Welcome Back, Josh Bard

Update: official now. Bard up, Gimenez to the DL, and Edward Paredes designated for assignment. Paredes is 24 years old and not good, making him an easy selection here.

Last night, Miguel Olivo hurt himself. An inning or two later, Chris Gimenez hurt himself. Olivo didn't seem to be hurt too bad, but Gimenez is a different story, so one figured the Mariners would have to make a move at catcher before Wednesday's game. They have unofficially made that move, with Josh Bard arriving in Seattle and getting into the matinee starting lineup.

Gimenez has a strained oblique, and while he just had an MRI this morning and we don't know the results, I can't remember the last time a strained oblique didn't put a guy on the disabled list for at least 3-4 weeks. So that'll probably take care of the 25-man roster slot. But Bard will still require a 40-man roster slot, so this could mean the end - at least as a roster player - for, I dunno, Luis Rodriguez or Jeff Gray or Edward Paredes or somebody. Probably not Gray, but if the Mariners dropped Gray, I'm not sure anyone would notice, including Gray himself. Jeff Gray has been a member of this team since May 13th.

Bard was thought by some to be on the minor league DL, but it turns out he was just day-to-day, so things have worked out well for him. He's 33 now, and his numbers with Tacoma haven't been superb, but he's still a switch-hitting veteran catcher with a little bit of power and a little bit of an eye, so he's a fine guy to have around as support. Arguably better than Gimenez. Though he won't play much with Olivo around, he shouldn't embarrass himself when he does, and when he bats he makes you feel like he's about to do something productive, even though he usually doesn't. It's one of his traits.

A bad break for Gimenez, but at least he goes on the DL with the knowledge that now everybody thinks he's a badass. Bard should be able to pick up any and all necessary slack.