Add new comment

Biggio
Craig Biggio came up as a catcher.  After a 50 game audition in 1988, he played three full seasons behind the plate, posting 114, 93, 113 OPS+ scores.  At age 26, they converted him to a 2B, where he stayed through age 36 (2002).  His .702 catcher OPS turned into an .837 OPS over the next 11 seasons at second.  They tried him as an OF for a couple of years and then sent him back to second for his final three seasons.
The point here is that an assignment to catcher TODAY does not preclude him becoming a 1B/DH (or 2B or 3B or RF) tomorrow.  However, a conversion to 1B/DH today *DOES* preclude him from becoming a catcher tomorrow. 
The fact of the matter is the Mariners, this instant, are clearly and desperately in need of improvement at catcher.  They know exactly how good their current catching talent is and it doesn't have any upside at all.  It is MUCH less clear how desperate they are for improvement at 1B or DH.  Smoak and Carp may fail.  But, they may both succeed.  The jury is still out on them.  It isn't on Olivo.
But, the only time the Ms will *EVER* get a chance to even contemplate adding Mike Piazza to the lineup for the next 10 years is right now, this instant.  Jesus Monterro could be Mike Piazza.  He could be Craig Biggio.  But, if you remove him from catching immediately, the "chance" for Mike Piazza is gone forever.  Because he is not going to spend a year away from catching and then be asked to go back. 
Dale Murphy actually came up as a catcher.  But Biff Pocoroba came up just before Murph did.  Biff wasn't a great hitter and only a so-so catcher.  But, the Braves had a hole at 1B, so for a season Murphy played 1B and backed up Biff.  By his third season, Murphy was a CF and never looked back.  Lost to history is the fact Murphy caught about 20 games a season his first 4 years in the majors.  He was moved by a combination of his bat was too good to stay on the bench, and his glove wasn't good enough to stay behind the plate.  But, part of the reason he moved was that the club needed him elsewhere.  Murphy was an athletic catcher.
Edgar started as a 3B.  Heck, PUJOLS as a rookie played 78 games in the OF, 55 at third and 42 at first, (yes, that's more than 162, since he played more than one position in a number of games). 
The simple reality of the current Ms is this.  The only possible way the Ms aren't going to stink at catcher (both offensively and defensively) is if Monterro turns out to be an adequate defensive catcher and the big bat that most everyone expects.  If he doesn't cut it behind the plate, you can move him to 1B/DH, (unless you've added Fielder and the DH/1B slots are both taken).
I have said it before and I'll say it again.  Order matters.  If the Ms are going to build a winning club they cannot pretend it doesn't.  And I believe Jack is aware that order matters.  Giving Monterro a solid shot at catching does not lock him out of moving to 1B or DH.  Moving him to 1B or DH today does lock him out of ever becoming an MLB catcher.