2005

Like a kid holding his nose while gulping down castor oil, you can try to look past the brutal 4:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio and focus on the curative powers of LaRue's 41 extra-base hits. His .337 OBP, modest as it is, is also a career high, and his third straight year of improvement as a regular. LaRue's defense is another matter: Known for his ability to gun down would-be basestealers—he punched out an astounding 61% in 2001, 45% in 2002, winning Michael Wolverton's Golden Gun award for catchers both seasons—he's tossed out a more pedestrian 27% and 30% the last two seasons. Add it all up, and you get a player who's like anyone else—not nearly as good as his best moments, nor as bad as his worst. The Reds brought him back for $3 million, at the high end of what they should be willing to pay.

2003

BP’s 2001 Golden Gun winner hauled home the far less-coveted lead glove last year by allowing 20 passed balls, five more than any other NL team. Jared Fernandez wasn’t the sole culprit, since LaRue caught less than half of the knuckleballer’s 50 innings. Naturally, the miscues didn’t sit well with his seven-time Gold Glove–winning manager. Either LaRue or Kelly Stinnett will be leaving town to make room for Corky Miller. The Reds would prefer to keep LaRue, who is Stinnett’s equal offensively, but younger and cheaper.

2002

One element of the catcher’s job that gets overlooked is the difficulty of adapting to catching major-league-quality breaking stuff. How much of that does a catcher really see in the minors? How many of those breaking balls are thrown for strikes so that you can work on framing them effectively? LaRue has yet to fully make the adjustment, but he has improved. He’s rumored to be on the block, and his trade value will never get much higher than it is now.

2001

Jason LaRue got jobbed out of playing time when the Reds brought in Benito Santiago. Eddie Taubensee's big September in 1999 had buried LaRue as a starter, anyway. He'll be around for a while; think Brook Fordyce's career path.

2000

The injury to Brian Johnson brought him to the majors as Eddie Taubensee’s caddy, a role that fits him. He won’t hit enough to be a regular, so backing up a left-handed-hitting catcher who is below average defensively makes the most of what he does well. LaRue has no star value.

1999

We said last year that he needed a two-level jump this year to get noticed; he did it, and excelled at Double-A. Of course, we said the jump was doubtful, which shows what we know. The power increase was dramatic, and enough to make him a star behind the plate. Now the #1 catcher in the Reds' system, and a threat to Taubensee this summer.

1998

LaRue tied for the minor league lead with 50 doubles. Unfortunately he did it at age 23 in the Sally League, which dampens our enthusiasm significantly. He showed little power other than the doubles and the rest of his game is unspectacular. Needs about a two-level jump this year to get noticed; doubtful.