Cubs Offseason: Chicago Will Miss Blanco

While Cubs General Manager Jim Hendry has been busy retooling the Cubs line-up this offseason, his biggest blunder could be failing to re-sign back-up catcher Henry Blanco.

"Hank White" as he is affectionately known around the Friendly Confines, is coming off a season in which he posted his highest batting average (.292) and OBP (.325) and second highest slugging percentage (.392) of his career. Blanco proved himself to be a servicable offensive weapon off the bench late in games as well, including a game winning RBI single in a 3-2 comback victory against the rival St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley on Aug. 8.

Defensively, Blanco gunned down 10-out-of-22 would-be base stealers last season, for a caught stealing percentage of .455, above the league average in that category.  

Granted, Blanco does not see the field all that often. He only appeared in 58 games last season, coming to the plate just 120 times. However, when in the game, Blanco made the most of his opportunities and is more than a suitable back-up to 2008 rookie-of-the-year Geovanny Soto.

The reasons for keeping Blanco are simple. First, consider Blanco's past experience. During a two year stint in Atlanta, Blanco assisted Javy Lopez with the three-headed monster of John Smoltz, Greg Maddux, and Tom Glavine en route to two division championships. Second, given his age and major league experience, he could serve as a mentor to Soto for at least another season or two, barring a reaggravation of the neck injury that limited him in 2007.

Probably the most compelling reason to keep Blanco, however, is the sobering realization that Koyie Hill (barring a move by Hendry) could find himself behind the plate every fifth day for the Cubs next year.

Light-hitting does not even begin to describe Hill. In the past two seasons with the Cubs, Hill has batted an abysmal .149 (17/114). So badly did Hill play in the 2007 season, that a broken down Jason Kendall had to be acquired to replace him in the everyday line-up. Blanco at least gives the Cubs a chance to hit the ball out of the infield.

Defensively is more of the same story for Hill. He has thrown out just 5-of-17 would-be base stealers for a caught stealing percentage of .312.

Paul Bako's name has been floated around as a possible alternative to Hill, but how much of an alternative is he really? His last three seasons he has batted .209, .205, and .217 respectively.

No one debates the fact that Soto is the stud behind the place for the Cubs. However, he must have a reliable back-up to take some of the pressure off so that he remains fresh throughout the season, especially down the stretch and hopefully into October. Henry Blanco provides that for the Cubs, although at this point, it does not appear that Cubs realize it.