The Orioles have signed catcher Anthony Bemboom to a minor league contract, the team informed reporters (including Dan Connolly of the Athletic). Bemboom was eligible to sign a minors pact during the lockout because he’d been passed through outright waivers by the Dodgers midseason and elected minor league free agency at the end of the year.
The 31-year-old backstop has appeared briefly in each of the last three MLB seasons, tallying 144 cumulative plate appearances between the Rays and Angels. He’s a .178/.241/.287 hitter with four home runs in that time. The left-handed hitter owns a more solid .250/.347/.398 line over parts of five seasons at Triple-A.
Bemboom adds some much-needed depth to the top of the Orioles’ farm system. Baltimore doesn’t have a single backstop on the 40-man roster. Top prospect Adley Rutschman looks likely to get the bulk of playing time next season after hitting his way up through Triple-A. It’s possible Rutschman begins the 2022 season back in Norfolk, particularly if service time continues to be relevant in determining a player’s free agency trajectory in the next collective bargaining agreement. Even were Rutschman to break camp, the O’s would need at least one 40-man addition to serve as a backup. Baltimore also added Jacob Nottingham on a minor league pact last week.
Chipper Jones' illegitimate kid
Nottingham and Bemboom may not fill out the stat sheet, but those names look good on the back of a uniform. Not as good as Rutschman, but still pretty good.
Lefty_Orioles_Fan
That is the spirit
ShootyBabbit
This is the kind of out of the box content I come to this site for
Gothamcityriddler
The O’s are buffoons for basically being bamboozled by Bemboom. But botta bing botta boom. Ahahahaha!
osfandan
Bada*
prov356
So the Orioles are apparently not looking to improve their team.
BashBroJoe
They needed catchers on account if they had none and have the number 1 prospect at that position lol who did you want them to get?
prov356
I don’t really care. I just remember Bemboom as an Angel and he was a detriment. He’s not someone who will help the team win games.
JohhnyBets67
This is depth at C for a team that has none. You can also only sign minor league deals right now so I’m kinda miffed by the comment
Vizionaire
he seemed promissing when the angels first got him. all downhill since then. hope o’s bring out better of him.
prov356
That’s true Vizion. I hope he can get back to the majors.
prov356
Miffed? That seems like an overreaction. Bemboom isn’t good for depth at catcher but whatever. Glad he was able to land somewhere.
BashBroJoe
They had zero catchers before Nottingham and now they two lol let’s say free agency was open for major league deals who would you suggest they sign? Who is out there? It’s a one month stop gap for Adley and depth beyond that. Is it a good signing? Probably not but certainly a fine one.
Curly Was The Smart Stooge
Maybe they signed him to boost their pitching staff, after all, he’s listed as a pitcher as well as a catcher…….?
tstats
The algorithm was confused by the lack of hitting numbers
Jim Carter
Remain calm.
misterb71
What exactly would you have the Orioles, or any other team at this time, to do when all MLB-level transactions are not permitted?
prov356
My comment was specific to Bemboom so whatever transactions are allowable are not relevant. He’s not good even as a depth piece. Maybe the Orioles can squeeze some value out of him.
Pls Stop
The most improvement they could have at the catcher position is by simply calling up Rutschman. They can’t sign anyone to a ML deal at the moment. What are they supposed to do? Signing a quality, starting-caliber catcher would “improve” the team, but it would make absolutely no sense for the Orioles.
Yoshis Javelin
@CJIK, yep, I can hear it……now stepping to the plate, Anthony Bembooooooooooooom! It will be like Yankee stadium when the “lou” chants sounded like boo when Piniella was hitting.
kellin
Wow I didnt even realize the Angels had released Bemboom, or however it was he’s no longer on the team…
socalbball
Dodgers claimed him off waivers from the Angels in August. He finished out the season with the Dodgers AAA club.
Thornton Mellon
The Orioles signing a guy who is AAA for other teams to their 40 with a chance to play MLB sounds about right.
Ra
Not on the 40. MiLB contract. Unfair to trash them for things they did not do.
BaseballRebel
Bemboom goes the dynamite
Ra
I have seen this exact comment under 3 different names.
R.D.
I’m disappointed in anyone who has the chance to go by Tony Bemboom and doesn’t
mlbnyyfan
A lefty hitting catcher would of been perfect to platoon with Higgy. GET SANCHEZ OFF MY TEAM!!!!!!
vtadave
* “hitting”
Chipper Jones' illegitimate kid
I swear Yankee fans have Sanchez Derangement Syndrome if they really want to replace him with Bemboom
stymeedone
Not a Yankee fan, but Sanchez is not a catcher. Its kinda like playing Judge at SS. It wouldn’t make him a SS. If the Yankees had a real catcher, the pitching would improve.
Chipper Jones' illegitimate kid
Would you trade Sanchez for Bemboom?
bobtillman
Not a bad depth piece. The issue is, the O’s 40-man roster has about 37 depth pieces.
Chipper Jones' illegitimate kid
Only players whose last name starts with M can be good for the Orioles. Mountcastle, Mancini, Mullins, and Means. Bemboom just has his Ms in the wrong spot. Maybe they can write his name backwards on the lineup card.
vtadave
Yep, rumored targets are Brad Miller, Carlos Martinez, and Andrew McCutcheon.
Ra
You forgot Hays, Urias and Sulser, conveniently
swinging wood
He’d better bring the boomstick.
BPax
How boring is it with the lock out? I’m reading about some dude named Bemboom. Apparently signed a minor league contract. Maybe I need to reassess my online reading.
HalosHeavenJJ
Yet another in a long string of “he might be decent” guys who donned an Angels uniform and immediately went downhill.
mlbnyyfan
@Chipper Do you want Sanchez on your team instead of D’Arnaud? I highly doubt it. Sanchez is done most Yankees fans know this. The Yankees desperately need to get stronger up the middle and it starts with replacing Sanchez. However unfortunately Cashman don’t see things that way. Cashman deserves Black Coal in his Christmas stocking this year. Cashman has been naughty bringing Sanchez back for another year. Sanchez isn’t even a good hitter anymore Sanchez doesn’t know how to make adjustments at the plate and is very predictable. The only reason Sanchez hits as many home runs as he does because the pitcher made a mistake and he’s strong enough to hit the ball very far.
Chipper Jones' illegitimate kid
I want Sanchez on my team instead of Bemboom. That’s my only point.
Pro tip: next time reply to the comment you are replying to. I know. It makes too much sense.