Sox on Olivo

[macsandz]

We have no chance at Martinez. I'd love to get Olivo. We'd be above average or at worst average (can't say Beckham is above average yet) straight up the middle.

 

Agreed. You can't put too much value on this team improving defense. Olivo would be a huge step in the right direction.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

If you value defense you will. Olivo is pretty much the closest thing to Yadier Molina in the game.

That's just wrong. He'll probably end up in his 7th different organization this year (my bet is Texas) and he's only 31. If that combined with an unreal arm, the ability to hit 20+ bombs, and an overall scarcity of catchers doesn't say something really bad about his competency behind the plate I don't know what does. OTOH, Yadier Molina is one of the types of players you want to build a team around.

[Leonard Washington]

I don't want Olivo. We need guys that can get on base.

[Leonard Washington]

That's just wrong. He'll probably end up in his 7th different organization this year (my bet is Texas) and he's only 31. If that combined with an unreal arm, the ability to hit 20+ bombs, and an overall scarcity of catchers doesn't say something really bad about his competency behind the plate I don't know what does. OTOH, Yadier Molina is one of the types of players you want to build a team around.

Agreed.... other than his arm, I don't really seem him as anything special defensively.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

Agreed.... other than his arm, I don't really seem him as anything special defensively.

He's got a great release too and his footwork from what I've seen is impressive. Plus I love his aggressiveness and how he's always looking to pick off the guy at first. Running on Mark with Olivo behind the plate would be suicide.

 

Olivo still can't put it all together though. He has all the physical talent but mentally or whatever it just doesn't seem to be there for him. I mean, you can't look up a "pitchers think I suck" stat but if you could I imagine he'd be way up there.

Edited November 19, 2010 by Kenny Hates Prospects

[Leonard Washington]

He's got a great release too and his footwork from what I've seen is impressive. Plus I love his aggressiveness and how he's always looking to pick off the guy at first. Running on Mark with Olivo behind the plate would be suicide.

 

Olivo still can't put it all together though. He has all the physical talent but mentally or whatever it just doesn't seem to be there for him. I mean, you can't look up a "pitchers think I suck" stat but if you could I imagine he'd be way up there.

I seem to remember Bill James pegging him as one of the worst defensive catchers in baseball in last year's handbook. Don't quote me though.

 

From what I've seen of him, he's got hard/slow hands (passed balls, dropped balls), and he takes a long time putting his fingers down. Pitchers seem to have a hard time getting into a good rhythm with him on the mound.

 

Then again, I haven't seen a ton of him. But when I have seen him play I watch him a little closer because I'm always curious why Sox pitchers supposedly didn't like him behind the plate.

[Kenny Hates Prospects]

I seem to remember Bill James pegging him as one of the worst defensive catchers in baseball in last year's handbook. Don't quote me though.

 

From what I've seen of him, he's got hard/slow hands (passed balls, dropped balls), and he takes a long time putting his fingers down. Pitchers seem to have a hard time getting into a good rhythm with him on the mound.

 

Then again, I haven't seen a ton of him. But when I have seen him play I watch him a little closer because I'm always curious why Sox pitchers supposedly didn't like him behind the plate.

Maybe he's just lazy. I've only seen him when the Sox play his teams though so it's not much for me either.

[balfanman]

I seem to remember Bill James pegging him as one of the worst defensive catchers in baseball in last year's handbook. Don't quote me though.

 

From what I've seen of him, he's got hard/slow hands (passed balls, dropped balls), and he takes a long time putting his fingers down. Pitchers seem to have a hard time getting into a good rhythm with him on the mound.

 

Then again, I haven't seen a ton of him. But when I have seen him play I watch him a little closer because I'm always curious why Sox pitchers supposedly didn't like him behind the plate.

 

Guys like Mark Buerhle probably dislike working with Olivo then because Olivo is so slow calling a game. Mark, and other pitchers prefer working at a fast pace and were probably ticked when Olivo took so long to put down fingers. I have no idea whether Olivo is just relaxed and prefers a slower tempo, or if he might be a little mentally challenged and is a little slow in the thinking department.

 

It would explain why a Sox pitcher complained about working with Olivo when he was here though, They might not of disliked him personally, just his work tempo. It could also be a languaga barrier. Maybe Olivo was upset when he left the Sox because he had a spanish speaking manager that he could relate to. Does anyone know if Olivo speaks or understands english very well?

 

At any rate, if Olivo comes back to the Sox I would bet that Castro becomes Marks personal catcher, as well as any other pitcher who prefers to work quickly.

[Texsox]

When I was younger, Olivo had just been called up.

 

At the game, a foul ball off Sandy Alomars bat hit me right in the stomach and a lady sitting next to me grabbed it for her grandkids (who weren't at the game).

 

I met Olivo later at Grandstand and he signed my hat and I was happy .

 

Nice catch

[Dick Allen]

Maybe he's just lazy. I've only seen him when the Sox play his teams though so it's not much for me either.

He's led the lead in PB 4 of the past 5 years.

[balfanman]

He's led the lead in PB 4 of the past 5 years.

 

Could this be explained by the fact that he is a little mentally challenged? Again; I don't want to start any incorrect information, I just want to find out why pitchers don't like to throw to him. Could it be that Olivo is not only a little slow to put down fingers, but will occaisionally call a pitch and forget what he called, resulting in a passed ball?

[witesoxfan]

Could this be explained by the fact that he is a little mentally challenged? Again; I don't want to start any incorrect information, I just want to find out why pitchers don't like to throw to him. Could it be that Olivo is not only a little slow to put down fingers, but will occaisionally call a pitch and forget what he called, resulting in a passed ball?

It could be. But more than likely it's because he's poor defensively.