Given their needs and the offers they got for Freddy Garcia in June, few argued when the Seattle Mariners made the trade for catcher Miguel Olivo, minor league outfielder Jeremy Reed and a low-minors infielder.
Reed is tearing it up in Tacoma and Garcia has a 10-10 record.
And Olivo? In his first 27 games with the Mariners, he batted .239 with four home runs and 12 RBI. The team thinks he’ll hit better. The team is certain of one thing.
Olivo must catch better to be their future behind the plate.
In those 27 games, Olivo has six passed balls – something both he and his manager are aware of.
“It’s something that plays with your confidence back there,” former catcher Bob Melvin said. “It’s a matter of footwork, following the ball a little more. It’s nothing he can’t take care of, especially once he has more time with the pitching staff.”
Ah, that.
Coming over from the White Sox, Olivo has gotten a crash course on Seattle pitching – and a more eclectic crew is hard to imagine. There’s Jamie Moyer, who likes to bounce change-ups. There’s Ron Villone, who at times has no idea where his fastball is headed. There’s Ryan Franklin, who throws four different pitches and alters speeds on each of them.
And then there are the rookies – Bobby Madritsch, Clint Nageotte, Matt Thornton, George Sherrill, Scott Atchison and J.J. Putz.
“I need more time with them,” Olivo said. “Next spring, I’ll catch all of them in the bullpen and get to know what their pitches do in different situations.”
That is part of the explanation for the passed balls. It is hardly the only one, and Olivo doesn’t dodge it.
“I’m a catcher, and pitches have to be caught,” he said. “I’ve made mistakes with my footwork, and I’ve been doing pre-game drills to work on that. The other night with Villone, his ball moved much more than I expected, but I didn’t follow it all the way into my glove. I have to do better.
“The problem isn’t the pitchers, it’s me not knowing how all their pitches move and break. In Chicago, I got to know the staff in spring training, got comfortable with everyone. Here, there just isn’t time – the only time I catch them is during the game.”
Melvin said Olivo has the tools to be a great catcher – the arm, the soft hands, the ability to study hitters for weaknesses.
“What he needs now is about 10 games without a passed ball to get his confidence back,” Melvin said. “Part of it is experience with the staff, no question, and part of it is something we need to work with Miguel on.
“The problem is there’s a limit to how much we can do about either until spring training. He’ll be a much more confident catcher next year than this.”
Former Mariner Guillen exceeding expectations: After ex-Mariners infielder Carlos Guillen had a spectacular series – adding to a marvelous season – someone asked Melvin about the shortstop.
“No one envisioned him having this kind of season,” Melvin said, “but it probably wasn’t the best trade the Mariners have ever made.” …
Short hops: The season-high 21 hits for Seattle in the game Saturday was the 21st time in franchise history the team had piled up 20 or more hits in a game – and the third time the team lost while doing it. … By going 1-for-5, Ichiro Suzuki pushed his hit count for the season to 197. … Second baseman Bret Boone had the day off, and it may have cost Seattle a pair of runs. On a pop fly into short right field, Jolbert Cabrera – playing for Boone – couldn’t get to the ball. Ichiro caught it and dropped it and two Detroit runs scored on a gift double.
Larry LaRue, The News Tribune
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