So what does this mean for our catching situation? I had kind of anticipated Ausmus coming to San Diego. Are we really going into this season with Miguel Olivo and Doug Mirabelli as our catching tandem? I guess we are:
Losing a player and person of Loretta's caliber is always difficult to accept, especially when you don't get a star in return. Doug Mirabelli is a serviceable catcher, highly regarded by pitchers who have worked with him. He is a sound defensive operative, knowledgeable and tough, and he's been known to hit right-handers fairly well.
The club's early plan is to have them share time fairly equally, but I see Miguel Olivo starting upwards of 110 games, Mirabelli the rest. Olivo earned the job with his inspiring play while Ramon Hernandez was out, and his commitment and desire are unquestioned. He has a big arm, power and speed, and his mistakes -- being overly aggressive on the bases, trying to pick off baserunners -- come from effort. You can live with that.
Maybe now that Lopes and Picciolo aren't running the traffic signals, we won't have to worry about Olivo's baserunning. Still, I'm rooting for a catcher to get signed, unless the club is really that high on Kottaras.
The club's early plan is to have them share time fairly equally, but I see Miguel Olivo starting upwards of 110 games, Mirabelli the rest. Olivo earned the job with his inspiring play while Ramon Hernandez was out, and his commitment and desire are unquestioned. He has a big arm, power and speed, and his mistakes -- being overly aggressive on the bases, trying to pick off baserunners -- come from effort. You can live with that.