008. That year the Brewers had a powerful lineup and they could afford to have a Zaun-type hitter in their lineup.

In 2010, the Brewers will have a lineup that features Carloz Gomez, Zaun, and the pitcher. That’s three automatic outs in a nine batter lineup— one too many.

Those three coupled with who knows what they are going to get with Rickie Weeks and Corey Hart—the Brewers might struggle to score runs in 2010.

Of course, if you have a very good starting rotation, then you can live with a mediocre offense. The problem is that the Brewers don’t have a very good starting rotation.

However, this offseason is still young and there is plenty of time for the Brewers to improve their pitching staff.

Tim Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel suggests the Brewers have around $12 or so remaining in their budget to spend on free agents.

The Brewers need to sign a pitcher or two this offseason to help offset what appears to be a mediocre Brewers offense in 2010.

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