Seattle's Catcher in the Nigh

Isn't it funny how some teams just can't seem to find a player to play a certain position? For example, the Tampa Bay Rays have no luck in finding a DH that hits any better than a pitcher. For the Seattle Mariners, that position seems to be the catcher. For years, the Mariners have underwhelmed when it came to their catching corps and the signing of Miguel Oliva does not lend inspiration that their dry spell behind the plate will get any better.

Here's a look at some of the gory details the past few years:

• 2010: Slash line - .201/.263/.303   Okay, that's pitiful. They did manage to throw out 28% of base steal attempts. That's pretty good these days.
• 2009: Slash line - .224/.282/.354.  Not as bad, but still, pretty awful. They were good, however, at throwing runners out, which they did at a 40% clip.
• 2008: Slash line - .252/.297/.377. That's three years now with an OBP under .300. 29% of base steal attempts gunned down.
• 2007: Slash line - .291/.331/.429. Johjima's best offensive year, but the team still had only 22 walks from the catching position in 639 plate appearances. Johjima was very good at throwing base stealers out. 39%.
• 2006: Slash line - .269/.310/.420. 23 walks in 645 plate appearances.

Not a pretty picture. At least in 2006 and 2007 they slugged a little bit. But for years now, the Mariners have had catchers that never took a walk. Last year, of course, was the nadir of them all. You can't survive with a .569 OBP from your catchers. 2010 was supposed to be the year Adam Moore took over as catcher. But he didn't hit (.195). He didn't walk. He didn't throw out base runners (19%) and he struck out a lot without any power. Moore had an .850 OPS in the minors and had good success throwing out runners, so perhaps this small sample size is unfair to his abilities. He is only 26 and could turn it around.

But Miguel Oliva is no upgrade. First of all, he's had ten or more passed balls in three of his last four years and four times in his nine year career. He's not bad at throwing out runners. But check out his career slash line: .246/.283/.427. Just what the Mariners need, another catcher with a sub-.300 OBP. Last year's offensive numbers were inflated by Coors Field in Colorado. Olivo has walked only 125 times in 3058 plate appearances. That translates to 4%. That makes the Molina brothers look like Frank Thomas.

So maybe Moore will get another chance and just maybe he'll show a little bit of his minor league success. But if not, the Mariners are headed into their fourth straight year of woeful offensive catching.

What Was That All About?

The old baseball ticker has been humming with teams either declining to pick up player options for next year or picking them up. David Ortiz got his extension but not a contract. Edgar Renteria became the second straight World Series MVP to be sent packing right after getting the hardware. Adrian Beltre declined his option to become a free agent. And on an on the wheel spins. Just about the strangest story though comes out of Toronto.

This Fan has been quite complimentary so far of the Blue Jays' new general manager.* It seems the new guy has a lot on the ball and he made a fine managerial selection among many of the other moves he has made. But the story today was a little reminder that nobody is perfect.

*(Posnanski asterisk): You will probably notice that this Fan never types the Blue Jays' general manager's name. That's because it's impossible to remember and even if you could remember it, you can't spell it. So, he is either AA or that Blue Jays GM.

It seems that the Rockies traded catcher, Miguel Olivo, to the Blue Jays for the old player to be named later. The Rockies didn't want to pick up Olivo's $2.5 million option. It seems that the market for catchers is pretty soft these days with not a whole lot of money to be made. The only problem with this deal was that the Blue Jays had to pick up Olivo's option before a time deadline. At the last minute, they decided to decline the option and just pay Olivo his $500,000 buyout. Whuh?

So the Blue Jays will lose a player and now they are out $500,000 and ended up with nothing? Do they get a compensation pick? Perhaps. This Fan would imagine that Olivo is a Type B or something which will net the Jays a pick. Okay. The Fan feels a lot better now. So, then. If you boil it all down, the Blue Jays gave up a player and paid $500,000 for a draft pick. Better be a heck of a pick, eh?

**Update: Mr. Neyer wrote today that this was a brilliant move. Well...okay...we'll go with that then.