Add new comment

If Olivo plays league average defense and offense, then he's a score.  We've just seen so many hitters die in Safeco, and Olivo's batting history here wasn't so good (home/road splits notwithstanding).  I'm assuming a sub-80 OPS+ from him.
You gotta believe he will be at least league-average defense-wise.  Shuts down the run game, and he caught the Cy Young winner in 2009.
Personality wise, you paint a picture of a tougher guy than I deemed him.  I always considered Olivo one of the real good guys in baseball though.  I was pulling for him when he was with the M's big time.  IIRC, he has a bunch of kids that he loves to death, so a devoted family man, and he always seemed appreciative, honest...  I dunno, it just felt like he spoke from the heart more than 99% of the other guys you hear in interviews.  So that stuck with me back then.
The other thing I thought about, is at his salary and with his history, he's probably a pretty tradable commodity.  Great attitude, veteran but not too old, history of hitting decently, a little pop.  If one of the young kids blows up, Olivo is liquid.