In a move that's logical if unexpected, the Bucs DFA'ed C Dusty Brown and called up Eric Fryer. Fryer hit .262 in 21 games at Indy after batting .345 earlier in the year at Altoona. The 25 year old came to Pittsburgh in 2009 from the Yankees as part of the Eric Hinske trade.
Fryer is athletic and can reach base, with an excellent OBP of .377 this season. He's a gap hitter, with a combined 2011 slugging % of .511 and lifetime .438. He's a good defensive catcher with a strong arm - he also played outfield - and has a 30% throw-out rate through his career.
It's an aggressive promotion, from High A Bradenton in 2010 to the majors a season later, and shows how thin the market is for decent reserve catchers. It also shows that the FO is finally willing to use its own players instead of dumpster diving for help, an acknowledgement of the increased talent level they've been striving to achieve.
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