The free agents
Is anyone else sitting near a bowl full of Halloween candy, wondering why they buy so much every year and end up eating it and gaining weight and hating themselves?
Me neither.
We keep talking about the Orioles' need for starting pitching and a shortstop. And perhaps a first baseman if Aubrey Huff remains the primary designated hitter. But we can't forget the yearly search for a backup catcher.
Guillermo Quiroz didn't provide much offense, though I sensed that most of the starters preferred having him behind the plate. He's also such a nice guy, I'd like to see him enjoy a long and healthy career, even if it's someplace else.
Six more catchers filed for free agency yesterday: Henry Blanco, Toby Hall, Adam Melhouse, Brad Ausmus, Javier Valentin and Vance Wilson. The Blue Jays picked up Rod Barajas' $2.5 million option, and the Cardinals re-signed Jason LaRue after he filed on Thursday.
Here's the updated list of free agents:
Arizona
Tony Clark (1B); Juan Cruz (RP); David Eckstein (SS)
Atlanta
Jorge Julio (RP); Greg Norton (OF); Will Ohman (RP); John Smoltz (SP); Julian Tavarez (RP)
Orioles
Alex Cintron (SS); Kevin Millar (1B); Jay Payton (OF)
Boston
Sean Casey (1B); Bartolo Colon (SP); Alex Cora (SS); Dave Ross (C); Curt Schilling (SP); Jason Varitek (C)
Chicago Cubs
Henry Blanco (C); Ryan Dempster (SP); Jim Edmonds (OF); Chad Fox (RP); Bob Howry (RP); Jon Lieber (RP); Kerry Wood (RP)
Chicago White Sox
Joe Crede (3B); Toby Hall (C); Horacio Ramirez (RP); Juan Uribe (2B)
Cincinnati
Jeremy Affeldt (RP); Jerry Hairston Jr. (SS); Michael Lincoln (RP); Kent Mercker (RP); Javier Valentin (C)
Cleveland
Brendan Donnelly (RP); Scott Elarton (SP)
Colorado
Adam Melhuse (C)
Detroit Tigers
Freddy Garcia (SP); Todd Jones (RP); Vance Wilson (C)
Florida
Mark Hendrickson (RP); Paul LoDuca (C)
Houston
Brad Ausmus (C); LaTroy Hawkins (RP); Mark Loretta (2B); Randy Wolf (SP)
Kansas City
Mark Grudzielanek (2B)
Los Angeles Angels
Garret Anderson (OF); Jon Garland (SP); Darren Oliver (RP); Juan Rivera (OF); Mark Teixeira (1B)
Los Angeles Dodgers
Joe Beimel (RP); Casey Blake (3B); Nomar Garciaparra (1B); Jason Johnson (RP); Derek Lowe (SP); Greg Maddux (SP); Manny Ramirez (OF); Mark Sweeney (1B)
Milwaukee
Eric Gagne (RP); Gabe Kapler (OF); Mike Lamb (3B); Ben Sheets (SP); Brian Shouse (RP)
Minnesota
Adam Everett (SS); Eddie Guardado (RP); Nick Punto (SS); Dennys Reyes (RP)
New York Mets
Moises Alou (OF); Tony Armas Jr. (RP); Luis Ayala (RP); Damion Easley (2B); Pedro Martinez (SP); Ramon E. Martinez (2B); Oliver Perez (SP); Ricardo Rincon (RP); Matt Wise (RP)
New York Yankees
Bobby Abreu (OF); Chad Moeller (C); Sidney Ponson (SP); Ivan Rodriguez (C)
Oakland
Emil Brown (OF); Frank Thomas (DH)
Pittsburgh
Chris Gomez (3B); Jason Michaels (OF); Doug Mientkiewicz (1B); Luis Rivas (SS)
St. Louis
Cesar Izturis (SS); Jason LaRue (C); Braden Looper (SP); Felipe Lopez (2B); Russ Springer (RP); Ron Villone (RP)
San Diego
Mark Prior (SP)
San Francisco
Rich Aurilia (1B)
Seattle
Willie Bloomquist (OF); Miguel Cairo (1B); Raul Ibanez (OF)
Tampa Bay
Rocco Baldelli (DH)
Toronto
Brad Wilkerson (OF); John Parrish (SP)
Texas
Hank Blalock (3B); Milton Bradley (DH); Jason Jennings (SP); Ramon Vazquez (3B); Jamey Wright (RP)
Washington
Odalis Perez (SP)
Blalock can become a free agent pending resolution of an option provision. Donnelly is potentially eligible due to contract terms.
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Categories (click for archive)Roch Kubatko |
will the O's need a back-up this year? I mean, if Weiters impresses in fall ball and in spring training, what's the point in holding him back? I mean, he caught Tillman and the guys at AA and is now catching Matusz, so I think they should have him back-up Ramon while he learns the bigs and then give him the keys middle season. Might actually make Ramon play harder so he doesn't get demoted. Use that money saved on a backup and give it to the bigger needs, like pitching, SS and 1B
Roch,
Signing Teixeira is good for fans but bad management. Adding him would be the same as Tejada. We lose draft picks, and, his effectiveness is reduced because we don't have pitching. We'd be stuck waiting for prospect arms to arrive without the benefit of the top picks we would have chosen had we NOT signed him. The net gain is a mediocre team, with less chance of developing pitching. The ONLY reason to do this is just to make fans feel better.
I would love to see a native son come home but this would be a horrible for a rebuilding club. Signing him and/or other Type A (or B) players means we give up a lot of top picks. Consider that most of the Rays roster was drafted by them.
It is extremely un-sexy but a shrewd signing of a sub-Type B veteran pitcher or two to eat up innings would work wonders. It stabilizes the rotation and creates a better environment for young guys to mature. Good pitching is contagious. Just look at Frederick and Bowie last year. A veteran SP or two would also reduce the amount of innings our RPs throw which keeps them healthier and paced better to reach August and not implode. Overall the numbers improve, which at least creates some opportunities for trades. We've talked about doing such a thing for 8 years but we've never quite got it right a la Benson. I would say it is akin to the Tigers signing Jason Johnson, Indians acquiring Paul Byrd, and the Brewers adding Doug Davis. Those guys aren't heralded but they were added right at the time when they had a pipeline of pitching due to come up.
Roch,
I really liked Quiroz, and I think if he would have got to play more than twice a month, he could have contributed more offensively. He blocked balls in the dirt, he hustled (you know, things that Ramon seemed to be above doing)..so just wanted to say that I wish Guillermo well and hope Ramon finds a new home before opening day.
Well Roch i was 3 for 3 today. Florida, West va, and old miss. I will just give you the colts right now. But i do like about 3 more games tomorrow.
roch
From Tampa bay rocco, so you think Baltimore is ready for to rochs?
That's a depressing list.
If there is one guy I can pick on the O's that I didn't want back next year (non pitcher) it would have to be Ramon. I would much prefer an older but fundamentally sound catcher than one who doesn't know the basics of throwing to second.
Greg Zaun should be our target for a backup catcher. The guy can still hit and is still a good defender behind the plate.
Looking at this list reminds me, how can Sidney Ponson's arbitration case go 2+ years without being resolved?
Ok roch here we go. Buffalo, minn, and the colts.It's like the games have already been played. It's that easy.
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I just wrote them down. Thanks. - Roch
Dear Roch,
What do you have against me? I don't think the team needs to go out into the FA market to look for a backup catcher. I admit that I never tried to smother pitches in the dirt last season, and I never once blocked the corner on a close play at the plate, but...well, I had the starting job, so I figured I really did not need to do those things. I am willing to do all those things as Matt Weiters backup next season. It may even lead to one or two extra victories.
You see, I knew we would not compete in the AL East last year, so I figured 70-92 or 72-90, what is the difference. I am willing to go to the Dominican Winter League and learn how to play defense as a catcher if you think it will give me a shot to be the Orioles $7 million backup catcher.
Your Friend,
Ramon
I can't believe i'm suggesting this, but i noticed that Jerry Hairston Jr. is listed as a SS. He can hit better than any of the SS substitutes the O's threw out there on a daily basis last year and he appears to be able to play good defense. I wouldn't be against bringing him back to the team that drafted him, handing him the SS job, and seeing if he can solve one of the O's major needs without spending too much money.
Oh and by the way don't forget that i said that Tommy tuberville's day's are numbered at auburn. He is just as over rated as that bowden bunch.
@Basemonkey
"Signing him and/or other Type A (or B) players means we give up a lot of top picks."
Naw, the top 15 picks in the draft are protected, meaning the Orioles wouldn't lose any picks if they signed a Type A free agent. Also, if we signed a Type B, we don't lose any picks, but the team we signed him away from, who offered him arbitration, gets a supplemental pick.
Should CC Sabathia be on this list, or did i miss something?
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He filed after I posted the list. - Roch
Basemonkey I disagree 100%. Either way we are waiting for our young pitchers before we contend so why not fill in the holes in the infield/lineup while we wait for them to get here? They will deliver wins faster once they hit the majors if we have a defensively tight infield and set lineup. If we bring in Tex, let Millar go and put Huff at DH with one game a week at 3B or 1B, maybe the added offense will allow us to go straight D at SS and not worry about how the 9 hole hits.
Signing a Type A Free Agent means we would lose picks after the 1st round. It wouldn't be our #4 overall pick, but, it makes the case that we won't be picking up any Olsons, Penns, Erbes, Arrietas.
To Lucky Horseshoe:
I don't mean to say we shouldn't fill needs by NOT signing free agents. I just said to be smart about them and weigh in the draft picture also. Signing the top available position player Free Agent will do wonders for our offense, esp. when you factor in the development of Markakis and Jones in front of Teixeira's bat, but, it won't necessarily get us closer to being a longterm competitor. I think MacPhail's ultimate goal should be longterm success and health of the farm system to replenish itself and provide a steady stream of major league talent. We're just not there yet. And signing top Free Agents can only hurt our chances of adding to our talent pool. You are right that we'd be waiting on those pitching prospects either way, but as someone who follows the minors avidly, draft picks and undrafted free agent signings do matter.
Every year we watch the playoffs and the top performers in the league and they are littered with top picks and shrewd moves. It is true that it's a bit of a crap shoot, but, longshots make it to the majors too, but, it does matter. With an average homegrown player a team is garuanteed to have that player be able under control for 6 years at least before age 27-28. With free agents, you'll likely get them starting at age 27-28. The window is just smaller with free agents.
Jon Garland, Oliver Perez, and Randy Wolf seem to be the only viable SPs in my scheme. Those guys will likely be Type B. That being said, it is highly possible that we'd have to overpay to get either of them so it is unlikely. Other free agent pitchers are a bit of a gamble but come with a mixture of baggage and health issues which might make the Orioles attractive to them (i.e. Freddy Garcia, Mark Prior, Bartolo Colon, Braden Looper, Odalis Perez). I guess the only real chance of adding Free Agents of obvious note is the usual suspects because of geographic preference, Teixeira and Burnett. To sign Teixeira we'd have to give up our 2nd rounder (e.g. the Rays drafted Carl Crawford in the 2nd round). Here is a list of recent draft pick compensation players:
Conor Jackson
Jarrod Saltalamacchia
Glen Perkins
Huston Street
Phil Hughes
Clay Buchholz
Jacoby Ellsbury
Joba Chamberlain
Colby Rasmus
Ian Kennedy
Not all of these players have made considerable impacts yet at the majors, but as one that follows all of the minors, I can say this is a considerable list, a virtual All-Star minor league team.
I honestly think the O's need to buy the farm this year and fill the holes where there is no minor league talent available in the system. This would be SP, 1B and SS right now. 3B can wait for another year or two, because there is Scott Moore, who had a bad season at AAA, but hopefully he can bounce back. If the O's do this, it will basically lock up every batting spot in the lineup for the next 4-5 years, as long as the extend Roberts and Markakis.
This will give them the ability to draft heavily over those next years. Sure, it would kill the O's in next year's draft, but they do still get the #4 pick, and should probably pick a college 3B that can possibly move over to SS if needed. That way, Rowell has some competition, and competition breeds excellence. The only thing they would need to then sign are paychecks.
I think that formula will bring the fans AND success back to the organization in 2 years time.
Basemonkey-
1. Texeira is young enough that he should be around for several years of contention according to our "schedule". He wont be 30 until spring training 2010. He adds defense AND offense. He is aproven talent unlike any draft pick. He won't cost us a first rounder. For every Carl Crawford you bring up I can name 20 flops. If the sole mission is to add talent, there is no argument against Texeira. In my opinion it clearly brings us closer to being a competitor. It adds a bat and adds infield defense. Unless we sign Sabathia, no pitcher this year will make us a contender before our kids come up and get a season under their belts, so bringing in some retread mediocre pitchers only satisfies the fans who dont have the patience to wait for microwave popcorn. I believe it is our job to fill in the rest of the team while waiting for our young pitching to arrrive. As I don't think MIllar is a full time option and I don't want to see Huff with a glove on his hand unless it is on the driving range, for me 1B comes right after SS in filling our non pitching holes. Wieters is once a generation for most teams. You can build all you want by the draft but at some point you need to fill in where the system has holes. I go to about 15 games each at Bowie and Frederick annually. From what I have seen we dont have a starting calibre position player at either level. Nolan is a 4th OF in my opinion, Rowewll and
where's furcal?