Ryan Doumit, still a catcher

So, that post Saturday night about Ryan Doumit deciding he's not going to catch any more? Never mind ...

Clarification from @BrianDozier. His comments Saturday were not meant to be about Ryan Doumit deciding not to catch in the future.
— Mike Berardino (@MikeBerardino) January 27, 2014

Per @BrianDozier: "Ryan (Doumit) is still catching as far as I know. I was referring to last season with him not catching the last month."
— Mike Berardino (@MikeBerardino) January 27, 2014

"It had nothing to do with him being shut down for good ... or not catching anymore for his career," @BrianDozier tells me re: Doumit.
— Mike Berardino (@MikeBerardino) January 27, 2014

In retrospect, I should have been a bit more guarded about buying into about the initial tweet. I bit, probably for the same reasons Bernadino did: Doumit said after his August concussion that he had had many concussions, and whether it was his idea or the Twins, he was held out of catching chores in September at least in part to protect him from a repeat concussion before the offseason.

It was credible that he could have decided during the offseason that catching isn't worth the risk. Credible, but not true.

Atlanta's plans with him may not involved a lot of catching anyway. Evan Gattis, who hit 21 homers in less than 400 plate appearances last year (and played almost as much left field as catcher), is supposed to be the No.1 catcher now that Brian McCann is a Yankee. Gerald Laird, who is probably the best backup catcher around, is the No. 2, and Doumit is to take the old Gattis role of third-string catcher, backup outfielder and pinch hitter. The Braves found 380-some plate appearances for Gattis; they can find time for Doumit.