Padres have shipped former backup catcher Miguel Ojeda and Double-A reliever Natanael Mateo to Seattle for catcher Miguel Olivo. The newest Padre turned 27 a couple weeks ago, is cheap, and isn’t quite the hitter that recently acquired David Ross is (or Ojeda, for that matter).
There are some tasty ironies in this deal as well. Olivo’s departure from Seattle means more playing time for former Padre Wiki Gonzalez. (If ever there was a more damning indictment of a player than trading him to clear time for Gonzalez, I don’t know what it is.)
Also, Olivo had been acquired by the Mariners from the White Sox for Ben Davis, another former Friar catcher, last season.
If you’re keeping score at home, here is the Padres’ current catching situation (career numbers, through July 30, 2005):
| Player | Age | AB | BA | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Fick | 31 | 1934 | .262 | .331 | .426 |
| Olivo | 26 | 789 | .218 | .265 | .375 |
| Ross | 28 | 411 | .212 | .284 | .401 |
Reaction from Mariners bloggers:
As the allegedly Chinese curse says, “May you live in interesting times.”
The deal makes more sense if you look at the splits and defensive metrics. Still nothing spectacular.