Smiles have also helped him through the disappointment of arriving at his first spring training with the Royals and finding out the competition for the starting catcher’s job wasn’t as open as he thought.
Olivo signed a one-year, $2.15 million deal with a mutual option to play for the Royals, something he says wouldn’t have happened had he known he would enter camp as the backup catcher to John Buck.
“If they (told) me that,” Olivo says, “I wouldn’t go to that situation. But I’m here.”
Asked to clarify, Olivo repeated the sentiment.
“If I’d have known it was going to be like that, the second catcher on the team, I would’ve (done) something else,” he says. “But now things changed. You need to keep it up and do the best you can.”
Olivo made it clear he is not angry, not bitter. He doesn’t blame anyone for what he sees as a miscommunication. He and Buck have a good relationship. He’s happy with his teammates, happy with how he’s been treated.
Olivo started Sunday’s 8-7 loss to the Rangers and went zero for two with a walk, a run scored, and a throwing error.
“Every day’s a competition for every guy out there,” manager Trey Hillman says. “Every guy that pitched today is in a competition, so it’s no different than any other position on the field. I said what I said, meaning what I said, that coming into camp John Buck was the starting catcher, and we’ll see how camp goes.”
General manager Dayton Moore says no promises were made to Olivo or his agent regarding playing time or ranking on the depth chart.
“It’s understandable that it’s a topic,” Moore says. “It’s something that needs to be discussed, it’s something that you need to write about. But I don’t think it’s an issue at all, because those things will play themselves out. I would never guarantee anybody’s going to catch two days a week or four days a week or six days a week or seven days a week.
“Those things will play themselves out.”
Besides, Moore stresses, competition is open and roles are constantly changing. He likes Olivo’s energy and presence, and sees him as not only a good option defensively but the second power-hitting, right-handed bat the Royals wanted this offseason after Jose Guillen.
“I would never flat-out guarantee anybody anything,” Moore says. “Because there are no guarantees in athletics. Every player has to evaluate the situation. Miguel Olivo evaluated our situation and made a decision to come here. We’re glad he’s here.
“He’s going to impact our team, he’s going to be a positive influence on our team. And as I’ve said since day one, Miguel Olivo will play a lot.”
Olivo hit .237 with 16 home runs and 60 RBIs as the primary catcher in Florida last year. He walked just 14 times in 469 plate appearances in 2007 and was among the league leaders by throwing out 45 of 144 (31.2 percent) of attempted base stealers the last two seasons.
Hillman has said he will find outside-the-box ways of getting Olivo in the lineup when he’s not catching. Sometimes that will mean DH, other times, perhaps, left field.
Moore says the label of primary catcher doesn’t mean that much to him this early in spring training. There is the possibility that Olivo could begin the season as the backup and end it as the starter.
Who knows? The thing that seems certain is that he’ll keep on grinning — backup, starter, whatever.
“I’ll smile,” he says. “It’s not (anybody’s) fault. I’m smiling to everybody. It’s normal. That’s me. I cannot be angry to be playing baseball, no. You need to have fun.”
Join the discussion
Share your observations and experiences about news. Lively, open debate is the goal, but please refrain from personal attacks or comments that are racist, vulgar or otherwise inappropriate. If you see an inappropriate comment, please click the "Report as violation" link to notify a KansasCity.com editor. Thanks for your feedback.