FEB. 20: The Orioles are “closer than ever” to signing Gallardo, reports Encina. The two sides are nearing agreement on a three-year deal in the $35MM to $40MM range. Executive vice president Dan Duquette says a deal is not imminent. It’s worth noting that the Orioles tend to be very fastidious with final contract details and physicals. A final announcement may not come tonight, but it’s looking increasingly likely.
FEB. 19: The specific holdup in talks between the Orioles and Gallardo aren’t clear, but an opt-out clause is not the cause for the delay, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Baltimore is not going to give Gallardo an opt-out clause, and the pitcher’s camp is not demanding one in negotiations.
FEB. 18: Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun hears that Fowler has recently been seeking a four-year deal or, at least, more than $45MM on a three-year deal. Baltimore’s reportedly increased willingness to spend bodes well for the two sides being able to bridge that gap. Encina writes that the O’s “don’t seem to be in a rush” to complete either deal, noting that fans shouldn’t expect to see either in camp today. Encina echoes the sentiment that the O’s ultimately expect to sign both, however.
FEB. 17, 7:35pm: ESPN’s Buster Olney reports some of the parameters being discussed by the Orioles and Fowler (links to Twitter). The two sides are exploring a deal that would pay Fowler $12-13MM per season over a two- to three-year term, Olney hears. That’s a hike from previous comparisons to Howie Kendrick‘s two-year, $20MM contract with the Dodgers, but even $12-13MM over a two- or three-year deal represents, from my vantage point, a rather nice value for the Orioles.
Olney adds that it is the Orioles’ “expectation” that they will sign both Gallardo and Fowler, with Gallardo bolstering the starting pitching and Fowler becoming the team’s everyday right fielder.
1:03pm: We checked in earlier today on the Orioles’ efforts to make some late additions of qualifying offer-bound free agents, as reports have suggested continued optimism that Baltimore will finalize a deal with righty Yovani Gallardo. Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com hears much the same (links to Twitter), and adds that the O’s are “confident” they’ll land outfielder Dexter Fowler as well.
Notably, per Kubatko, the O’s have yet to agree with the dollars being sought by their open-market targets — suggesting that there’s a bit more ground to cover than some minor contract provisions. He adds, interestingly, that the price tag on one or both players has “apparently changed recently.”
The expected cost of these players at this stage of the market remains a bit murky, though we have heard suggestions on both. Gallardo was said to be nearing agreement on a deal that would pay him in the $40MM to $45MM range over a three-year term. And Fowler has reportedly drawn interest from the O’s at around two years and $20MM.
While there’s still confidence in adding multiple players, Kubatko says that the Orioles would be interested in reaching agreement with Fowler whether or not a deal is first finalized with Gallardo. Adding either player would require the sacrifice of the 14th overall pick in this summer’s amateur draft, while signing both would spread that cost somewhat since the O’s next selection currently stands as the 29th choice.
Meanwhile, Baltimore still isn’t ruling out a move for Reds’ outfielder Jay Bruce. But it appears that the interest is tepid, as the team has real concerns about the former star’s ability to bounce back after two consecutive disappointing campaigns.
Gallardo makes the O’s instantly better.. . . Fowler doesn’t..
You have it backwards.
The O’s need both!! to be better, although if someone is being greedy pox on them.
Agreed but I wouldn’t choose either. There are other options out there about as good without surrendering draft picks
There are better options ‘available’ but their availability is through a trade that would cost more than their 1st round pick. The thing some fans seem to be ignoring about Baltimore is that they were an average team a year ago, and despite bringing back Davis and O’Day w/ record-setting contracts, they still lost considerably more value through free agency than they acquired.
The AL East will likely be the most competitive division in baseball next year with the difference between 1st place and 5th place not being very much – 1st place likely being in the 92-win range with last place being in the 80-win range. Can anyone really tell me that they believe the Orioles, as presently constructed, are a 92-win team? We’re talking about an 81-win team from last year that has Nolan Reimold and Hyun Soo Kim penciled into the corner outfield spots.for 2015, a team that lost its top starter in Chen and is banking on a bounce back year from Tillman and a breakout year from Gausman. Really – it’s a lot to ask for. And even if they get that production from those two, are they still any better than an 85-win team?
In my opinion, the only way to get this team to 92 wins is to bring in Gallardo and Fowler. Gallardo can give you the production you lost with Chen. In that scenario, anything you get from Tillman and Gausman is bonus. Fowler can give you a unique leadoff hitter, a superb on-base guy with legit pop. If you don’t think the Orioles should give up their 1st round picks for that, then you’re entitled to your opinion … but don’t complain when the Orioles finish in last place. Because that’s what happens to teams that subtract more than they add following a disappointing season.
I think you make a good point here. Many of the question marks that existed last year still exist this year. I think you might be underestimating Gausman a little bit but he still has yet to prove himself but if he and Tillman both pitch the way we know they’re capable, I do believe this can be a 90 win team. We just haven’t removed the question marks and they’re big question marks. Not sure if that makes Guillerdo a good signing but I don’t know too much about these prospective signings to say.
Do you really believe Gallardo “can give you the production you lost with Chen?” Seems a bit of a stretch to me. I see Alfredo Simon being closer to Gallardo then Gallardo is to Chen. Simon won’t cost a pick.
It’s time for Gausman to step up and be counted. He’ll probably be like Arieta and hit his stride after we trade him.
Two best divisions are the AL
Simon has a career 4.54 FIP in 762 innings, he stinks.
Chen has a career 4.14 FIP. He’s about average.
Gallardo has a career 3.74 FIP. He’s pretty decent.
I agree, Simon is a pretty good pitcher, and he is closer to Gallardo in my opinion. As for Fowler, to me, he would be a pretty good addition.
Alfredo Simon??? That guy’s a one hit wonder…Gallardo is consistently effective. Not a shut down ace, but a desirable number 3. I don’t see the rationale behind Simon in even the same discussion as Chen and Gallardo.
Compare Gallardo’s stats and Chen’s stats from last year, they’re almost identical and Gallardo is still fairly young
You can’t use Gallardo’s career stats to predict how he will do in the future. 3 years ago he was a TOR power pitcher and last year at only 29 he became a junkball pitcher. He will never be a flamethrower again so his career FIP is moot. Comparing him to Simon is a lot closer in what you will get out of him going forward. He had a miracle year last year but he was pitching for a contract and rarely went past the 5th inning. To think Baltimore will be paying Gallardo almost the same money Kazmir got from the Dodgers is ridiculous. To call Gallardo a solid #3 is just as ridiculous.
I don’t think he’s simply a junkball pitcher, I see a player adjusting to a loss in velocity and an immense hitter’s park. I’m not referring to the contract, only what are reasonable expectations. A 3.75 ERA is not unreasonable at all and is a good add to a rotation- and a valuable #3 on most teams. The market is the cause of the cost. The issue is that the Orioles don’t really have a sure fire ace, so it looks worse. You’re all wanting to compare him to a pitcher who had an awesome first half in his first year as a starter(Simon), only to falter in the second half- not to mention have an ERA over 5 the following year(last year). That’s what’s ridiculous.
I totally disagree, Although Gallardo is not the strikeout artist he was in years past, he has morphed into an extreme ground ball pitcher, which when paired with the O’s stellar infield defense makes him an above average pitcher. Simon is a flyball pitcher and in Camden Yards that will make him a major liability. Chen pitched well despite his flyball tendencies because he gave up mostly solo homers. My biggest problem with Chen was that he never could seem to put away hitters. Gallardo can get hitters to hit groundballs (something Chen never could do) to end at bats instead of the incessant foul balls Chen allowed in those maddening 11-pitch at bats that happened every single start.
Depends on your definition of what a 3 is. Gallardo won as many games as KC’s #1 and logged more innings than all but one of the Royals pitchers. He would have been a good #3 on the Dodgers last year. Probably a #4 on the Mets or STL. No…he’s not a #1 and won’t be paid like a #1. What he did last year was no “miracle.” He’s a veteran who is adjusting his game as he gets older. As for losing the draft pick…..SO WHAT? Any pick is not going help the O’s the next two years at least and it’s not like they’re missing out on a top 5 talent. Baltimore DID spend big $$$ to keep Davis. But they’re not the Yanks, Dodgers or Red Sox. so they have to bottom feed like a lot of other teams and hope to get lucky like they did a couple years ago with Cruz.
Anyone who gives Fowler 12 mil a year should have their checkbook taken away because they are crazy. That is about 7 mil too much. He is fragile and mediocre at best. Gallardo has sinking velocity and a high ERA. He may eat innings but his fly ball pitching style, lower velocity, and that hitters park tell me he wont eat near as many as you think…
Stymeedone, I just looked up the numbers. Gallardo’s are much closer to Chen’s than Simon’s.
As a Cub fan I was upset the Cubs traded for Fowler for Valbano but it turned out Fowler a game maker
IMO finishing in last place for one year isn’t such a bad thing. Look what the Red Sox got with their first pick in last year’s draft: Benintendi an OF who is already a top prospect (#15), according to Baseball America.
The Orioles have 6 picks of the first 91. Keith Law just ranked our farm system as #27 in all of baseball.
Can we afford to continue to lag behind other organizations in our division in terms of minor league players who someday could become cost-controlled assets?
Sure all 6 of those picks might not pan out, but you increase the probability of one or maybe even two of those guys becoming major league assets in 2-3 yrs..
If I could talk to Dan Duquette, I’d ask him: how many more wins do you think Gallardo—who has lost velocity on his fastball and can probably only become an innings eater—and Fowler can deliver for you? 3? 4? Fangraphs is projecting this current team to win 77-78 games.
Let’s say Buck does his usual magic and somehow manages the team to 84-85 wins. You get in as the WC but that’s probably it. And consider the competition for the wild card. 3 of these teams will be division champs: Red Sox, Jays, Yankees, Royals, Tigers, Twins, Astros, Rangers and maybe even the Angels.. That’s 6 teams for 2 WC slots. Long odds for the Orioles unless Tillman has the best year of his career, Gausman takes a huge step forward as a pitcher and Ubaldo and Miggy are merely average pitchers with ERAs somewhere around 4.00 And all of them stay healthy.
Plus, Fowler—with the exception of 2015—has had trouble staying on the field his entire career. At 30, injuries are not less likely, they’re more likely. Same with Gallardo.
Keep the picks. Maybe Bundy can stay healthy in 2016 and join the rotation in 2017. Maybe Gausman without pennant pressure is able to work on his changeup so that he finally has a third pitch with which to get batters out. And the money we save by not signing these guys at prices we can’t afford can be applied to a long term extension for Machado. That should be the O’s top priority in 2016.
Yep. He’s going downhill and all he can do for us is eat innings. Maybe. Lincecum will be throwing for scouts soon. Why don’t we look at him and see if he could be a decent #5 for this year? Next year, if Bundy can stay healthy and work as a middle reliever this year, he can move into the rotation.
Gallardo’s stats and Chen’s stats from last year are almost identical so he can give the O’s the production lost with Chen leaving
He’s thrown at least 180 innings the past four years so he’s obviously going more than 5 innings a game
How is Gallardo fragile? He’s never been injured in his 9 years in the MLB
I’m with you on Gallardo. I suppose if the bar is set on his Milwaukee prime, then yeah…he’s lost it. He’s not an ace. His value now is hugely attached to the comp pick. That is what’s keeping him away from some contenders trying to shore up their rotation. I think he’s a good #3 myself. Some guys don’t adjust to loss of velocity…Lincecum maybe is that guy…but Gallardo might spin a nice career adjusting.
Basically it’s value based on him. Like a lot of things in life…I like him at the right price
If the Orioles ownership thinks they’re only going to win 77 games, then sure….don’t sign these guys and why sign Chris Davis to a mega contract? But if you think this team is capable of winning 90 games, why not sign a couple guys who can help you NOW? Draft picks are overrated. Sure, you can miss out on a Trout ….but the chances of hitting on a star is pretty slim, especially when you’re drafting 18 year old guys. It’s a pretty big crapshoot. And if the O’s suck this year and Gallardo is doing ok, you can flip him to a contender for a minor leaguer or two who might be able to help you in a year or two. Even if you hit on a draft pick, the earliest you can reasonably expect them to be in the show is 2-3 years.
How the Orioles did things in the 60’s and 70’s is not relevant. Back then, the O’s could shove a contract at Brooks, Powell, Palmer and others and say: sign it or sit. Free Agency changed all that.
As for Gallardo in AL East parks last year….he got hit hard his one game at Fenway, did OK in the Bronx, and did very well in Toronto and Baltimore. He got hit in Tampa. For his career, Yovanni has pitched only once, last year at Camden and threw six scoreless innings so, there’s no real history. He’s done well vs Tampa, NYY, and Toronto and done poorly in Boston. So he’s proven he can compete in the AL EAST. He’s a six inning pitcher now. He pitched in the 7th inning only 7 times last year and had a very poor ERA. He did well vs hitters his first two times thru the lineup and then they batted nearly .300 vs him. He’s no longer a strikeout pitcher….he’s a nibbler and it runs up the pitch count. He’s frustrating to watch as a fan because he works so slow. He’s NOT a #1. But he’s not being paid #1 money. He’s a 3-4. He’s going to give you 170-190 innings and show up ready to pitch every 5th day. It’s not sexy and won’t sell tickets—-but he can keep you in games and give you a chance to win and that’s all you can really ask of a 3-4.
I am not saying Gallardo is similar in pitching style to Simon. I was just saying he compared better to Gallardo than Chen. Yes, their stats were comparable last year but Chen is a lefty. Lefties will alwayd do better in the AL East than righties. He didn’t accept that QO because even he knows he won’t repeat last year. He didn’t get out of the 5th inning 20 times last year and yes sometimes he threw a gem like his 8 inning shutout on 6-27 (where he struck out 4) but most of his games where he went 6 were against light hitting offenses. Gallardo. If you want a guy who compares very well to Gallardo take a look at Andy Benes. He had a similar career to Gallardo including a major loss in velocity at 29. After he turned 30 he put up 3.8 WAR total for his final 5 seasons and he spent time in pitcher friendly parks. Gallardo will be a serious mistake. Not because of the draft pick (after the top 5-10 its all a crapshoot Mookie Betts went in the 5th round) but because of the years and money he is seeking. If they could get him for 1 or 2 years tops I would be all for it. If they sign him for 4 years they will regret it and will be yet another contract that drags them down. I still think Fowler would fit Baltimore perfectly though and if they flop will be good trade bait. Personally, i think they should offer Gausman to the Cubs for Soler and then the Cubs can resign Fowler. Then they can keep Heyward in RF where he belongs and Baltimore gets a good young RF for many years to come.
Gallardo didn’t accept the QO because he was seeking more money knowing he could get it. If he knew he couldn’t repeat his recent performance he would’ve accepted the QO knowing he wouldn’t be able to get that much in free agency.
Well, obviously you’re not likely to hit on a Trout—he’s a one in a generation type player. But somebody pretty good, like Benintendi would be useful. And cheap. And because, like Bryant of the Cubs, he’s a college player, he’s closer than a H.S. player.
Then with the next 5 picks you could go with multiple arms to add depth to the system’s pool of arms—can’t have enough of them given how many turn out to be busts, get hurt and how much a free agent pitcher costs you.
And I disagree with you that the Orioles model from the ’60s & ’70’s is dead. Why don’t we ask the Royals how they feel about committing to their young players? They did and were rewarded with two trips to the World Series and a world championship.
Obviously Angelos and Duquette think they can field a competitive team this year and maybe next. But remember, the amount they paid for Davis is deceiving: since $42 million of that contract is deferred way into the future. The contract—since money always depreciates with time— is estimated to actually be worth a little under $130 million. Not such an overpay for a guy who should be able to bang out at least 30 HRs for the next 3-4 yrs. (the home park will help) and who has greatly improved his defense.
I’d love to see Soler in Baltimore, but it’s highly doubtful that they’d part with Gausman unless they were confident that Bundy could stay healthy and join the rotation next year and the same with Hunter Harvey. And a new name has surfaced: David Hess jumped up the rankings of prospects in 2015 so if he continues to make progress then maybe the O’s would make that deal.
But I can’t see how that deal would get done this year.unless the Orioles crash and burn and the Cubs lose a starter to injury.
in no way would I suggest the O’s or any team not try to develop a solid farm system. It’s been the key to STL’s success over the last few decades. But KC has only been good the last two years. They experienced nearly 30 years of futility. Same for the Pirates. But will those teams be able to stay on top like STL has for such a long time? As I said, much of the Orioles success in the 60’s and 70’s was their ability to keep talent together. But then, FA happened and they began to lose key players. For a while, the minor leagues were able to compensate for these losses but losing stars like Murray, Grich, Baylor, Jackson, Mussina, was too much. There is likely no one in the draft this year who will help the O’s in the next three years. Gallardo can. IF the O’s feel they have a shot at the playoffs, Gallardo is worth the draft pick.
If the cubs were getting gausman they would part with hammel as well, although would then need a sisco and a lottery ticket arm as well.
You must be joking. Fowler is drastically better than your entire pool of outfielders outside of AJ
Fowler would be a welcome addition. He would inject a good combination of speed, pop, and OBP in their lineup and would look good leading off or batting 2nd.
You just said Joey Rickard or Nolan Reimold are clearly better than Dexter Fowler. Which is wrong. That’s who he replaces on the 25 man, one of those two. Fowler makes them better, you are wrong.
Then there’s the whole “insurance in case Jones gets hurt or Kim stinks” thing. I’d assume Kim gets pushed to the bench now, which might be best for him, just being a platoon guy with Trumbo at DH to start off his first exposure to the bigs, like how the Pirates slowly bought Kang up and along until he mashed his way into the lineup. Better to have “We hope he mashes!” than “It doesn’t matter if he doesn’t mash right away.”
Better than they were last year, or better than they were yesterday.
Fowler would be a huge improvement, but Gallardo has so many warning signs that bringing him on board at all is questionable. 15 million AAV is unthinkable.
Dan should be ashamed of himself for every year creating this urgent need to sign any clods that remain after all the worthwhile players find teams.
Not much to disagree with in this post, particularly about the lack of forward thinking signings by DD. Gallardo has so much of the same traits as Jimenez several seasons ago, it is difficult to see giving him 3/$45 for a contract. Fowler looks to be the answer for right field and will add that lead off batter to let Manny move down into the #2 hole where he looks more comfortable. Since the O’s picked up a draft pick, I can see giving away #14 to grab Fowler, but not both first round picks.
Cubs fan chiming in on Fowler… It’s an absolute crime that this guy is sitting on the FA market. Yes, he has his flaws at the plate and strikes out too much – but he has superb on base skills, has pop at the top of the lineup and while I hate citing character when it comes to clubhouses I wasn’t in, I will say that his character was absolutely lauded by his teammates last season. This guy would be a huge addition to the Orioles. However, I’d stick him in LF. He really doesn’t have the arm for RF.
I agree that if the O’s sign Fowler. They should put him in LF. Way more ground to cover than in RF at Camden Yards.
O’s don’t want to put Kim in right, so if Fowler’s playing left in this scenario, Kim’s not playing very often, with Trumbo getting most of the DH at bats.
I agree . As a cub fan like him back for center then heyward goes to right. If o’s sign then we get a compensation pick. Win win. He should have taken the 15 mil one year then went for free agency next year which is weaker class. Obviously he is shocked like the rest of us he didn’t get a bigger contract
Yep. Way too many red flags with Gallardo. Duquette says: “He’s an innings eater.” But he forgets the old adage: “You’re durable until you aren’t.”
Should have kept Nelson Cruz.
No argument here! Cruz might have hit 50 homers with the O’s last season. I still can’t fathom last off season. They should have went for it with the small window the O’s had. But they do worse than standing pat an let two key pieces go. It still boggles my mind. Especially with the direction they are taking now.
The A’s were connected to him first and wouldn’t give him 4 years, they were committed to paying for 3 years of a DH. They got Butler instead. I think the O’s are better off than the A’s with letting him walk.
Not to mention the A’s had Encarnacion in 2010 for a month before putting him back on waivers. He immediately broke out.
Two huge moves they should have made.
These moves make Baltimore more durable. I think it would help them considerably.
The Gallardo move is ok nothing great but solid starter for Orioles. He can go 6 innings give you 180 innings. Typical Orioles starter. They need someone they can count on and Gallorda is just that. Fowler will put this offense over the top. His speed OBP and good he to make pitcher work will only help make the La offense that much better. Fowler will be at the top of the league in runs for sure. These 2 moves put the Is in contention for the division.
I think you’re all wrong. I think these moves are both idiotic. They are spending too much and Gallardos numbers figures he will have a much worse year this year. Also, they have a system that is very barren, so this is a very very bad move on their part, because if their offense doesn’t look well or pay off, they lose, and they lose hard. They will have to trade Jones and likely davis
I’d agree if the O’s could develop starting pitchers. But the only starters that ever succeed are the ones that get traded away. From what I hear it has a lot to do with over coaching. Not waiting to see if a player is successful before they go tweaking things.
Arrietta pretty much said as much when asked why he couldn’t do what he did with the Cubs for the O’s.
From what I hear, it has to do with Rick Peterson. He’s the guy who told Bundy to change his arm slot, he’s the guy who told Arrieta you can’t throw across your body. He’s too rigid with his insistence on “proper mechanics.” Fire him and find somebody else to be director of pitcher development, DD.
What in his numbers do you see that suggests regression?
Well if both sign we have to dfa 2 guys. I say try to try 3 guys for a LHP starter
Try to trade
i think gallardo will get 38M for 3yrs or 48M for 4th team option yr…fowler will get 2 yrs for 21M or 3 yrs at 32M
Whatever decision the Orioles make, 60% of the time they are wrong every time.
So your telling me there’s a chance??? Yes!!!!!
I know Gallardo isn’t a strike out guy he doesn’t throw heat but his ground ball ratio is very good for Camden and he doesn’t throw home run balls very often. He’s know to throw well against the blue jays. Yes there is some concern for how he’s going to do in Baltimore but the O’s weren’t going out to get Price or Grenkie, I would have liked Cueto or even Kazimer but if you are going all in might as well get what you can get. Davis kind of hamstrung the whole process getting a pitcher first. But Angelos is a weird dude.
I think the O’s losing their picks to sign both players is fine, this time it seems the teams have more leverage in deals Gallardo for 3yr 39mil, and Fowler 2yr 20mil with 3rd year option would be great value for FA signings. I’ve read that the value of the picks could be between 15 and 20mil total so take that money to the international market and get 3 or 4 players. If the O’s lose the picks and then fail to sign international players than the loss is magnified.
Baltimore should sign Fowler first, then Gallardo. Texas will jump in and sign Fowler when they’re guaranteed the compensation pick. If Baltimore loses out on Fowler then Bruce/Alvarez would have to be the backup plan.
Why does Texas need an outfielder choo is getting paid too much to trade and deshields and Hamilton are good
Hamilon is not very good. Plus, he had a cortisone shot last month, and his knee is acting up again already. I’d take Fowler in a heartbeat.
i am hoping orioles sign him but i think u r right he is going to the rangers and o’s will have to settle for matt joyce or grady sizemore
That’s funny that you say Choo is overpaid and Hamilton is good in the same breath. Choo had a pretty nice season last year and Hamilton is just dreadful, on top of being a distraction.
A pretty nice season doesn’t justify his contract and I meant the upside of Hamilton is huge so they won’t get rid of him
Hamilton is shot. So is Sizemore. Gallardo is a #3-4 starter. He’s not going to put the O’s in the playoffs and neither will Fowler. They won’t put butts in the seats, either. But they fill holes Baltimore needs IF they want to have a reasonable shot.
I would just like to address the fact they called Jay Bruce a star….
This is from a Reds fan
He’s a star because he exists in space somewhere.
Both are excellent pickups for a contending team to make. Got to make upgrades however you can and these two are upgrades over the worst SP on the team and the worst OF on the bench, effectively either Nolan Reimold who goes to AAA, or Joey Rickard, who’s a rule V selection and must stay on the team or else he goes back to Tampa Bay, and Mike Wright, who leaves the rotation and goes to AAA.
The Orioles were a borderline contender before this, and these two moves were being called by many as the way to get them official. If they both go down, a lot more people will like their chances in a tough div.
Yes, they would be fine pick ups for a contender. Gallardo as a back-end starter, and Fowler as a left fielder. Baltimore wants Gallardo to lead the rotation, and plans Fowler for RF, where his arm is questionable. These are desperation moves.
A rotation of number 3 starters all over could do well and historically a lot of good centerfielders transition to right well
I don’t think the O’s are expecting Gallardo to lead the rotation.
And regarding Fowler, the O’s currently have one legit MLB outfielder in Adam Jones. After AJ, they have Hyun-Soo Kim, who may or may not transition well to MLB, Nolan Reimold and a Rule 5 pick.
Gallardo is a stabilizing piece who pushes an unproven prospect (Mike Wright or Tyler Wilson) out of the #5 spot in the rotation. Fowler is a massive upgrade over in house corner outfield options.
Alfredo Simon fits that description also. He would be cheaper and save the draft pick. My concern with Fowler is his arm. Neither he or Kim can throw. Lots of runners will be taking the extra base.
I got to say for the cost of what free agents are getting paid these days this looks like a great deal for Baltimore. Both Fowler and Gallardo on short inexpensive deals will be a good addition to them. This may be what makes them a contender in the AL East this next year IF there other question marks work out. I would not bet against Baltimore this year. With that said I think they should win about 87 to 89 games this year.
Gallardo at 3 years and anything approach $40-45 million is not a great deal. If they were willing to spend that kind of money on a pitcher they should have gone after Kazmir, a LH with no loss of pick.
This is ridiculous to me. I don’t know if the Orioles can or cannot contend or not, but giving up draft picks with a terrible farm is never smart. If picks were allowed to be traded, i’d never give up the 14th pick for them plus another one, unless i had a great farm. And their giving it up for Gallarado? He probably was the worst free agent offered a QO. I think Ubaldo would have been warning enough for them to sign a pitcher with declining peripherals. Sure they make them better, but I dont think the short term gain is enough to outweigh the long term loss
After #14 and #29, O’s have 4 additional picks in the top 100 in the 2016 draft. And they can/should sign a few IFA’s to make up for the lost draft choices.
The AL East is winnable. All of the rotations are flawed, and the O’s could have a decent to good one if they replace a question mark with Gallardo and Tillman and Gonzalez bounce back. Their offense is solid, and Fowler gives them a legit leadoff hitter while pushing Machado into a run-producing spot in the order.
These two guys weren’t anyone’s first choice, as evidenced by their unemployment, but they’re both clear upgrades for a team on the fringe.
They are both upgrades thats for sure, I just dont know if replacing 2 bad players with 2 mediocre players is enough to put them by the rest of the division
No kidding. You build up your farm system—esp. when you have 6 of the first 91 picks—so that you don’t have to look for aging free agents or hope you get lucky with rejects like McLouth and Pearce. The “Oriole Way” worked in the ’60’s and ’70’s. It takes discipline and patience, not desperate moves for guys past their prime.
I am a huge Cubs fan and have been a fan of Dexter since he broke in with the Rockies. However he has played exactly one inning outside of CF in his career. I don’t think he has the arm to play either of the corners.
Fowler is a nice piece to most MLB teams, in my eyes, if not for the loss of a pick. It seems like his stock should have been higher. He may never be elite, but he’s a valuable player and should be able to improve any team in need of an outfielder. Fielding aside, he has a somewhat similar offensive profile to someone like Heyward or Alex Gordon. In a good offense, he could boast some sneaky good numbers
Not a fan. If you are going to give up these types of draft picks they should have signed premier FAs early, not bottom feeding late. It is clear Fowler & Gallardo weren’t valued highly by the O’s when the offseason began and they were never in the offseason plans until they were the last men standing and every other contingency plan failed. The O’s ML roster is improved, but not enough make the playoffs and not enough to justify the cost now and in the future.
That’s the NEW “Oriole Way”
I agree completely.
I can’t recall a season where so many players were unsigned at this point in the spring. it almost strikes me as some kind of collusion issue…
Is there any analysis to compare this year to previous years to determine how significant it is?
Yea, well, who really wants to forfeit draft picks for some of these guys that are left? And also, for teams trying to tank- they’re probably not going to sign anyone to a contract that they can’t move at the deadline.
if a team is really trying to “tank”…..why spend millions on a player at all? why not go with rookies for the minimum? plus, it makes no sense to sign players if they’re not going to give you a realistic shot at the playoffs. sure, a team could go out and sign people like Rios or Freese, Uggla, Weeks, Lohse or Lincecum and they might help you win 4-5 games more, but what does that accomplish?
I guess you don’t remember the Astros teams of just a couple years ago. Or the Rays for the first 10 years they were around. Some teams like Philadelphia still have leftover long term contracts from their winning years. Who did the Reds, Phillies or Brewers sign to a large contract this off season?
Exactly my point. The Astros knew they were going to be bad so they didn’t bother signing guys like Kyle Lohse or David Freeze.? It wasn’t going to make them any better. The Reds, Phils and Brewers look to be bad this year even with big ticket players on their roster. They would love to get rid of them but won’t find many takers unless they eat most of their contracts. So why bother? It’s not the idea “we’re going to tank games on purpose to get a #1 draft pick” as much as signing mediocre talent is just a waste of money.
The three players tied to draft picks appear to be in decline. It’s now spring training and most teams have filled their open spots. They aren’t signed and there is little demand. The other remaining players are of marginal value, and mostly depth pieces. A rookie can fill the same spot for less.
The Astros could of had jd Martinez, fowler, and springer in their outfield
Both seem like very moveable contracts if things do not work out and they feel the need to go in a new direction in the off season, I don’t see why they couldn’t recuperate value for the picks they lost..
I think we should add another ace like pitcher to the mix
Another? Who’s the first Ace?
Bill Smith great points. To give up draft pick isn’t wise. Mortgage the future. Gallardo trending down and will have difficult time in AL East. Fowler is a .250 hitter however his OBP would be beneficial to O’s.
Fowler was a .250 hitter LAST YEAR. He is a career .270 hitter
At least he hopefully won’t get an opt out clause because then giving up the pick u wouldn’t lose much
To add another ace like pitcher they would have to offer a package with prospects and hurt the farm system so there is no chance they do that
Cliff Lee is ace like. Not sure if he is an ace anymore but he is still definitely ace like.
I agree that they should consider Cliff Lee but it looks like he knows he doesn’t have much left and his career is probable over
If they land Pedro Alvarez also they will have quite an incredible haul for post-ST signings.
I’m sure there are any number of reasons signing Gallardo could be dragging on. But one or more of the 4 main reasons would be the most logical:
1) Money
2) Years
3) Years & Money
4) Passing the O’s notorious physical
Yep, I think you nailed it, lol. And from my POV, I’m hoping he doesn’t pass that physical.
No point signing Fowler unless they can lock up Gallardo. Fowler should insist on a deal where he can opt out after 1 year, or else consider sitting out till June and signing a 1 yr deal like Drew/Morales did and hope it works out better.