Let's take a look at a few notes out of Orioles camp to start out the day: …
- Late last week, Baltimore had an in-person meeting with J.J. Hardy's agent regarding the initiation of extension discussions, reports Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Though both sides have indicated an interest at keeping the shortstop off of next year's free agent market, Hardy said recently that no talks had taken place.
- Baltimore is expected to announce later today that Nelson Cruz has signed a one-year deal and passed his physical, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. A press conference is likely to occur tomorrow.
- Southpaw starter Wei-Yin Chen, who inked a three-year deal out of Taiwan before the 2012 season, is set to become a free agent after either 2014 or 2015, says Kubatko. (His deal contains a $4.75MM club option with a $372K buyout for 2015.) Though Chen's Baseball-Reference page indicates that he would qualify for arbitration beginning next year, and stay under club control through 2017, that is not the case.
- Multiple sources tell Kubatko that the O's are not in on free agent starter Ervin Santana. The club would need only sacrifice its third-round pick to ink Santana or one of the other remaining free agents tied to draft compensation (Kendrys Morales and Stephen Drew), having already given up its first and second to land Cruz and Ubaldo Jimenez.
I could see them getting Morales too. They already stole Cruz. Ubaldo wasn’t a bad deal for what he got, since he probably thought he would get 75-90M.
They don’t need both Morales and Cruz. Neither will see the field much so they’d be splitting DH time
I forgot about Chris Davis.
I’m not sure how you could call Cruz a steal. He was a player who no one wanted besides Seattle. The Jimenez contract looks about right. I suppose one could say it’s a year too much, but with the way he’s performed he’s either going to be a bargain or a bust. There’s not a lot of middle ground with his stats.
Yeah, but the Orioles needed a DH
And the one I wanted was Cruz.
Plus, the fact the M’s didn’t want to trade Morales to us last season, so why help them out. I stand by Cruz no matter what happens.
A one year contract for Cruz seems like a good deal to me provided Cruz produces and behaves which I think he will!
As for the remaining Fa’s I still would consider Drew or I would consider Bello to bring serious challenge to the O’s back-up catchers!
Technically, they stole him because he did have an offer for one year with Texas. When they offered him the QO, he probably turned it down in hopes of 3/45 or 4/60. He, in turn, got a little more than half of what the QO would have been. Isn’t it safe to say that’s a steal for Baltimore?
Fairly liberal use of the word steal. Cruz watched his market diminish after his ridiculous contracts demands went unheard and Baltimore paid a fair salary for his services. This isn’t a bargain deal nor did they swipe him from any interested team besides maybe Seattle.
I think it’s a steal because of the years, not because of the money. If a guy on a one year deal busts, you aren’t tied to him. And if he’s good you can make a QO and get a draft pick. The problem with Cruz is the risk. You remove most of that risk with a one year deal.
It is a steal.
Before the offseason got really started, they were projecting him at fair market value, to get 13M/YR and at anywhere from 3-5 yrs. They got him for 8M/YR one yr deal. That’s a pretty big cut.
I’m not saying he’ll be a MVP or even an All-Star, but that’s a pretty solid price for 25ish HRs.
Who is they?
I agree that they got Cruz at a fair price, but it’s not the jaw dropping bargain that many commenters on this site and elsewhere are calling it.
Cruz’ demands and willingness to wait out the market created an unrealistic strain on the limited market he had to begin with. He was never going to get a contract in the 75 million range.
The one year deal at that AAV works to his benefit more than the Orioles. Cruz can try again next year.
It benefits the O’s too because at the end of the year, if he puts up career numbers, they can give him a qualifying offer which would be an 8mil raise if he excepts, if not then the Orioles gave up a 2nd round pick to sign him and turn it into a 1st round pick if another team signs him next year.
Well, since we’re on this site, “they” would be mlbtraderumors, or more precisely Tim Dierkes. Take it up with them.
I think the fact that he has a record LOW contract after receiving a QO defines it as a steal. And don’t tell me people were all over the place in November were up in arms after the Rangers extended him a QO. I don’t remember anybody saying then that the Rangers were out of their minds and that Cruz was the stupidest man on the planet for declining it. Seemed like it was expected and that says to me that his market was there.
At the last minute, Baltimore announces the contract is voided due to a failed physical.
Oh, cuz the Orioles fail physicals? Is that a new joke you’re trying?
That’s as funny now davengmusic as the first 1000 times someone has said it–move on–they have successively signed many in the minors and a few on the major league roster–they are thorough and that can get irritating but it is easy to make fun of when it isn’t your money–they certainly have spent a lot of money!!!!
Still relevant. Once the FO figures out the ox goes before the cart, then it’ll go away.
Still relevant although they’ve signed 3 guys in the last 2 weeks, all passing their physical? Furthermore, it’s the media announcing the deals, not the club. The FO waits until the physical is complete to confirm the signing. At least get your facts straight.
I didn’t see you trolling the Phillies fans when Gaudin failed a physical.
Or when Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez’s contract terms were dramatically reduced because of physical concerns.
Leave us out of it. We have an old roster, an incompetent GM, and a vindictive FO.
We don’t need anymore criticism. *sigh*
You do understand that every organization follows the same plan –sign a player–have a physical announce- the signing–the organization doesn’t confirm or announce the deal until the player passes the physical-How is that putting the cart before the horse–it is good practice that is practiced by all–maybe next time you will want to fund a Balfour contract of 15 mill. since their process is so poor? It frustrates the heck out of me that the Orioles are so picky but a long standing O’s fan can understand a little when we look back at a Glen Davis or an Albert Belle. I think what has followed with Yoon/ Ubaldo and now Cruz shows at least this year the Orioles haven’t been holding the money–I will enjoy your retread line even more when the O’s are in the playoffs this year and possibly even the World Series–We shall see won’t we–that is what makes all of this so much fun!!!
The Chen news item is rather easily explained as a goof by Baseball Reference, who I think automatically assume that every player in MLB will be eligible for arbitration after a certain amount of time based on their service time and eligible for free agency after 6 full seasons of service time.
Of course, most players from Japan have been able to sidestep the provision about getting to free agency only after 6 seasons of service time have been acculumated, since they’ve already played for a number of years at the pro level in Japan. The only exception I can think of off the top of my head was Takahashi Saito, who was under team control(and was non-tendered by the Dodgers) until he got to 6 years of service time. 😉