The Orioles announced that they sent left-handed reliever Mike Gonzalez to the Rangers for a player to be named later. Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun, who first reported the deal, says Baltimore will likely obtain a pitcher in the deal (Twitter links).
Gonzalez joins a pitching staff that currently features three southpaws in the rotation, but just one – Darren Oliver – in the 'pen. He'll also be reunited with former Orioles teammate Koji Uehara, who joined the Rangers at last month's non-waiver trade deadline.
Gonzalez signed a two-year, $12MM deal with the Orioles after the 2009 season, but pitched just 24 2/3 innings last season. He has been healthier this year and has a 4.27 ERA with 8.9 K/9, 3.5 BB/9 and a 40.0% ground ball rate in 46 1/3 total innings. His numbers against left-handers are strong this year: 26K/4BB, 2.30 xFIP, 50.8% ground ball rate in 24 1/3 innings.
The 33-year-old earns $6MM this season, about $920K of which remains on his deal. The move is strictly about 2011, as Gonzalez hits free agency after the season and doesn't project as a ranked free agent.
I guess that would fit the bill for a left-handed reliever that the Rangers wanted.
Odd that they even think of doing this after they already made the Uehara deal.
Is Jon Daniels out of his mind?! This guy is a classic example of someone getting absolutely annihilated by TJ surgery. If he performs well then more power to him but I’m not sure if this is the best move for the Rangers to be quite honest.
It’s only for one month and for a no-name prospect, so there’s not much risk.
EDIT: Title changed.
holy crap. i was 100% joking about getting another reliever. the rangers are obsessed with the bullpen
You have to be with such a young, inconsistent rotation.
Nice of MacPhail to sweep up little pieces of his mess before he walks out the door.
Called it! 🙂
Finally. The Os Mike Gonzalez era is over.Â
He deserves credit to have turned things around the last few months, but he was mostly a disappointment at Camden Yards. Much better pitcher as a Brave in the NL. In the AL East he was hammered. The prospect is probably a lower minors guy with some upside. The Rangers have a ton of those kinds of arms in their lower farm system. Considering how emphatic MacPhail can be over trade values, the prospect should be pretty decent value. If he has some chance of being a starting pitcher, that’s a good job.
I just hope we didn’t give up very much for him.
Likely a C+ grade prospect, so, yes, “you” did
We shall see I guess.
The owe the Orioles for giving them a lame Chris Davis.
It isn’t our fault that he got injured shortly after arriving there. He had never had any problems at all with that before he left here. Just very unfortunate for you guys.
Story has it that Chris Davis told McPhail he got injured while he was in Texas. And then it got worse after arriving to Baltimore
i haven’t heard that story. The story I heard hs it that it wasn’t until after he got to Baltimore that he got hurt. Didn’t the Orioles give him a physical?
Daniels said the trade might need to be revisited since the rangers acknowledge they shipped the Os damaged goods. The Os didn’t complain so the Commissioners office isn’t involved. But the version of the story you heard is definitely inaccurate, Davis was a hurt prior to the Os getting him. Daniels said they may add a player now to compensate the Os. It’s all been very slow and polite thus far, nobody seems too upset over it.
Why didn’t it show up in the physical then?
I’m not a doctor. I’m just sharing the facts as provided by Daniels himself. You were uninformed, thus I informed you of the facts. As to how the injury was missed I read nothing explaining that, simply that the rangers acknowledge the injury existed prior to the trade.
I still haven’t read where Daniels said the Rangers knew he was damaged goods prior to the trade or even tha tthe orioles thought he was damaged goods prior to the trade. In fact the Orioles didn’t even sit him down until about two weeks after the trade.
This is what I read, “Daniels said the Rangers didn’t know Davis was having any kind of shoulder issues and the Orioles aren’t upset with the deal or accusing the Rangers of anything.”
Now, that doesn’t mean he wasn’t hurt prior but it does mean that as far as both teams are concerned nothing was done intentional. If Davis was keeping it to himself then he is to blame.  It just doesn’t seem like a case of where we owe the Orioles anything if they couldn’t even find out about it for two weeks.
I read a story close to this….however, Daniels  and the Rangers had NO previous information that Davis was hurt prior to trade. He did feel bad about have Davis come up lame and didn’t rule out the idea of including another prospect in deal.
From the Rangers perspective, I doubt it was too much. Based on MacPhail’s insistence of bargains and track record, I bet it was solid. It was for a month-plus of service, so overall I wouldn’t expect it would be a huge price. I would guess either a early-mid-20s upper level guy who has some upside and outside shot at contributing, or, a lower minors guy who might be a C+ or B- pitching prospect.
Could be a great buy-low move by the Rangers. In his last 10 appearances, he’s pitched 10 1/3 innings with 15Ks, no BBs, and no runs, earned or otherwise. If he keeps it up, could be a valuable piece for Texas through the stretch and playoffs.
Hope MacPhail gets something of potential value, but I doubt it. Likely a future average or below reliever or AAAA guy.
With that god awful contract, they probably won’t get much…even this late in the season.
It could be a case where it will be one guy if he makes the postseson roster and another one if he doesn’t .