Avila isn't performing all that great @ the plate so far, obviously, and it now appears that he may already have had his peak offensive season in '11...but veteran catchers who are measurably if not significantly better than he is, aren't exactly plentiful in MLB. Alex is also "only" being paid a salary of ~a half million, and he isn't eligible for arby until next year. If he can maintain an average of ~.250, with an xbh here and there, along with perhaps a dozen homers or so over the course of the season, and he can catch ~120 games, then I suppose that he will be at least adequate, if not well-suited for what the team needs from him.
Besides...as we all know, his dad is the Tigers assistant GM, so he ain't very likely to lose his starting gig unless he was to tank offensively and defensively all season long, or if he becomes injured and goes on the DL for much of the season.
