Not many Indians players saw their stock rise during the club's disappointing 2008 season. But one who did was backup catcher Kelly Shoppach, who made the most of his dramatic increase in playing time because of injuries to starter Victor Martinez.
Shoppach responded by hitting 21 home runs, the most of any catcher in the American League. Shoppach also was solid defensively. By the end of the season, Shoppach had proved he can be an everyday catcher at the major league level. That gives the Indians, in essence, two starting catchers. It will likely lead to Shoppach getting more than a backup catcher's allotment of at-bats in 2009.
It's expected that Martinez will get more starts at first base in 2009, providing Shoppach with more playing time being the plate. Shoppach's outstanding 2008 season also carried with it some dividends for Shoppach off the field.
The Indians signed him to a one-year, $1.95 million contract, a hefty raise from the $404,100 he made last year.
Ironically, Shoppach came to Cleveland as an apparent throw-in in the seven-player 2006 trade between the Indians and Boston Red Sox, the centerpieces of which appeared to be Coco Crisp going to Boston and third baseman Andy Marte coming to Cleveland.
Marte never panned out, but Shoppach's emergence has salvaged that trade for the Indians.
