Pitchers and catcher report to Orioles camp in Sarasota, Fla. tomorrow, but the club might not yet be done with its offseason shopping. General manager Mike Elias said over the weekend at a Birdland Caravan event that he’s still open to adding a pitcher — suggesting that the rotation, in particular, is an area of need (video link via MLB.com):
We may be adding more players, either prior to the beginning of camp or shortly thereafter. There’s going to be a lot of bodies — a lot of competition. Some guys will have the inside edge over others, just because of what they’ve done recently or done in their career, but past a healthy [John] Means and a healthy [Alex] Cobb, nothing’s really set in stone. … We definitely know we have some uncertainty, and we need some depth. … We’re talking Major League contracts and Minor League contracts with pitchers out there on the market right now. Whether a Major League contract comes together, I can’t tell right now, but we’re certainly open to offering those and have offered those.
The bulk of the remaining free agents on the market appear to be likelier candidates for non-guaranteed deals, although a few remaining veterans could sign big league pacts. Righty Taijuan Walker reportedly has a Major League offer in hand from the Mariners, for instance. A similar upside play on Aaron Sanchez or Danny Salazar would be more appealing were either to be promised a 40-man roster spot. Veterans like Jason Vargas and old friend Andrew Cashner both had some success in 2019 before poor finishes to the season. As a former Astros assistant GM, Elias also knows righty Collin McHugh quite well.
It’s always possible that other opportunities will present themselves later in camp as well. Many veteran free agents on minor league deals with other clubs will trigger opt-out provisions after being informed that they won’t make the Opening Day roster in their current organizations. That could give the O’s some new options later in camp. As for signing a current free agent, Elias implied that if it happens, it’ll be sooner rather than later, alluding to the struggles of some veterans who signed after sitting out a notable chunk of camp:
It just seems like recent history, those pitchers that had not had the benefit of a ’normal’ Spring Training, they get off to a slow start. It just seems to be the case. That doesn’t mean the bell rings on Tuesday, and we’re done, but it’s something that we’ll be increasingly mindful of as the spring gets deeper.
The 2017-18 offseason, in particular, provided several cautionary tales. The Twins’ signing of Lance Lynn (March 12), the Cardinals’ signing of Greg Holland (March 31) and the Orioles’ own signing of Cobb (March 20) all produced results well below those pitchers’ previous standards.
At the moment, the Orioles’ rotation seems likely to consist of Means, Cobb, Asher Wojciechowski and non-roster invitee Wade LeBlanc. The O’s also inked former Twins prospect Kohl Stewart to a big league deal, although he has minor league options remaining and isn’t assured to break camp with the club. Rule 5 pick Brandon Bailey will be in the competition, as will some incumbent arms like David Hess and prospects Keegan Akin and Dean Kremer. LeBlanc, former Giants lefty Ty Blach and former Astros righty Brady Rodgers are among the other non-roster options set to report to camp.
I feel like Colon might be able to get a starting job here?
That would be awesome. It would almost be like when Fernando Valenzuela pitches there briefly many many years ago.
As much as I’d love to see that, Colon would not have a good time pitching in Camden Yards.
Sure he could! So could literally anybody else.
That’d be sweet
Why? Dude’s a has been.
Every available pitcher mentioned in this article sucks and should probably be avoided.
Not if it’s the Orioles.
Yes
I would hope every team is still talking to all sorts of free agents. Although Baltimore could sign all the remaining free agents every single one of em and they would still be dead last in the AL east and probably just a game or 2 better than 1 team in the league which would be the tigers
Personally I would just roll Hess or Stewart out as the 5th. Wait until midseason, once you’re passed the Rule V cutoff, then you promote one of your young AAA arms like Kremer, Akin or Bailey. All three are sitting at zero service time so it wouldn’t make sense for a rebuilding team to start them in the majors.
The only reason you get someone like Walker is if you genuinely think you can turn around and flip them for prospects at the deadline.
What do you mean the Rule 5 cutoff? Rule 5 players have to spend the entire year with the team that drafted them or offered back to their original team
Bailey is a rule 5 pick so that strategy is not going to work very well
Three problems here:
1.) It’s Rule 5, not Rule V
2) there is no ‘cutoff’ at midseason
3) Bailey is a Rule 5 pick, so he likely won’t be at AAA in the Baltimore organization
V = 5
I’m sure they don’t mean this, but it comes off as announcing that the picnic they are inviting the Baltimore fans to will be be catered by the local 99 Cent store.
And O’s fans, generally, are really good with that. They understandably see the future as quite bright—just need some patience.
They should try and trade for Ross Stripling. How about Joc Pederson as well.
They have no use for an outfielder who’s a 1-year rental
@LAblujay
So by your logic they should do nothing to try and make the team better. I think it boils down to “What are the expectations from the player? What is the prospect cost? If the acquired player has a low cost, rebounds to have a better season then he can be traded at the deadline for hopefully more than what they paid to acquire him.
If a team is tanking, they usually wait for their team to show signs of life and then improve the team. It makes sense because a rebuilding team wants to keep as many prospects a possible to see if they develop into something. Giving up prospects for someone who doesn’t help your organizational strategy is useless. That’s why bad teams grab players of the scrap heap in free agency, to hope they do well, gain trade value, and can be converted into prospect capital at midseason. It annoys fans that their team isn’t adding great players, but it’s a better idea for the possible future of the team.
No, they shouldn’t. It’s actually counter productive for them to improve at this point.
What you’re describing is more about trying to acquire assets you think you can get a high ROI than it is improving their team.
Hmmm, how is acquiring assets that can get a high ROI not supportive of improving a team?
Please ignore MySpace assumes over here. He’s attempting to steal my thunder but his JV level posts are just not doing it.
They’d have to give up prospects to get Jjoc Pederson…and then hope he does well and can trade him again…for more prospects? Doesn’t really make much sense there.
O’s looking to save money, not waste it on overpriced players during their rebuild, which the O’s are still in the midst of.
Hey Moe..…..have you seen Larry?
Baltimore is the poster board team for why not to sign gigantic, multi year contracts. I like Chris Davis, but he is still owed 69 million dollars for the next 3 years. Consider the effect that has had on this team.
The O’s are projected to be #29 in payroll for 2020 only trailed by the Pittsburgh Pirates. If it wasn’t for Chris Davis’s salary, the O’s would definitely be ranked #30.
lol i bet the Birdland Caravan was jumping
Is Brian Roberts still on the Os
And the funny thing about me saying this as i sit in my truck in Chicago i have my Orioles fitted cap on i like the logo
It actually was pretty well attended. They traveled all over the state. Brian Roberts does radio commentary.
This reminds me of a video my dad sent me of some guy in Germany, I think, wearing an Orioles hat. Someone asks him if he’s an Orioles fan and he responds, “I like the duck”
I think Mchugh is a good gamble. He’s had recent success and can work either rotation or bullpen. I think a successful year with his track record would bring more back in at the trade deadline. Vargas and Cashmere might be ok filler, but neither will bring much in a trade even if they have a good year. Though I still think cashner would be better suited in the bullpen where a likely uptick in velocity would increase his strikeout rates.
I’m surprised McHugh is still unsigned. He’d be perfect for this rotation and wouldn’t cost much. Hey, when your #4 SP is projected to be a non-roster invitee, Elias clearly has work left to do.
As a Chiefs fan im still on a cloud. And then i saw my Orioles had interest in Ubaldo and i already knew id be waiting on football to start.
Will Orioles announce a trade for Jarlin Garcia today? I’m guessing it.
I hope, he’s a great fit
They could literally rebuild their entire pitching staff with cheap or affordable options the FA market, and have a much improved rotation. Lot of guys on the market that are looking for a bounce back year. Bet they could find 5 guys for less than 20 mil this year… even 10 mil honestly
I believe that Aaron Sanchez will be out for most of, if not all of, 2020. This is the 2nd article I’ve seen that suggests he would be a good signing. Maybe for 2021 IF he can come back from surgery to repair a torn capsule in his throwing shoulder.
Of course. They’ll bring tons of retreads & has-beens in to camp. They’re the Orioles! let Yr 4 of the 10 Yr rebuild begin! Enjoy, Baltimore.
This is year 2… Dan Duquette sold off pieces, but that’s about it.
10 year rebuild. You’re an idiot. And this is only year 2 of the rebuild. Keep the faith O’s fans.
Who has a ten year rebuild though? Teams that live on the bottom and feed off teams like the Yankees. It’s called revenue sharing. Baltimore got over 25 million in revenue sharing and they won’t use a dime of it to sign an established player with a name to get fans to come watch games. MLB needs to do something so these teams spend and compete. It would help on all levels of baseball starting with the interest in the game. It sucks when you have 8 teams trying and the rest collecting money from other teams. Spread the players out and make every team a competitor and watch the fan base grow on every team.
LOL – Remember when the rumour was the Orioles wanted Salazar for Manny Machado? Don’t tell me these teams know what they’re doing .
If healthy…Salazar could be a nice upside gamble !!!