Blue Jays' Dickey: There's nobody better at catching the knuckleball than Thole

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander R.A. Dickey is hoping to make his case to keep Josh Thole on the roster in 2015. 

The pair have established a special relationship over the past fives seasons as teammates, with Thole acting primarily as Dickey's catcher dating back to their time with the New York Mets. 

Complicating matters for the two continuing their relationship has been the signing of Russell Martin, who voiced his eagerness to learn to catch Dickey earlier in the month. While the knuckleballer believes Thole is one of the best at receiving the fluttering pitch, he isn't shutting the door on working with Martin - though it appears he prefers his familiar battery. 

“I don’t think there’s any replacement for time spent,” Dickey told Jeff Blair of Sportsnet regarding his familiarity with Thole. “Josh has caught 75 to 80 percent of my starts since 2010 or 2012 and there’s nobody better … but it would be nice to have someone like Russell who can do it as well.” 

While Thole may have won Dickey over with his defensive abilities, the 28-year-old backstop has struggled with a bat in his hands. In 102 games with the Blue Jays over two seasons, he's slashed .213/.289/.261 with one home run and 50 strikeouts. 

This isn't the first time this offseason a pitcher has lobbied to keep a preferred catcher on the roster. Clayton Kershaw made a strong push for the Los Angeles Dodgers retaining A.J. Ellis, who landed a one-year, $4.25-million deal to serve as a backup.