DUNEDIN, FLA—It was only the first day of Blue Jays spring training for pitchers and catchers and already there was one well-laid plan by GM Alex Anthopoulos destined for failure.

There is little chance that last year’s starting catcher, Dioner Navarro, will remain with the team as a primary DH and backup to newcomer Russell Martin, unless Josh Thole remains as R.A. Dickey’s personal catcher. That being said, manager John Gibbons insisted that three catchers is not an ideal situation.

An obviously unhappy Navarro addressed the media on Monday and revealed that he had indeed asked to be traded from the Jays after Anthopoulos called in November to let him know about Martin signing a five-year, $82 millon contract. Navarro is in the second year of a deal paying him $5 million in 2015. He made 102 starts behind the plate in 2014, with 19 more as the DH.

“It’s a business,” Navarro said. “It is what it is. I see it that way: I’ve been in the good ends, I’ve been in the bad ends. I’m just going to try and put myself in the best position I can be, work hard throughout the whole spring and hopefully the opportunity shows up.”

Anthopoulos admits he has been listening to offers for Navarro, but nothing that would make his own club better, thus he chooses to show patience. The Jays will continue to promote Navarro as potentially a DH and second catcher, but that would be mainly to prop up the 31-year-old’s trade value in case a major-league team loses a catcher during the spring and the Navarro market opens up.

In many situations like this one, in which a player has asked for a trade, clubs will even allow the agents to get involved and if they can find another team that would allow Navarro to catch 110 to 120 games. In that case, Anthopoulos would follow up and try to get a deal done.

“I think it’s hard to even say that,” Navarro said of a spring move. “Nobody knows. The position that we’re in as a catcher, guys go down more often than position players. It’s still a possibility, even here. I don’t wish bad for anybody, but I just want to play, I just want to keep doing what I’m doing. I enjoy playing. I had a great, great, great year last year. Even with myself, I was really happy with what I have accomplished and I’m just trying to get an opportunity where I can play every day.”

Here’s where it gets difficult to believe this proposed catching situation can work. One of the team’s goals at spring training is to find out whether Dickey is confident to go to the hill with Martin as his catcher. Thole has been a personal choice for the majority of his outings with the Mets and Jays since 2010. The knuckleball is capricious and the man throwing it complicated. Even on Monday’s first day of camp, in the first bullpen sessions, Gibbons matched Thole and Dickey.

“I saw him from a distance, but there’s still time,” Martin said of any close encounter with Dickey. “They’re actually going to set up the (pitching) machine, and the machine can simulate some knuckleballs and stuff. So, just getting used to the (bigger) glove and things like that. I’m going to have plenty of time to work with him and get to know him and stuff like that.

“I’ve had a little bit of experience. Charlie Haeger was another guy that I caught, but he was only an up-and-down guy. It’s a challenge, and I’m always up for new challenges, excited to see how I can handle it. I have no idea, really, how I’m going to do. One thing I do know, I’m going to do my best, and learn from the mistakes and trial and adjustments. And there’s a lot of guys here who can help me, that have had experience and stuff. So I’m definitely going to have open ears that way.”

Navarro is truly not happy with his new role and the Jays are looking to accommodate him. It hasn’t happened yet, but a trade is as close as one injury away. But nothing will happen until a deal is found that makes the Blue Jays better — not for the future, but in 2015. They won’t give him away.

“I asked for a trade right away and up to today it’s still my goal,” Navarro said. “I’d like to go to a place where I can play every day, because I already know that I can do it. I was even doubting myself last year, but I feel strong throughout the whole season. I think I did a pretty good job. I signed a two-year deal here to catch every day and unfortunately they felt that they needed to make a move. I just would like to play every day somewhere. It’s just such a (tough) position to be in. I just want to play. I just want to keep improving myself, keep showing that I’m capable of doing this on a daily basis.”

Martin, 32, has played 40 post-season games, leading the Pirates to the 2013 playoffs after they finished below .500 for 20 consecutive years. The Jays now have a roster conundrum surrounding Martin’s backup and Dickey’s main man. Three catchers is not the best formula. Something has to give.

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