Orioles fans have many questions for the worst owner in sports
Oriole fans and their continued frustration with majority owner Peter Angelos has been the #1 hot button topic on Baltimore sports talk radio for the last ten years.
Oriole fans have no confidence that Peter Angelos will ever spend the money required to compete with the Yankees and Red Sox in a cash rich AL East. Things are so bad in Charm City that Orioles fans have begun to wonder even IF Angelos was willing to spend the money, would a high profile free agent want to come to Baltimore and lose 90-100 games every year?
As I have said many times before the Orioles will need to overpay for a legitimate free agent. That is the penalty for being a terrible franchise. Looking ahead to 2010, money should be no object as the Orioles have already shed close to 28 million in payroll from 2009: Melvin Mora (8 million), Aubrey Huff (8 million), Danny Baez (7 million) and Jamie Walker (4.5 million). These players were typical of the Orioles triple threat: bad, old, and expensive. The 2010 Oriole payroll is currently hovering around 45 million. Just to put that in perspective, A-Rod made 33 million himself in 2009. Oriole GM Andy McPhail has assured the fans the front office will be active and willing to spend on the right free agents. We shall see.
Most fans agree on the Oriole priorities this offseason: closer, veteran starter, power hitting corner infielders.
The following closers are available in free agency and would make sense in the Orioles bullpen: Mike Gonzalez (Atlanta), Jose Valverde (Houston), Billy Wagner (Boston), and Fernando Rodney (Tigers). Flamethrowing reliever Joel Zumaya (Detroit) is also available and could be converted into a closer. There is no doubt that the Orioles struggled to close games after trading veteran lefty George Sherill to the Dodgers. However, the Orioles may have found their third baseman of the future in Josh Bell who came to Baltimore via Los Angeles in the deal for Sherill.
Bell is a 6’2″, 230 lb switch hitter who has experienced success at every major league level. In 33 games at AA 
Bowie, Bell’s stat line was a robust: .289 avg, 9 HR and 24 RBI. Bell is on track to start the 2010 season in Norfolk with the Orioles first baseman of the future Brandon Snyder. Snyder was a AA All-Star in 2009, but struggled after his call up to AAA Norfolk. Both players are expected to see their first major league action after the All-Star break in 2010. Both should be ready to contribute every day by opening day 2011.
Due to the expectation that youth will be served by 2011, the Orioles do not need a long term solution at the corner infield positions. The top free agents currently available at 3B are: Chone Figgins (Angels), Troy Glaus (St. Louis), Adrian Beltre (Seattle), Pedro Feliz (Philly), Garrett Atkins (Colorado), and Mark DeRosa. I think Troy Glaus would be a great 2 year player in Baltimore and would give the O’s a home run threat and veteran presence in the club house. It is documented that the Orioles have contacted Mark DeRosa’s agent. Pedro Feliz has also been rumored as a possible fit in Baltimore.
The notable players available in free agency at first base are Carlos Delgado (Mets), Hank Blalock (Texas), and Adam LaRoche (Atlanta). Even though Blalock has been injury prone every season except his contract year, his left handed stroke could do damage to the short porch in right field at Camden yards. Michael Aubrey came to Baltimore via Cleveland last year and may be the best defensive option at first base. Aubrey hit better than expected for the Orioles the last two months of the season but is not the quintessential power hitter the team desperately needs in the middle of the line-up.
This brings me to the last area of need for the Orioles: veteran starting pitcher. The big name pitcher who will ring the register of free agency this year is John Lackey. However, I think the Orioles should look elsewhere to fill the need for a top of the rotation starter. How about former Oriole Erik Bedard?
How about this for irony: the Orioles reload their franchise by getting Adam Jones, Chris Tillman, and Josh Bell (via George Sherrill) in a trade for Bedard. This cost the former Mariners GM his job and was one of the worst trades in MLB history. Bedard has struggled through two injury plagued seasons in Seattle and will not command the pay day he would received two years ago. We basically could bring Bedard back to Baltimore for half the price and still keep Jones, Tillman, and Bell!! How about a rotation of Bedard, Matusz, Guthrie, Bergesen, and Tillman? Is that better than an opening day rotation of Guthrie, Uehara, Rich Hill, Mark Hendrickson, and Adam Eaton?
Oriole fans need to start clamoring for management to bring Bedard back to Baltimore. It would make for a great story and Bedard has familiarity with the team and hitters in the AL east. C’mon Peter Angelos, fork out some cash and bring some excitement back to the great fans in Baltimore! They deserve it!
If I were GM I would be active and try to add Bedard, Rodney, and either Blalock or Glaus. What would you do this winter if you were the Orioles GM?
woodman – still look at the picture of Cal & Eddie drinking Dom P everyday.
Filed under: Baltimore, Baseball, Orioles Tagged: | 2010 mlb free agency, baltimore orioles, brandon snyder, erik bedard, josh bell
good article….but i disagree on both blalock and glaus due to their injury history. I think atkins and derosa would both be a good fit.
I wouldn’t pay for Joel Zumaya for anything over $1. Although he’d be a kick a** guitar hero partner, the guy is no more a flame thrower, when he’s sitting out entire seasons due to injury, than I am…he’s the opitimy of immaturity and could care less about taking care of himself and being a productive big leaguer.
Bedard is another guy who seemingly injured himself the day he went to Seattle…I wouldn’t waste money on what could be viewed as “long shots” on guys with a history of injuries. If you think O’s fans are annoyed with the team now, just wait until they sign Blalock and Bedard and both are on the 60 Day DL come opening day.
Angelos has spent money before…not too long ago he brought in Tejada, Lopez, and Palmero and we were still terrible. Before that he sunk a boat load of cash into Albert “Don’t Call Me Joey” Bell and I think we are still paying him.
MLB stars are by far the most inconsistent performers of the four major sports in my opinion, yet they receive guaranteed contracts. MLB players also get paid the most out of the four major sports. Small market teams have found a level of success in recent years, but on the whole it’s very hard for them to compete. Every move MLB GM’s make is magnified to the nth degree and few teams have the resources to bounce back from bad choices easily.