Beat reporter Corey Brock answers Padres fans' questions http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080224&content_id=2387146&vkey=news_sd&fext=.jsp&c_id=sd Why did the Padres not address the need for a defensive catcher with a strong arm capable of throwing out runners trying to steal late in the game? -- Patrick S., Chandler, Ariz. There are two sides to the catching coin, offense and defense. There's not many catchers around who excel in both. The Padres were woeful in thwarting the running game last season, there's no denying that. But, as we've mentioned before, the fault doesn't fall only on the catchers. The Padres have several pitchers who have deliberate deliveries, which make them an easy target to run on. Would a strong-armed catcher with a .190 batting average be better than the duo of Josh Bard and Michael Barrett? I don't think slowing baserunners was the Padres' biggest concern last season. It was offense, and in Bard and Barrett, the Padres feel like they have two No. 1 catchers who can certainly improve that offense.
