Olivo to Padres
The San Diego Padres today acquired catcher Miguel Olivo from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for catcher Miguel Ojeda and minor league right-handed pitcher Nathanel Mateo.
Olivo, you know. I think all of us here at the USS Mariner were quite high on Olivo both at the time he was acquired as well as heading into this season, and instead of taking that next step, he fell flat on his face.
Here’s Ojeda’s 2005. Here’s Mateo’s. Perhaps we’re trying to corner the market on right-handed pitchers named Mateo? BP ’05 likes his fastball-slider combo, saying his live, rubber arm (they actually say he has an Everday Eddie rubber arm, believe it or not) could make him a cheap, effective member of sombody’s 2006 bullpen.
In a very small sample, Ojeda has shown the ability to hit lefties (though we used to say that about Olivo, as you may recall). Frankly, the M’s should be overjoyed to have gotten anything at all for Olivo at this point, particularly a potentially interesting arm like Mateo. And for those of you looking for info on him, it appears his first name is actually spelled Natanael, not Nathanel as in the article.
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98 Responses to “Olivo to Padres”
The Bo Sox just got Cruz Jr. http://seattle.mariners.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20050731&content_id=1151675&vkey=trade2005&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
Dave, i’m counting on you to tell us if anything else goes down.
Not trying to cause controversy. Just my opinion. And by the way, from the way I understood it, it wasn’t a provision in Moyer’s contract. It was his 10-5 rights (not my favorite Player’s Association rule, but hey, whatever). Nieve would’ve meant a lot to this team’s future level of competitiveness — Moyer not so much. I’m only thinking about the future of the organization, past be damned. But it’s just my opinion, and you guys certainly have a very valid reason to defend Moyer’s action. 😉
Moyer deserves to be with this team until he retires. Besides, if we get rid of him, who would be our ace? Meche? Pineiro?
They don’t even have new of the Olivo trade on the Seattle Times, Seattle PI, or Tacoma News Tribune website yet.
It’s 2 am here, and I’m going to bed. If the M’s make any deals while I’m sleeping, you’ll have to get your news elsewhere. Sorry.
And the Olivo story is in the P-I article I linked to in post #25.
Re. #48:
I was wrong; you’re right. Miguel Ojeda (2005: $325,000, 2006: $350,000; & 2007: $500,000 w/$25,000 buyout option) signed a three-year deal this past off-season.
Bodhizefa… I certainly understand your disappointment. I share it. I don’t blame Moyer, but I do understand the disappointment.
Wtf? An ice cream truck just drove by my house at 11:15. lol
Torrealba (thanks for that Torre + Alba trick) isnn’t supposed to report until Tuesday. Do we have a second catcher for Sunday? Ojeda?
“Moyer deserves to be with this team until he retires. Besides, if we get rid of him, who would be our ace? Meche? Pineiro?”
We could simply resign him again after the season.
OK, I reread the P-I story since Dave said the second trade was in it, and it says that Ojeda will be on the team Sunday. They expect to send one of the three catchers down when Doyle is eligible to return.
I can see it coming:
“Warming up in the bullpen are Mateo and Mateo”. “Coming into the game is Julio… Oh sorry, Nate.. No wait that’t Julio. It’s Julio Mateo.”
I don’t get it, if we had a trade for winn in the works, why not just keep Snelling on the roster, so he’s able to take over immediatley? I don’t want to see 3 mediocre catchers on the roster and willy handling left field for the next 10 days.
63 that is a problem I would love to have, that would mean that Nate would have the numbers and control and stuff to be on the major league team in the next year or two.. that would be nice haha
I don’t think Moyer will accept any trade unless it is to a definate contender. How bout we trade Moyer for Wang?
Back in the early 80s, the M’s at various times had two Allens on the roster (Rod Allen and Jamie Allen), two Nelsons (Jamie Nelson and Rickey Nelson) and two Hendersons (Steve Henderson and Dave Handerson).
Oh, and two Griffeys.
We can handle two Mateos, no sweat.
Where does Dave live, anyway?
Trading for Miguel Ojeda a stupid move — regardless of the acquisition of minor league relief pitcher Natanael Mateo in the deal — since the M’s weren’t on the hook for Miguel Olivo past this season, and are now accountable for a 30+ year-old, below-average catcher through 2007.
Ultimately, if Seattle plans to use Ojeda and Yorvit Torrealba as their two catchers next year — while Wiki Gonzalez earns $250,000 via his contract buyout, and Rene Rivera (who’s a quasi-prospect) & Ryan Christianson (who’s a pseudo-prospect) plod away in Tacoma — then the team will be no better off than they’ve been so far this season.
I would hardly call it stupid. We are not talking about A-Rod’s salary.
We got rid of someone who was not wroking out and picked up someone who might.
Not a big deal, not a team-saver…. but not stupid.
AK1984 – I don’t really get it either. On the other hand, would they be better off if they DFA’d Ojeda immediately? In other words, does the difference in salary between the rest of the year for Olivo offset the salary Ojeda have coming or at least make Mateo a really cheap pitching prospect? It might be a decent if convuluted move if so.
Dave lives in North Carolina.
Why’s he an M’s fan, then?
Joseph, one of the things I’ve noticed that I find really cool is that M’s fans seem to be scattered around the country. Maybe it’s Ichiro or the 2001 season or something. If you look at the various chat transcripts on ESPN.com for instance, what you’ll often see is this:
Joe in Philadelphia asks a question about the Phils
Jane in Albany asks about the Mets
Erik in Connecticut asks about the Mariners
Weird, but true. Also cool.
Joseph,
I would take a guess that Dave is from the WA area, either grew up here or lived out here in WA for awhile. I could be wrong, but just because he might of moved doesn’t mean he quit liking the team.
Im an Ms fan who grew up in Connecticut (not erik however), moved to upstate NY, and now I go to school in DC. Have only been to Seattle once in my life, but have been a fan since I was 9 in 1993. Dont ask why, Im just random.
I’ve always liked Connecticut 🙂
I think Dave is from around here. But I could, uncharacteristically, be wrong.
I really think we need a forum.
southern california native here, loved the mariners since 1996. Mostly that whole Rodriguez, Griffey, RJ, Edgar superstar thing. I don’t know, but before i knew too much about baseball, it was the logo that got me into the M’s. Something about the teal and the compass rose is very cool.
Yeah, i think there was something about being slammed between Yankees and Red Sox nations that forced me to look for outside options. Anywho, been following the threads for a while now. Thanks to all who contribute. It makes following a team based hundreds of miles away quite enjoyable.
I grew up there. Been a Mariner fan since they gave us free tickets for good grades in the seventies.
John in LA – In the seventies? Are you sure you weren’t being punished?
40. 47. Ahh yes, baby Yorvit would have equal chances of looking like a complete bombshell or having a face like a burlap sack full of rocks.
Conception would be a heck of a result for Joe Torre though. That’s way better than Lyle Lovett marrying Julia Roberts. Julia Roberts has a mouth like a two-car garage.
hehe
And what sort of a first name is Yorvit?
(Asks the man with the oh-so normal first name)
Dave’s from here, lives and works elsewhere. It happens sometimes.
Personally, I’m not crazy about Alba. She looks so perfect she should be folded twice and have a staple in her belly button. Of course, she’s too young for me anyway. Luckily, I don’t really care what Yorvit (I love that name, looks like.
85. Thanks to power of google, i have discovered that Yorvit in Latin means “from the yew tree”. I know, it seems so obvious once someone points it out. Well hopefully Yew Tree Torrealba can hold down the fort till CLement is ready.
“Back in the early 80s, the M’s at various times had two Allens on the roster (Rod Allen and Jamie Allen), two Nelsons (Jamie Nelson and Rickey Nelson) and two Hendersons (Steve Henderson and Dave Handerson).
Oh, and two Griffeys.
We can handle two Mateos, no sweat.”
That was before Niehaus got old…
#66 Houston is leading the NL wildcard by 2 games. They’re not a contender? Moyer would have been in the rotation with Clemens, Oswalt & Pettitte. Wtf… Why turn that down?
We’ve had game threads with people from 5 different time zones contributing (Japan and England, sometimes elsewhere in Europe). Some of those people are up way late to be following a game on mlb.com. (And fans on the easy coast complain about late nights when their team is on the west coast. Sheesh)
Seems like this move is just a waste of time. Ojeda may actually be worse than Olivo and we are on the hook for his salary through 2007. Mateo may be interesting but looking at the track record of AA relievers making an impact in MLB, I just don’t get it. He has one pitch and is 24. Bavasi should have better ways to spend his time.
Remember the wasted effort in the Cirillo for Jarvis/Wiki trade?
I like it. Ojeda seems to have a rep as a solid defensive guy and his stats show him around a 650 OPS in Petco the last few years (can’t find his early Minor/Major? League stats anywhere).
Those numbers seem like they could translate to the Safe easy enough, and you’ve pretty much got Dan Wilson again as your backup.
Um, without the swooning middle-age women, of course.
Don’t forget the days of the “Two Martinez Lunch” (Edgar and Tino).
jason
#90 That’s what I was wondering. Seems like Houston would have been a pretty good fit for Moyer.
Unless they’ve redeisgned the park lately, “The Juice Box” is notorious for not being a very pitcher-friendly park.
This is not as much of an issue if you can strike guys out (see: rest of Astros pitching staff), but it sure is for Moyer.
What makes me curious is why he’d turn down Atlanta (if, in fact, that was offered). It’s not like finesse pitchers haven’t done well there, and you’ve got as close to a guaranteed ticket punch for the postseason as you can get, plus a great pitching coach.
90. You ever been in Texas at this time of year? I’d turn that down in a heartbeat.
Ditto Atlanta. Hubby was there in ’96 for the Olympics, in quite fit condition, and even he complained about the humidity/heat. I imagine it’s quite a shock to go from pitching most of your games in sunny cool Seattle to either of those 2 cities.