CARLOS MALDONADO

1/3/79; NDFA '96 (Seattle); Venezuela
R/R; 6-2, 250

Level
BA
OBP
SA
AB
2B
3B
HR
BB
K
SB
CS
1996 R (Sea)
.220
.261
.280
100
0
0
2
6
10
0
1
1997 A (Sea)
.190
.236
.228
316
8
2
0
17
33
2
3
1998 AAA (Sea)
.000
.000
.000
9
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1998 A (NYM)
.174
.240
.174
23
0
0
0
2
1
0
0
1998 A- (Sea)
.287
.335
.453
150
10
0
5
10
17
1
0
1999 A (Sea)
.308
.392
.351
302
13
0
0
43
52
4
6
2000 AA (Hou)
.270
.328
.371
423
24
2
5
35
71
5
4
2001 AA (Hou)
.286
.356
.385
262
14
0
4
27
55
1
2
2002 AAA (Hou)
.172
.200
.172
29
0
0
0
1
7
0
0
2002 AA (Hou)
.252
.356
.415
123
8
0
4
22
23
0
0
2003 AA (ChiW)
.262
.335
.370
408
24
1
6
43
50
1
1
2004 AA (ChiW)
.265
.353
.441
388
30
1
12
52
81
0
3
2005 AA
.252
.339
.378
278
14
0
7
35
63
0
1
2006 NL
.105
.150
.105
19
0
0
0
1
10
1
0
2006 AAA
.283
.354
.390
336
18
0
6
36
67
2
0
2006 AA
.278
.278
.389
18
2
0
0
0
6
0
0
2007 NL
.208
.333
.500
24
1
0
2
5
8
0
0
2007 AAA
.219
.325
.270
137
4
0
1
20
27
0
0
2007 AA
.000
.000
.000
6
0
0
0
0
1
0
0

Maldonado made a big jump in 2006 from journeyman minor league catcher to the Pirates' 40-man roster and a September callup.  He first signed with the Pirates as a minor league free agent for 2005.  He'd never hit a great deal until 2004, although he usually showed a willingness to take a walk.  He had a big 2004 season in AA, then began 2005 backing up Ronny Paulino at Altoona.  He ended up as the regular when Paulino won a promotion to AAA.  He had a decent year with the bat and gave the Curve a solid defensive catcher.  In 2006 he re-signed with the Bucs and ended up with the regular catching job at Indianapolis when Paulino got called up.  The Pirates wanted Maldonado to focus on getting his batting average up, which he did.  He also lost weight, dropping from over 270 to the 240s.

Once the AAA season ended, Maldonado was brought up.  The explanation was that he was being "rewarded" for his achievements, which doesn't make sense.  Lots of minor league players make progress every year, but don't get a major league job for that reason alone.  The more rational explanation would be that, with Humberto Cota certain to be non-tendered, the Pirates wanted an experienced catcher who could be optioned to AAA.  In September, they played Maldonado as Paulino's backup, rather than Cota or Ryan Doumit.  They evidently weren't that impressed, because they removed Maldonado from the roster after the season.  They did, however, sign him to a minor league deal with a spring training invite.  The team was less than pleased when he came to camp having gained weight.  He struggled through a bad season in AAA, but got called up anyway in mid-August when Doumit got hurt.  He hit his first two major league HRs while backing up Paulino.  Maldonado is a good defensive catcher, but his weak hitting should limit him to serving as an emergency catcher in AAA.  The Pirates outrighted Maldonado to AAA after claiming Phil Dumatrait on waivers and Maldonado opted for free agency.  He eventually re-signed with them and was invited to major league spring training, but was cut quickly as the team again was unhappy with his conditioning. He'll share time catching with Raul Chavez and Michel Hernandez in AAA, although he opened the season on the disabled list.

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