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Olivo sticks with Royals for starting role

In addition, two sides extend mutual option an additional year

KANSAS CITY -- Miguel Olivo not only agreed to return to the Royals next season, but apparently he'll move up to become the No. 1 catcher as well.

̱ ø ο ư Ϳ Ӹ ƴ϶ ϰ ״ Ƿ ̴.

Olivo and the Royals exercised their mutual option on his $2.7-million contract for 2009, the club announced Monday. In addition, they have agreed on another mutual option for 2010, believed to be in the $3.25-million range.

ø ο 2009 270 ȣ ɼ ߴٰ Ŭ ǥߴ. ߰ ׵ 325 ޷ 2010 ȣ ɼ ߴ.

Manager Trey Hillman threw in a bonus for Olivo.

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"He's going to get the majority of the catching time," Hillman said. "We feel like we're in a good situation with him and John Buck both, and we felt like they worked very well together."

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Last season, Buck started the majority of games behind the plate, 106, to Olivo's 56. However, Olivo was given a fresh look in September and obviously impressed Hillman.

ټ 106 پ. øԴ 56⿴. ׷ øԴ 9 ο ü ־ ϰ .

The Royals made other moves on Monday, promoting catcher Brayan Pena to the 40-man roster and assigning catcher Matt Tupman and relief pitcher Yasuhiko Yabuta to the Triple-A Omaha roster.

ο Ͽ Ǵٸ 긦 ߴµ 40 νͿ ϽŰ ߼ ߺŸ AAA ´.

In addition, the Toronto Blue Jays claimed shortstop Angel Sanchez off waivers. Sanchez was on the 60-day disabled list. The moves left the Royals' 40-man roster at 39.
 
߰ ̽ ݼ ü ̹ Ŭ . ü 60 λ ܿ ִ. ̷ ο 40 νʹ 39 Ǿ.

On Aug. 31, Hillman announced that Olivo would get more playing time and, from that day, he started 14 games to Buck's 13. Afterward, Hillman said he was pleased with Olivo's improved game-management skills and with Buck's improved throwing.

8 31 ø ð Ŷ Ͽ, ׳ ķ ״ 14ӿ ߴ.( 13) Ŀ װ ø  ų ۱ ɷ¿ ߴٰ ߴ.

The late-season audition, though, obviously worked in Olivo's favor.


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Olivo, who also started 21 games at designated hitter, batted .255 with 41 RBIs, 12 home runs and 22 doubles over 84 total games. He also had his best year at throwing out runners, nailing 12 of 31 for 38.7 percent -- fourth highest in the Majors (minimum 20 attempts).

Ÿڷ 21 ؼ ø .255 41Ÿ, 12Ȩ, 22 2Ÿ 84⿡ ÷ȴ. ״ 쿡 ְ ظ ´µ 31 ߿ 12 38.7ۼƮ ̰ 4 ̴(ּ 20 õ)

"With the further evaluation we had the last month of the season, that's the way we're going to start," Hillman said, "and Miguel will get the majority of the catching time from the start of the season and for a certain period of time, and then we'll continue to evaluate it just like we do with everything."

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This came as news to Buck, contacted in Salt Lake City.

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"This is the first time I've ever heard of it," he said.

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His reaction was brief.

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"Whatever's best for the Royals," Buck said. "What are you going to do, except hit better?"

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Buck batted .224 with nine home runs, 23 doubles and 48 RBIs last season. His throwing efficiency was just 7-for-65, 11 percent, but picked up as the season went along.

9Ȩ 23 2Ÿ 48Ÿ ´. ۱ ɷ 65 ߿ 7 Ұ 11ۼƮ Ұϴ ׷ 鼭 .

Ironically, this reverses the situation of last Spring Training when Olivo, signed as a free agent from the Florida Marlins, came to camp figuring he was the No. 1 catcher or at least would have a shot at it. Instead, he was informed that Buck was the starting catcher.

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Despite the misunderstanding, Buck and Olivo bonded.

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"They work well together and John was very, very unselfish in helping Miggy out as much as he possibly could with what he knew about the American League and also with what needed to be done with the individual starting pitchers," Hillman said.

"׵ ϰ ְ ſ ſ ̱̾ ״ װ Ƹ޸ĭ ׿ ؼ ƴ Ϳ ׸ ؼ ʿ Ϳ   ̱⸦ " Ѵ.


"And, quite honestly, to have a guy as unselfish as John Buck helping Miguel really made us better and, from an individual standpoint, it made Miggy better. I'm not sure too many guys who want to hold onto a starting position [would do that]. You know how John is, he wants to play every day, and so that's extremely impressive. We certainly intend to utilize John as well, but this makes it a little bit clearer with Miguel going into camp knowing he's going to get the majority of the catching time."

"׸ ̱⸦ ϴ Ÿ ִ ִ 츮 Ű. ׸ ̱Ⱑ . ڸ Ű⸦ ϴ ׷ ϸ Ȯ .  ˰̴ϴ. ״ ٱ⸦ ؿ. װ ſ λ. 츮 Ȯ ȰϷ ؿ. ׷ ̰

Olivo had been the primary catcher for the Marlins in the previous two seasons. Buck has been the Royals' starter for the past 4 1/2 seasons since being obtained from the Houston Astros in the Carlos Beltran deal.

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Naturally, with two experienced catchers on hand, the Royals could be in a position to trade one of them in a catcher-thin environment.

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"What I'd say to that is we like our catching the way it is and we like the combination we have in place," general manager Dayton Moore said. "It's a great tandem that we have and it's obviously one of the most crucial and important positions on the diamond. ... We've got two very good catchers."

" Ҽ ִ 츮 츮 ̷ ϰ 츮 츮 տ Ѵٴ " Ѵ. "̰ 츮 Ǹ ̸ ϰ ̾Ƹ忡  ư ߿ ߿ ϳ... 츮 θ ſ ."


Pena, who impressed the Royals with a .303 average for Omaha, replaces Tupman (.229 for Omaha) as the third catcher on the roster. Both Tupman and Yabuta, who was 1-3 with a 4.78 ERA for the Royals, cleared waivers before being placed on the Omaha roster. Yabuta spent about half the season with Omaha.

Ͽ .303 Ÿ ̸鼭 ο λ Ĵ Ӹ üϸ 3 νͿ ̸ ÷ȴ. Ҹǰ ߺŸ(ο 1 3 4.78 ) νͷ ̹ Ǿ. ߺŸ Ͽ ־.

Sanchez, from Puerto Rico, was taken by the Royals in the 11th round of the 2001 First-Year Player Draft. Once a highly prized prospect -- he hit .313 for Class A High Desert in 2005 -- Sanchez was slowed by injuries. He missed the entire 2007 season because of elbow surgery. Returning this season, he batted .261 for Double-A Northwest Arkansas and .221 for Omaha.


Ǫ 丮 ü 2001 巡Ʈ 11忡 Ǿ. Ѷ ޴ ֿ - ״ HIGH A .313 ƴ - ü λ ȴ. ״ Ȳġ 2007 ä ȴ. ƿͼ ״ AA .261, AAA .221 ƴ.


ϴ.
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