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Odds & Ends: Orioles, Padres, Theriot

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Here are some links on an understandably slow Thanksgiving night…

  • Baltimore GM Andy MacPhail tells Steve Melewski of MASN Sports that the Orioles are willing to offer a big contract under the right circumstances.  MacPhail points out that the club offered $140MM to Mark Teixeira as evidence that they are willing to spend.  Given their recent history, do you believe him?
  • The Padres are keeping close watch on first round draft pick Donavan Tate, writes Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune.  The third overall pick is recovering after undergoing sports hernia surgery in October.
  • Despite plans to shift Ryan Theriot from shortstop to second base, Cubs GM Jim Hendry tells Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune that he has faith in the soon-to-be 30-year-old.  Theriot has been told to prepare for a shift to the other side of the bag to make room for Starlin Castro.  Recently it has been reported that the Cubs are interested in Mets second baseman Luis Castillo.

MacPhail On The Orioles, Free Agents, Wagner

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Orioles president Andy MacPhail tells ESPN.com's Buster Olney that he sees a "critical mass" of talented young players ready to contribute to Baltimore's next great team.

"The improvement in the standings, like Tampa Bay showed, can come overnight," MacPhail said.

The O's expect to supplement their young core with some free agents. The team has uncertainty at the corner infield positions, but MacPhail expects to be able to find answers on the market, since there are lots of options at first and third. Miguel Tejada and the Astros have interest in extending the infielder's stay in Houston, but in theory, Tejada could return to the O's.

MacPhail, who values shut-down relievers, expects the relief market to develop slowly and sounds confident that the O's will find a late-inning arm. Billy Wagner is one of the relievers the Orioles have some interest in. His Type A status won't scare the O's off, since they're prepared to surrender a draft pick for the right free agent.

Padres Claim Radhames Liz

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According to a team press release, the Padres have claimed righthander Radhames Liz off waivers from the Orioles. The 26-year-old appeared in two games for the O's in 2009, allowing eight hits and ten runs in just 1.1 innings. He made 17 starts for Baltimore in 2008, putting up a 6.72 ERA in 84.1 IP.

Prior to the 2008 season, Baseball America ranked Liz as the Orioles' number two prospect behind Matt Wieters.

Orioles Could Make Big-Money Offers

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In a conversation with MASN Sports' Steve Melewski, Baltimore Orioles president Andy MacPhail indicated that the team wouldn't rule out pursuing a top-tier free agent this offseason.

MacPhail pointed to the $140MM offer that the club made to Mark Teixeira last winter as an example of the Orioles' willingness to negotiate with the bigger names on the market: "To think we wouldn't go out there or that offer somehow is not genuine is absurd. It's over twice what was offered in the history of the franchise before.

"We have to be careful about who those (big dollar) players are. And I have to be responsible. Contracts of that magnitude, unless you are an extraordinarily wealthy club, can sink a franchise. You have to be judicious when you go out there. But we were out there a year ago."

MacPhail also confirmed that estimates putting the Orioles' current 2010 commitments (including raises to arbitration-eligible players) at about $45MM "are not terribly off the mark." Given that the team's payroll has been right around $67MM for the last two seasons, the Orioles could have $20MM+ to fill out their roster. Spreading that money out over a few inexpensive signings seems more likely, but MacPhail's comments suggest that the Orioles are keeping their options open.

Odds & Ends: Guillen, Overbay, Johnson

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A round-up of several items from around the majors…..

  • Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News reports that Jose Guillen would be willing to waive his limited no-trade clause in order to be dealt to the Mets.  The Royals have reportedly proposed an Angel Pagan-for-Guillen swap that would also see Kansas City include some cash to help the Mets pay for Guillen's $12MM salary next season.  Guillen hit .242/.314/.367 in 312 plate appearances for K.C. during his injury-plagued 2009 season, and it's probably for those reasons that Rubin thinks the trade is a long-shot to actually happen.
  • The Globe and Mail's Jeff Blair (via Twitter) was told by a non-Toronto executive that there is a 90 percent chance that the Blue Jays will trade Lyle Overbay at the winter meetings.
  • While talking about Josh Johnson's contract situation, Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria told The Miami Herald's Clark Spencer that the club has no set policy against giving pitchers contracts longer than three years.
  • Former outfielder Doug Glanville wrote an interesting blog entry for the New York Times website about the issues a player can face when entering free agency for the first time, especially if they're thinking of leaving their long-time home.
  • The Baltimore Sun reports that the Orioles signed southpaw reliever Mike Hinckley to a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training.  Hinckley threw 13.2 scoreless innings in 14 relief appearances for Washington in 2008, but his perfect streak was snapped last year when he posted a 4.66 ERA in 14 appearances with the Nationals.  He spent most of last season pitching for the Rangers' Triple-A affiliate.
  • This could be an item for the 'Saying All The Right Things' file, but MLB.com's Matthew Leach reported that at the press conference for Albert Pujols' MVP Award, the Cardinals superstar said he wanted to play in St. Louis, "hopefully for 15 more years if I can play for that long and can retire as a Cardinal." 

Orioles Looking “Short-Term” At The Corners

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The Orioles aren't expected to be major players on the free-agent market this winter, but if the team does make a move, it will likely be to acquire a veteran presence at first and/or third base.

Speaking to MASN Sports' Steve Melewski, Baltimore team president Andy MacPhail said that given the Orioles' young outfield and second-year catcher Matt Wieters, he would "like to put more proven bats" in the lineup to compliment the team's young stars.  The O's have prospects Brandon Snyder and Josh Bell in the pipeline at first and third, respectively, but since MacPhail said he doesn't see either making the leap to the majors in 2010, the experienced hitters that MacPhail wants will have to come at the corner infield spots.

Baltimore already has Luke Scott (a team-leading 25 homers in 2009) penciled in at either first base or DH, and utilityman Ty Wigginton is available to play third.  Prospect Michael Aubrey (an .826 OPS in 95 plate appearances last season) is also in the 1B mix, possibly in a lefty-righty platoon with Wigginton that would lock Scott into a DH/LF split with Nolan Reimold and would then leave third base open for either a free agent or a player to be acquired in a trade.  The Baltimore Sun's Dan Connolly predicted the O's would sign Pedro Feliz, while there has been some speculation that the Orioles will make a trade with Florida for Dan Uggla and then move Uggla from second to third base.

In his Offseason Outlook series entry about Baltimore, Tim Dierkes listed names like Adrian Beltre, Carlos Delgado and Nick Johnson as possible targets for the Orioles.  These players would fit the "short-term" designation that MacPhail mentioned, but since MacPhail didn't rule out the possibility of "the right deal for the right player, even if it was a longer-term deal," would there be any other bigger-name corner infielders that you could realistically see Baltimore signing?

Jermaine Dye Open To First Base

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Free agent Jermaine Dye is open to playing first base, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports.  Dye's played one game at the position in '05, but teams are asking anyway.  He played four games at first in Triple A back in '98.

The FOX writers speculate that Dye could make sense at first base for the Braves, Mets, Giants, and Orioles.  Getting Dye out of right field would certainly improve his value.  He's been quite bad for at least four years, and that's a sample of nearly 5,000 innings.

Orioles Notes: Beltre, Delgado, Wolf, Blalock

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The Orioles are positioned to be buyers in free agency, according to Jeff Zrebiec and Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun.  GM Andy MacPhail says that the club is looking to spend this offseason, but there remains some skepticism in Baltimore as to whether owner Peter Angelos will be willing to open up his checkbook.  If the O's decide to dole out dollars this winter, here are some of the players they will and won't be targeting:

  • Barring a change in organizational plans, you can cross the Orioles off the list of suitors for outfielders Matt Holliday and Jason Bay.
  • The Orioles have contacted the agents of Chone Figgins and John Lackey, but are hardly alone in that regard.
  • Adrian Beltre and Pedro Feliz top the O's wish list to replace Melvin Mora at third base. 
  • At first base, Nick Johnson, Hank Blalock, and Carlos Delgado are options.  We know that Baltimore is not the only club keeping tabs on Delgado, as his last employer is said to be keeping an eye on him as well.  The 37-year-old slugger ranked #43 on Tim's Top 50 Free Agents list, where it is predicted that he will sign with the Orioles.
  • Andy MacPhail & Co. are considering Dodgers pitchers Randy Wolf and Jon Garland, as well as Braden Looper.  MacPhail noted that the club is not afraid to take a chance on a hurler with a history of injuries and high upside.  Former Oriole Erik Bedard, Ben Sheets, and Rich Harden all fit the bill.
  • The O's would gladly add an established closer at the right price.  Billy Wagner, Fernando Rodney, and Mike Gonzalez are mentioned as members of a deep crop of available relievers.
  • It shouldn't be long before the Orioles agree to terms with pitcher Mark Hendrickson as both sides want to get a deal done.  The 6'9 lefty spent time with four different organizations before coming to Baltimore – eight if you count NBA teams.

Odds & Ends: Orioles, Brewers, Green, Sellers, Astros, Byrd, Vizquel, A’s

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Some more links as the weekend begins… 

  • Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun notes that the Orioles didn't make any contract offers on the first day of free agency.
  • Nick Green doesn't expect to back with the Red Sox, according to Dan Barbarisi of The Providence Journal.
  • Jon Heyman of SI.com reports that the Marlins, Royals, Tigers and Reds are currently baseball's most active sellers.
  • The Astros signed minor league free agent Jose Valdez, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com (via Twitter).  
  • The Brewers agreed to sign Santo Aybar, according to ESPN.com's Jorge Arangure Jr. The 16-year-old shortstop has to pass an age investigation for the deal to go through.
  • Marlon Byrd repeated to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan that he wants to return to the Rangers in 2010. He's looking for a multi-year deal "at the right numbers." The Rangers have interest in re-signing the outfielder.
  • Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports that White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen knows the White Sox are talking to Omar Vizquel. Guillen didn't confirm anything other than his intention to continue wearing number 13.
  • WEEI.com's Rob Bradford breaks down the suitors for Jason Bay, starting with the Red Sox, Angels and Mets.
  • John Sickels of Minor League Ball spoke with A's GM Billy Beane, who says his club's currently rebuilding. Check out the entire interview for more on the team's direction.
  • Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says the Brewers are "kicking the tires" on every available pitcher.

Orioles Claim Tatum From Reds

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The Orioles claimed catcher Craig Tatum off of waivers from the Cincinnati Reds, according to a team press release. The O's designated lefty Chris Waters for assignment to clear space for Tatum.

The 26-year-old catcher posted a .471 OPS in 77 plate appearances with the Reds this year; a considerable dropoff from his .638 OPS in Triple A. In 2008, Baseball America named Tatum the best defensive catcher in the Reds' organization.

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