M’s Decline Olivo’s Option, Release Kawasaki
Dance in the streets everyone – the Miguel Olivo era in Seattle is over. They had to pay him $750,000 to go away, the final blow of a contract that was silly from the moment it was conceived, but at least he’s finally gone.
Also, Munenori Kawasaki was released, which is good, because he’s not a Major League player.
Both moves were obvious, but are still welcome anyway. If you’re curious, by the way, here is a list of every hitter who has ever gotten 1,000+ plate appearance in a Mariners uniform. Olivo is last in OBP, last in wOBA, third to last in wRC+, and fifth to last in WAR.
He’s not the worst player in franchise history, but he’s in the conversation. Thankfully, we no longer have to talk about him ever again.
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Thank goodness we don’t have to see Olivo anymore. I hope this is a sign that Jaso is going to catch more and that the organization believes Zunino and Franklin will be MLB ready sometime early next season.
Before saying it was the worst deal ever, you have to answer the question, Who was going to be the catcher before Olivo was signed?
YAY no Olivo! Nice to see them take care of this early, rather than spend the whole winter wondering if they’re going to cave on him. Let his “veteran presence” help out some other club.
Sniffle, re: Kawasaki. I know he was a favorite target of Dave’s famous scorn and disdain, pretty much from the instant Ichiro’s dino-buddy came over here… and Mune’s lack of production or potential facing major league pitching was obvious… but damn was he entertaining. If we can have a competent player, with a good bat and good glove, who also displays the kind of heart, team spirit and personality that Kawasaki did, we’d have a fan favorite here for years.
I had to make sure it wasn’t April 1, but I guess next you’ll be announcing a Felix extension? Felix! What scares me is the other obvious move that hasn’t happened yet…
So Dave if Z doesn’t go to the large item pile or pickup an actual UT guy do you see the team going with Triunfel and/or Figgins until Franklin is ready?
Wedgie must be crying.
Hopefully this also means they have some confidence in Jaso as more than a backup catcher.
Thank goodness. With Jaso we get the same defense, more or less, but with actual offense to make it seem worthwhile. Hopefully the next move is Dave’s suggested trade for Gimenez to fill the disposable, not-so-bad catcher role.
As for backup infielders, is Luis Rodriguez going to be around next season? He had a good year at the plate and is listed at shortstop for the Rainiers. He only had 23 games at short for the M’s in 2011 though so I’m not sure he’s a real option. But Figgins can’t play short so forget that.
And the sun is shining in Seattle in October!
Coincidence? I think not….
Yeah, Munenori Kawasaki was not a major league level quality baseball player, but God damn was that guy entertaining. From doing pushups after a pickoff throw, to his fake steal move where he runs in place, to his Zumba exercising with Montero, to his one man dance show between innings, to his gentle mounting of Casper Wells, to his flinging his helmet in the air in joy only to realize his mistake and try to catch it before it landed… Kawasaki just has an infectious energy and seems to genuinely love playing the game. If only you could hit or field, you’d have been one of the greatest baseball personalities ever.
And all the Mariners fans said ‘Good BYE’ with a smile on their face to Olivo. From a baseball standpoint I’m glad Kawasaki is gone but a little sad because he was funny.
At least there is hope that better things can be brought in now.
Declining Olivo on the heels of Mike Napoli’s claim that he would like to play somewhere where he can catch most of the time….I hope its just a coincidence. Z’s money would be better spent elsewhere
And the peasants rejoiced.
Would I be gloating if I said “I told ya so!”, to everyone who was paranoid and convinced they’d pick-up his option?!
Seriously though, we can all breath easy now. On to bigger and better things!
I am going to miss Muni.
And while I hope we’ve seen the last of Olivo, I don’t believe declining his option necessarily means that is the case – unless there’s some rule that says you can’t decline a player’s option then turn around and offer him a new contract for $3 million.
BTW I threw that “$3 million” out there because I didn’t have Olivo’s contract memorized. Since the option was for $3 million, obviously that number doesn’t work – but the actual number isn’t important (and I sincerely hope that doesn’t happen!).
Geez Westy, don’t deflate everyone! I don’t know what the rules are regarding that, but I think something similar happened with Sizemore. The fact that the M’s had to pay Olivo 750K should make it a safe bet he wont be back.
Why in the hell would they do that?
Muni was hilarious. I’m gonna miss him. But a good baseball decision.
Worth noting that one of the players who actually ranks lower in WAR than Olivo is Figgins. I’m guessing he’ll be gone by the end of the winter meetings.
How funny would it be if the most exciting moves of the off-season end up being the loss of specific players, rather than the acquiring of others?!
Maybe they think he’s worth $2 million but not $3 million.
I can think of several inexplicable things this team has done. Why is Figgins still on the roster, for that matter?
I love to be reminded of John Moses.
“Nooo-Oh, O-li-vo!”
Now the Mariners can finally acquire a better back-up catcher… Blindfolded, drawing names from a hat, names of random people (and potentially sign reading apes) who currently inhabit this planet.
You remember how you felt when Edgar Martinez stepped up to the plate with runners on? Miguel Olivo was the inverse of that feeling.
Really unsettling how many current Mariners are at the top (bottom?) of that Worst Mariners list.
Before saying it was the worst deal ever, you have to answer the question, Who was going to be the catcher before Olivo was signed?
Umm, replacement level catcher for the minimum salary? That would have resulted in the same on field value and left the money to spend somewhere else.
Glad that these moves were made, but the biggest move of all has yet to be made. Chone Figgins should have been off this team a year ago.
Echo the comment above: what will it take to *finally* get ourselves rid of Figgins? He’s been sucking up that extra roster spot for well over a year now…
So, give him $750,000 to buy out 2013, then give him $2 million, saving a grand total of $250,000.
Yeah, maybe, but c’mon man.
Figgins is our Higgs-Boson Particle; a great mystery whose answer may unlock the secrets of the universe.
Before saying it was the worst deal ever, you have to answer the uestion, Who was going to be the catcher before Olivo was signed?
I have no idea. But since there are always catchers available for the league minimum who are better than Olivo, it doesn’t seem like a particularly relevant question.
I admit, I wouldn’t have worried about this at all, if it hadn’t been for some of you worrywarts I wouldn’t have remotely considered the possibility that the option would be picked up. Quite happy to be right.
Miguel Olivo absolutely makes my Mount Rushmore of most frustrating Mariners.
(1 hour later)
Carlos Silva, Heathcliff Slocumb, Mike Timlin, Bobby Ayala, Scott Spiezio, Milton Bradley, Jeff Cirillo, Chone Figgins…
^ I tend to think of Silva and Bradley interchangeably, given the circumstances regarding their Mariner-dom.
Typical, when I said $2 million I meant including the buyout – sorry that wasn’t clear. And please understand I am neither hoping nor claiming it will occur. All I’m stating is that weirder things have happened, and I won’t breathe completely easily until the team breaks camp in 2013 Olivo-less. But I am happy they declined his option, because now the odds are pretty good we’ve seen the last of him.
Clearly, Kawasaki’s EV/WAR* is the highest of any Mariner ever.
*entertainment value per wins above replacement
I think it’s odd that fans personalize their annoyance with certain players. All players think they have talent, and want to play as much as possible. Willie Bloomquist, Scott Speizio, Chone Figgins, and now Olivo. I know we don’t like to see bad players get more money and playing time than they deserve. But doesn’t the fault lie with the gm and manager? I’m sure all those guys are good dudes. If you were in their shoes, what would you do differently?
As a side note, I’d love to see Kelly Shoppach as a 1-year backup till Zunino takes the job. He and Jaso would be a great platoon.
I’m betting Olivo comes back on a $1M deal, $1.75M including the buyout, not $2M, Westy, you miserable fool!
Olivo is gone.
I dance. I dance a lot and right now.
I am dancing in the street just like Jagger and Bowie in ’86.
But in a much more masculine fashion, of course.
Taking contracts into account, I think you’d have to say Olivo and Figgins are two of the four worst players in franchise history. John Moses is in a class by himself (I’d never before realized just how bad that guy was), but the fact that our current gruesome twosome would fit right in production-wise with the expansion team lineup is pretty sad.
I hope Ackley and Saunders can work their way off the first page of that list, toot sweet, post-haste and ad-infinitum.
And, quickly too.
I am somewhat confident, they will.
And Guit and Smoak, too.
I am less confident, they will.
Or “Guti” as he is sometimes known.
John Moses is in a class by himself (I’d never before realized just how bad that guy was),
I cannot believe he was as bad a fielder as the stats say he was. We always thought he was a good center fielder with a bad bat. Fangraphs says he was a lousy fielder with a meh bat.
Is this a joke? Miggy was a gamer! And our best catcher. He produced in THIS lineup when no one was.
The M’s could have saved some money by having Olivo and Figgins split a cab.
I think your forgot your sarcasm tags turin.
I’ll say one thing for Olivo – if I needed someone to have my back in a bar fight, I think he’d be a good choice. Dude is about as tough as they come.
Not that I’m planning to be involved in any bar fights, mind you…