News
Newcomer Marson may become fixture
Acquired in Lee trade, young catcher could start in '10
By Matt O'Donnell / MLB.com
09/10/09 5:10 PM ET
CLEVELAND -- Lou Marson knew what Columbus Clippers hitting coach Jon Nunnally's gesture meant. Marson was warming up for Triple-A Lehigh Valley's afternoon game against the Clippers, the Indians' Triple-A affiliate, when he noticed Nunnally pointing at him and infielder Jason Donald and then pointing to the Columbus dugout. His name had been bandied about in trade rumors for weeks, including in the Roy Halladay sweepstakes, so he was prepared for this type of news. The Phillies had dealt both him and Donald to the Indians, along with Carlos Carrasco and Jason Knapp, for Cliff Lee and Ben Francisco. Nunnally was telling them to get their stuff and join their new team. "I didn't know what to think," Marson said. "It was weird. You build relationships and friendships, things like that. But it's good for all of us." Marson wasn't the marquee name in the trade, but he could play a key role for the team next season. The Indians are not likely to keep starter Kelly Shoppach, because he is arbitration-eligible, and top prospect Carlos Santana will start the 2010 season at Triple-A. The catching job is there for Marson's taking. The Natural While attending Coronado High School in Scottsdale, Ariz., Marson spent just as much time on a football field as he did a baseball diamond. He was an All-State quarterback for the Cougars for two seasons and had thoughts of playing college football. But one-third of the way through his senior season, Marson's collarbone snapped when he was tackled attempting to throw a pass on a sprintout. Just like that, his football career was over. "I knew I couldn't play at the next level," Marson said. "I knew [baseball] was what I wanted to do and this would give me the best shot of playing in the big leagues." But a career in the Majors or even a college scholarship was anything but certain for Marson. He was a third baseman as an underclassman for Coronado. With quick feet and a big arm, he handled himself well at the hot corner. While he was above average at the position, it wasn't the place Marson wanted to play. He wanted to be a catcher. "I thought it was cool putting the gear on," Marson said. He asked his coach, Buck Holmes, to let him catch. But the team already had a good catcher. So Holmes put him at third, where the team had a need. But going into his junior season, the starting catcher failed a class and wasn't able to play. Marson said it was the only reason he got the job. Holmes disagrees. "You could see it coming," Holmes said of Marson taking the starting job. "It was like it was his natural position. He was like a quarterback behind the plate. I don't remember having to break him down back there." Because of football, Marson didn't play in the various seasonal baseball leagues. High school baseball players can play around 100 games in a full year in Arizona. Marson only played during the 35-game high school season. So it wasn't as easy for college recruiters or Major League scouts to notice him. But during his senior season, an Angels scout spotted him.
| "You could see it coming. It was like it was his natural position. He was like a quarterback behind the plate. I don't remember having to break him down back there." |
| -- Buck Holmes, on Marson |
"He was like, 'Holy cow, who is that?'" Holmes said. "That's when the buzz started."
Collegiate powerhouses like Arizona and Arizona State, among other schools, showed interest. But by then, he was well on his way to a professional career. Marson told teams that he would sign a professional contract if he were drafted in the first five rounds of the 2004 First-Year Player Draft. The Phillies selected him in the fourth round and he signed, although he now regrets the decision. "I wish I would have said the top two or three rounds," Marson said. "I didn't want to scare anybody away or close any open doors. Who knows what would have happened?" A crazy year Marson, who was known more for his defense than his bat, put up average numbers at the plate while working his way through the Phillies' system. But in 2008, he had a breakout season. The catcher hit .314 with five homers and 46 RBIs with an on-base percentage of .433 at Double-A Reading. In July of that year, he played in the Futures Game in the last year of old Yankee Stadium. And that's where he caught the eye of Davey Johnson, the U.S. Olympic baseball coach and a former manager of the Mets, Reds, Orioles and Dodgers. "He really impressed me," Johnson told the East Valley Tribune. "His numbers are outstanding for a catcher. ... I got reports that said everything about him is good." Later that summer, he was one of 24 players chosen to represent the U.S. in the Olympics. If that wasn't good enough, he also caught President George W. Bush when he threw out the first pitch in the team's game against China. "He's a pretty laid-back guy," Marson said of Bush, adding that he threw a strike. "He didn't really say much." Marson and the United States would go on to take the bronze medal in what could have been the last year baseball is considered an Olympic sport. The International Olympic Committee discontinued baseball along with some other sports following the Beijing Games. "I didn't do as much as I should have," Marson said. "The Opening Ceremonies were my favorite. We were all in these suits and we were all sweating pretty bad. It was a long night, but it was definitely worth it." That would be the year of most people's lives, but Marson's big year got even better. The Phillies called him up for his big league debut in September of that season. But with the team in the midst of a tight playoff race, he didn't get to play until the last game of the regular season. He got his first Major League hit and home run in the game.
| "He's a catcher, first and foremost. He knows how to run a game and he's still developing in all areas of his game. He has a chance to be pretty good." |
| -- Eric Wedge |
His season wouldn't end there, however. Marson got to travel with the Phillies in the playoffs, although he didn't get added to the postseason roster. He was brought along in case someone got injured. He would end up with a front-row seat when the Phillies defeated the Rays in the World Series. "The [World Series] parade was unbelievable," Marson said. "The fans there are nuts. They were going crazy. "It was a crazy year. I learned a lot and experienced a lot. I didn't really look back on it until I was with my family. It was a fun." A catcher first Following his breakout season, Baseball America named Marson the No. 3 prospect in the Phillies' organization and the No. 66 prospect in baseball. That made him a hot commodity when the Phils became active in trade talks midway through the season. Philadelphia was looking to add a top-of-the-line starter. Most teams were asking for Marson, among others, in return. In late July, the Indians and Phillies completed a trade, which in part, sent 2008 American League Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee to Philadelphia and Marson to Cleveland. And it hasn't taken Marson long to show his worth. "He's a catcher, first and foremost," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "He knows how to run a game and he's still developing in all areas of his game. He has a chance to be pretty good." Marson was hitting .243 in 28 games for Columbus when the Indians decided to make him a September callup. They wanted to see what he could do while using him as the personal catcher to Carlos Carrasco, who had also been in the Lee deal. Marson had come up through the Phillies' system with Carrasco and knew him well. With Carrasco on the mound for the opener of the Tribe's doubleheader with the Rangers on Tuesday, Marson made his Indians debut. He went 1-for-4 with a walk in the loss. While it hasn't taken the 23-year-old Marson long to read opposing pitches, it will take him a little longer to learn his own. The Indians see Marson as a candidate for their starting catching position next season, but he doesn't know many of the team's pitchers. "It's not one of those things you learn overnight," Marson said. "It's going to take me a whole lot of time to learn, not only everyone's names, but what they throw." If the Indians have their way, Marson will have more than enough time to learn his new teammates during the next few years.
Matt O'Donnell is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
