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« A's Could Take Shot At Orlando Cabrera | Main | Odds and Ends: Wieters, Varitek, Ohman »
Orioles Sign Ty Wigginton
11:52am: Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun says Wigginton gets a two-year, $6MM deal. The O's had originally offered one year with a club option but upped their offer due to competition from the Giants and other clubs.
8:16am: According to Ken Rosenthal, the Orioles signed Ty Wigginton to a two-year contract. Wigginton, 31, was non-tendered by the Astros after hitting .285/.350/.526 in 429 plate appearances while playing third base and left field. His '08 numbers are dampened by his poor performance away from Minute Maid Park. Rosenthal says Wiggy will see time at first base and DH with the Orioles.
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Two years for Wiggy?
I want to see the terms on this.
I'd been liking Andy McPhail's offseason so far, but this looks sketch.
Unless you-know-who is traded for a certain 3B prospect and then some.
Posted by: melonis rex | February 03, 2009 at 08:26 AM
Or Handy Andy comes back to the AL West and pulls another shocker.
Posted by: melonis rex | February 03, 2009 at 08:27 AM
Wiggy could put up decent numbers there. Probably hit .280 or .290 with 18-24 Hr's and 80 RBI's.
Posted by: cubsfaninfla | February 03, 2009 at 08:30 AM
You have to think 1 of Mora/Scott/Huff have to be heading somewhere.
Posted by: Marmol11 | February 03, 2009 at 08:32 AM
A younger, more versatile version of Millar minus about 3 levels of suck. Good move - Twins may regret not signing him.
Posted by: jhawk90 | February 03, 2009 at 08:36 AM
I wish the Twins would have signed him. Would have been a HUGE upgrade for them.
Posted by: thegamev1 | February 03, 2009 at 08:37 AM
Wigginton is not a bad player, he'll help out the O's some with his offense.
Posted by: Steven | February 03, 2009 at 08:39 AM
"You have to think 1 of Mora/Scott/Huff have to be heading somewhere."
I think one of Luke Scott/Aubrey Huff goes at the deadline.
Mora is immovable.
I think someone else is the one who is pretty much gone. Hence my previous post.
Posted by: melonis rex | February 03, 2009 at 08:43 AM
Wigginton wouldn't be nearly the upgrade you think.
He has a reputation for mashing bad pitchers, and his home/road splits are seriously alarming.
Considering his defense isn't good at any position, he isn't much more than a solid guy that can play multiple positions.
If he got anything more than 2/9 or so, he's being overpaid.
The Orioles should have a very, very nice lineup next year though, too bad the rotation is so bad. (Rich Hill cross your fingers!!!)
Posted by: scribbletone | February 03, 2009 at 08:49 AM
Good move apparently by the O's and yet another poor one this off season by the Twins in failing to plug that crater sized hole that they have at 3rd with Wiggy, who imagine signed a fairly cheap contract with the O's.
Posted by: johns | February 03, 2009 at 08:54 AM
Wow! O's have a thing for former TB players that get traded to Houston to play 3B.
Ty sounds like the back up 1B/3B and the RH part of the platoon at DH. And it seems pretty solid to have him since both 1B and 3B are free agents after this season.
I guess Chris Gomez advantage of having the ability to play 1B has been nulified. Now he has to win the back up infielder job based on abilities.
Posted by: XD23 | February 03, 2009 at 08:56 AM
No doubt one of Huff/Scott is gone now, unless they think Wiggy can bridge the gap from from Roberts to L.J. Hoes.
Posted by: scribbletone | February 03, 2009 at 08:57 AM
The Os look like they're setting up for another move. With the roster being so jam packed now, it's getting to the point where if it stays the way it is, they'll have to drop a young arm with upside. Like someone mentioned, with Freel, Mora, Huff, and Scott present, and Huff slotted to be primary 1B, Scott as primary DH, it's hard to imagine all thee guys getting ABs. Last week on MASN Scott expressed restrained concerns about being a fulltime DH. Maybe he's due to be traded? If so probably for an arm.
Posted by: basemonkey | February 03, 2009 at 09:03 AM
This contract is likely to be a bargain price for a solid OBP and SLG guy. On the Os he's probably slotted to be a UT/DH. Considering the godawful options they had last year, this is a major upgrade.
But I really think it makes Scott a goner. If he gets traded for a player or two with upside, it makes the Tejada deal that much more productive for the Os.
Posted by: basemonkey | February 03, 2009 at 09:08 AM
What's the deal with mora's contract? how much is it worth and when does it expire? As a mets fan always looking to replace castillo, can he still play second?
Posted by: maristmetsfan | February 03, 2009 at 09:15 AM
Basemonkey: I think you are deadon, a Scott trade makes a lot of sense right now. Not that Huff or Roberts won't be moved but just that Scott has a lot of value and should be attractive to any team that doesn't want to pay 3 to 4 times his contract for a FA like Dunn or Abreu. Not to mention the fact that Scott is a much better defender than either of those hitters. I think Scott to the Braves makes a lot of sense, he is exactly what the Braves need and is even cheaper than Swisher.
Posted by: Steveo26 | February 03, 2009 at 09:16 AM
Also have to consider that 2009 is a contract year for both the Os 3B and 1B, Mora and Huff. Having some insurance locked up at both of those positions for 2010 is insightful. It allows for one of those guys to get traded midseason.
Posted by: basemonkey | February 03, 2009 at 09:18 AM
(insert standard Scott to the Braves for spare parts nobody wants trade offer here.)
Posted by: unbiasedhomer | February 03, 2009 at 09:19 AM
Mora contract price isn't too bad. And it's the last year so that's not too bad. The biggest issue was that the previous regime gave Mora a No Trade Clause (Please, I know. Idiotic). He has a huuuge family (quintuplets) that's very settled in Baltimore so it's unlikely be approved a trade. Though he may approve a midseason trade since it would only increase his exposure to the league, and, only be for a few months before free agency.
Posted by: basemonkey | February 03, 2009 at 09:22 AM
The O's are gonna be really good this year I believe they have had a good offseason.
Posted by: Tyler Essner | February 03, 2009 at 09:25 AM
The Os have been super-active this season, no? A lot of low risk/high reward moves mixed in with unsexy solid blue collar signings too. The moves feel like what you usually see coming out of Minnesota.
Posted by: basemonkey | February 03, 2009 at 09:29 AM
How aobut Luke Scott to SD for Kouzmanoff - O's get Mora replacement and SD gets productive LF allowing them to move Headley back to 3B
Posted by: dorfmac | February 03, 2009 at 09:32 AM
Man. The story of this season will be Wieters. If one or two of the Hennesey, Pauley, Hill, Penn, Liz, or other low risk arms with upside comes thru, added to a OF core of Markakis-Jones-Pie, coupled with Wieters' eventual arrival, the Os are going to look like a really great rising young team by August.
Posted by: basemonkey | February 03, 2009 at 09:35 AM
Scott for Kouzmanoff wouldn't happen. Scott's making 2.4 mil, Kouzmanoff 410k, and the Friars aren't adding payroll. The Padres would have to add a piece in there to make a net zero or a net positive for them.
Posted by: unbiasedhomer | February 03, 2009 at 09:43 AM
"He has a reputation for mashing bad pitchers"
I'm not buying this, but why would it be a bad thing? If he puts up numbers at the end of the year, he puts them up. If he's helping your team win most of the bad pitcher matchups, I don't see why mashing bad pitchers would be seen as a negative.
Either way this guy is getting underpaid and I was very surprised to see him get this little attention. Another great signing for the O's. I'd almost have to say they've won the offseason so far.
Posted by: CubbyFan23 | February 03, 2009 at 10:23 AM
At the very least the Os have a ton of guys now who play multiple positions. Freel, Wiggington, Huff, Scott, maybe Gomez. Every position seems to be backed up several times over now.
My only personal gripe is Mora. This is the year the Os should try to find a way to move him. At the very least they have that flexibility now.
Posted by: basemonkey | February 03, 2009 at 10:33 AM
Blarg
Posted by: exitfare | February 03, 2009 at 10:36 AM
"I'm not buying this, but why would it be a bad thing? If he puts up numbers at the end of the year, he puts them up. If he's helping your team win most of the bad pitcher matchups, I don't see why mashing bad pitchers would be seen as a negative.
Either way this guy is getting underpaid and I was very surprised to see him get this little attention. Another great signing for the O's. I'd almost have to say they've won the offseason so far."
For one thing, there are far more "bad" pitchers in the National League than he'll face playing in the AL East.
I think the home/road splits are the most concerning of anything.
But if you put him in the lineup against lefties, he's a guy who can do some serious damage, and they should help on a team that has some good LH hitters.
It would definitely help if he was a better defensive player as well, because even though he's a slightly above average defensive outfielder, when put in the infield, he's a liability. At least according to the +/- system.
Posted by: scribbletone | February 03, 2009 at 10:51 AM
I am seriously getting excited about the moves the Orioles have made. Sre, i wanted to see them sign Tex, i have been watching the guy since i was in high school both being from maryland, read about him throughout college and so on...but he didnt want to be here enough to overlook money. But the O's have went on to make fiscally responsible yet worthwhile moves. The old O's would have thrown an offer at Dunn, but in all honesty he desnt fit in well right now. Finally we are returning to the "oriole way" yet no one in management ever mentioned it. Through out the last ten years they would say it, then not follow up. Look at our team right now, solid guys that do a lot of things well without being flashy. Plug them at multiple spots. If someone goes down you can replace them. Good Defense building confidence in the pitchers. Hill trade is awesome. Say what you want, no one is showing excitement for that deal. Its got great upside, and if nothing you lost nothing. LAst year we wer looking to trade roberts for who? hill, pie... and a year later we have both for half the price. cant complain. We will be a pesky team, yes with a bad record. But if just two of the pitchers we have coming up pan out, we are a solid competitive team in 2010. Three and maybe a free agent bat and we are knocking on first place's door in '11
Posted by: Orioles2025 | February 03, 2009 at 11:01 AM
At worst what this move does is create a pretty good power platoon at DH while having OF, 2B, 1B, 3B backed up. Using just 2 players to backup every position except SS and C?
What I like about this move is that it does a number of things at once. It adds Mora or Huff's replacement in 2010, adds positional flexibility, and makes a trade at another position more possible. It's likely a limiting factor for any trade partner to have to provide the replacement for, say, a Roberts or whoever. By having a fill-in in-house allows the Os to trade Roberts and not dampen the player value of the pitcher who comes back.
Posted by: basemonkey | February 03, 2009 at 12:00 PM
hahah so much for casey blake money, Wiggy is an above average player with a pretty good bat , and will evoke every david eckstein adjective from your announcers next year except skinny.
Posted by: CubFanRaysaddict | February 03, 2009 at 12:03 PM
Okay, that's very solid.
A guy with his production and versatility has serious value, and 2/6 is a very solid get by MacPhail.
I think this has been a very nice offseason for Baltimore: Gather up high upside guys, and don't hurt the future. Adding pieces like Wigginton, Pie, Hill, Uehara and solid veterans like Zaun and Izturis on short deals is the right approach.
Posted by: scribbletone | February 03, 2009 at 12:06 PM
It's amazing what a difference following a real plan looks like. Finally my Os are making moves that make sense. I've gotta think that a lot of the O's former GMs from the last decade are watching and learning. MacPhail is putting up a clinic right now in baseball management. All of those other GMs bemoaning the difficulties of convincing FAs to come here ring hollow now.
MacPhail is making Baltimore a general MLB destination for young players who have upside but is squeezed out of their original club's roster. Pretty smart. The Orioles don't have much traditional things to offer a player but it's captializing on what it does have; it's a place that can take a chance on a good young guy and willing to ride it out with him.
Posted by: basemonkey | February 03, 2009 at 12:31 PM
It seems that most of you on this thread think that this move makes somebody an odd-man-out, and that somebody is Luke Scott.
I wouldn't be so certain about that. I think one of the biggest misconceptions involving Scott is that, because he's 30 years old, he's somewhat close to Free Agency and might be moved.
In reality, the Orioles have Scott under contractual control for the next THREE seasons; In fact, 2009 was Scott's first arbitration year.
If the Wigginton signing does lead to a move, I wouldn't be surprised if it involved one of the O's corner infielders with one year left. These are Aubrey Huff (who I really would like to see if he could replicate his '08 season, especially in a contract year; he could lead to a hefty haul in July, or a Type A status and, in turn, first round pick) and Melvin Mora (who, if MacPhail finds a way to get rid of him and get ANYTHING in return, I will officially consider the O's off-season an A+ success).
Only time will tell.
Posted by: colaz | February 03, 2009 at 12:33 PM
"
It's amazing what a difference following a real plan looks like. Finally my Os are making moves that make sense. I've gotta think that a lot of the O's former GMs from the last decade are watching and learning. MacPhail is putting up a clinic right now in baseball management. All of those other GMs bemoaning the difficulties of convincing FAs to come here ring hollow now.
MacPhail is making Baltimore a general MLB destination for young players who have upside but is squeezed out of their original club's roster. Pretty smart. The Orioles don't have much traditional things to offer a player but it's captializing on what it does have; it's a place that can take a chance on a good young guy and willing to ride it out with him."
I agree with this as well.
It wasn't that long ago that the Orioles were all about making aging former star player acquisitions like Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro and Javy Lopez.
Posted by: scribbletone | February 03, 2009 at 12:35 PM
I like the move, but I agree that it creates a remarkable surplus of bats. I'd like to see Huff/Scott turned around for some infield prospects.
Unfortunately, I do think this closes the door on Dunn, who would have been a solid fit in Camden Yards.
Posted by: The Globalizer | February 03, 2009 at 01:03 PM
Scott will be moved before the regular season starts. Wiggington at 2 yrs 6 mil really help's with 2010.I'm sure Huff and Mora won't be back and hopefully we can get decent prospect's for both. Snyder ready by 2010? IF Pie,Markakis,jones work out in the out-field what about Reimold at 1st? Montanez as the 4th of.I know I'm getting ahead.Very solid off season for the O's!
Posted by: OUTL@W]EC[ | February 03, 2009 at 01:22 PM
yeh, scribble. Exactly.
How many of us who saw the Orioles regimes of circa 2001 could have imagined the Os throwing a huuge contract to overpay for Dunn, Varitek, Burnett, Garland, etc? Moderately good players but aging and/or not quite good enough to pick just anywhere they wanted to be. And then turn around a month later and trade a current aging vet for some prospects that won't hit until 2-3 years from now.
What MacPhail is doing is one plan. It's the same as it is in April as it is in December or February. Low cost solid vets. Low risk young players with upside. A core of young players. All the money saved on NOT signing aging vets is spent on above slot signing bonuses to 1-4 RD picks, like the record-breaking 6M deal to Wieters.
Posted by: basemonkey | February 03, 2009 at 01:35 PM
im changing my profile name from orioles2025, to orioles2011 i have hope again!!
Posted by: Orioles2025 | February 03, 2009 at 01:48 PM
Twins should have jumped on Wiggy at that price. He would have been a great fit.
Posted by: themfightnwords | February 03, 2009 at 02:42 PM
Wiggy seems to produce at a 70/80 runs/rbi rate. Not bad. Seems strange that Minnesota didn't jump at this one. Maybe after Lamb, they're tired of playing a junk glove at 3rd. They'd rather play the empty bat of Punto.
I think it's a good play for the O's. If they had just one more pitcher w/real potential, they'd have an outside shot of a respectful showing in 2009.
Posted by: toshiro | February 03, 2009 at 02:52 PM
Wow, 41 comments, I think McPhail, if nothing else, has got the fan base excited and that is going to sell some seats. Who would have thought that the outrageously drawn out Eric Bedard trade would have started this steamroller. If this pans out he work between the Cubs and O's has get a HOF bid.
I would assume a 12 pitcher roster, or they have kept a lock tight seal on a trade that has been completely incognito, I mean this Wiggy deal really seemed to come out of nowhere.
Posted by: jdouble777 | February 03, 2009 at 05:22 PM
I really think that the Roberts trade, with as drawn out as it is, is going to end up like a smaller-scale Bedard trade for the O's. Someone is going to get absolutely raked over the coals.
And part of me thinks it will be the White Sox, and not the Cubs. Everybody is expecting Vitters if its Cubs. But then, everyone expected Adam Jones if it was the Mariners.
Posted by: melonis rex | February 03, 2009 at 05:30 PM
maybe Noah Lowry for Aubrey Huff?
Posted by: Bleacher_bum_SF | February 03, 2009 at 09:51 PM
Wiggington is no upgrade? 2 yrs 6 mil? This gives the Orioles time at a cheap price.Wiggington 20-hr 80-rbi would be a nice season and with Mora's age I see him no way having a season like 08.I hope I'm wrong about Mora so we can move him.Huff will go with a decent return now or mid-season.Scott is relocating soon.Rowell need's atleast 2 to 3 yrs but what about Snyder being are next 3rd or 1st baseman of the future.Moving Mora,Huff,Scott I would like to see some Infield prosects.Anyway the O's play 500 ball in 09, line-up seems solid and if the starting pitching keeps them in games.Some of these young arms will work out,I'm sure. There's too many not to.
Posted by: OUTL@W]EC[ | February 03, 2009 at 11:26 PM
Great, now I get to hear Michael Kay call him "Wiggington" for 19 games again. Why didn't the Rays make a push for him? They desperately need a platoon partner for Pena.
Posted by: TheJman | February 04, 2009 at 10:03 AM