Carl Taylor

Catcher
Chicago Colts (SEA, MAN)
1969-1981 

So here’s the thing, I love Carl Taylor. Drafted tenth overall in 1969, just two picks ahead of teammate Carlos May, the twosome held down the Colts' #2 and #3 fielding positions (and often those spot in the batting order) for much of the 1970s. Carl was not your typical backstop, certainly not at the plate. The man has a better career OBP (.378) than slugging percentage (.363). He walked 100 or more times three seasons in a row and scored 246 more runs than he drove in during his career. He won a batting title his first full season in the Bigs by hitting .340; he also hit .300 in 1973, the year the Colts won their second World Championship. Basically, Carl batted like a second baseman or shortstop but as a starting catcher who rarely missed a start. He always felt to me like an atypical catcher who could be relied on to do all the things you didn’t expect from a catcher: get on base, hit for average, score runs, take the extra base, hit high in the lineup, even leadoff on occasion. I just loved that about Carl.

As a defender Carl was solidly average to above average. Yes, he won the Gold Glove back-to-back in 1976 and 1977. He had a decent arm and threw out his fair share of runners, but Carl was never consider an elite defender by any stretch. What stands out about Carl as a backstop is the steadying presence he provided for his starters and relievers. For the nine years that he was the everyday starter for the Colts (1970-1978) the team led the league in fewest runs allowed five times. He anchored the plate for the Colts’ resurgence in 1970 that was capped by the World Series win in 1973 and was still with the team in 1978 when the team returned to prominence with a 102-win campaign.

So what’s the point to all of this? I suppose it is to show that while Carl’s numbers may not stand up that great against the elite catchers of today, he was an absolute rock for his team. Though the label was never established he was absolutely the captain of his squad. He could be relied upon to be behind the plate nearly every day, managing his staff with a cool hand and head. He also provided the kind of threat at the plate and on the bases that you didn’t necessarily expect from a catcher. Carl was an absolute rare breed as a catcher and doesn’t that deserve the kind of recognition the HOF provides? Well, even if you don’t think so, I’ll always love the man. (Lance Mueller)