MacPhail discusses trade
Andy MacPhail, the Orioles' president of baseball operations, said the trade that sent Ryan Freel to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for outfielder Joey Gathright took about four days to complete.
Gathright had to clear waivers and be outrighted to Triple-A Iowa before the Orioles could acquire him in a trade that leaves them with 39 players on their 40-man roster.
The Orioles obtained Freel during the winter meetings, sending catcher Ramon Hernandez to the Cincinnati Reds, but his Orioles career lasted fewer than two months.
"Since we acquired Ryan, we ended up acquiring (Ty) Wigginton, who can play third base, bats right-handed, and we acquired (Robert) Andino, who plays shortstop and second base," MacPhail said. "We didn't get the at-bats there that we originally anticipated. It's just one of those things that sort of evolved, and then we had the unfortunate issue with him being hit in the head. So it was one of those circumstances where he just didn't get the at-bats that we anticipated when we first made the deal.
"It looked like a good fit at the time. We were happy about it. But it's just one of those star-crossed things that just didn't evolve. And I do think, and he thought, that he really saw himself more as a National League-type player - double-switch, get to play more often than he would here. And I really couldn't fault his logic. I think this gives him a new lease and hopefully he'll get back to the kind of player he was before."
The Orioles also had to send a significant amount of cash to the Cubs to balance out the deal. Freel was owed another $3.3 million this season in the final year of his contract. Gathright was being paid $800,000. Neither side ended up having to pay much more than their financial obligation before the transaction
Gathright has batted .262 in 428 major league games over parts of six seasons with Tampa Bay, Kansas City and the Cubs.
"We know the tool he has," MacPhail said. "He's 28 years old and he's got great speed. A career .260 hitter without much power. I think people have a pretty good understanding. But he really creates more of an inventory for us at a position that is still somewhat up in the air."
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Categories (click for archive)Roch Kubatko | Roch Kubatko Orioles |
Fine ,now send Pie to Norfolk and let Gathright become the fourth outfielder/pinch runner and defensive replacement in the late innings. If someone wants to claim Pie and give him a roster spot so be it, but I doubt that it will happen.
I wonder what moves will be made in the minors to accomodate him?
But he really creates more of an inventory for us at a position that is still somewhat up in the air."
Not sure why we need more "inventory" in the OF, unless he's thinking of AAA. Looks to me like there is a budding logjam. RF and CF well taken care of for the foreseeable future (injuries permitting, and signing AJ to a long term contract like NM), and Lou, Luke and (soon, I hope) Nolan competing with each other for time in LF and DH.
The outfield is not a position in this organization that is "up in the air." Not even somewhat. The future has Reimold, Jones and Markakis as starters, and Montanez and Pie as the 4 and 5 guys. Maybe Gathright takes Pie's spot because he hits a little better, but Pie has more upside and is younger.
Roch,
Don't know if this was mentioned or not, but Gathright is the guy the Cubs chose to have on the roster instead of Pie this season.
a couple of blogs ago Jak said:
"Mr. McPhail - Keep your shareholders informed...it goes a long way with building a loyal fan base."
Jak, now not only are you like Jesus, but now your a 'shareholder'? That's rich. Let's see, you:
A) Hate Peter
B) Hate Andrew
C) Hate the plan
D) Hate the people who actually care about the team (Kool Aid)
E) Refuse to buy tickets
F) CONSTANTLY say defamatory things about EVERYONE involved in O'd management.
G) Hate x-Cubs (oh ecept for Lou 'cause he played in Bowie for you)
HOWEVER, YOU need to be kept informed, because you're so "loyal"...thanks for the laugh if it weren't so arrogant.
I've really been trying real hard to avoid slamming people on this blog, but I just couldn't help myself.
Sorry to: OCJ, Roscoe, Tom C., Tracy, Luckyhorse, mstrchf13, west coast, Big Bill, Bill in Elkton, Tracy, Richmond, bms (thanks for the Tides info)...and all others who I love to read.
Go O's
long season, short life...enjoy
We did the best we could with Freel. And we opened up a spot on the 40 man roster.
Chuck, 've been following almost every Tides game, Salazar and J. Cabrera have mostly been switching between 1B and RF since Lou came up. They've been going with this setup even at the expense of playing time for Fiorentino and Costanzo. The double headers recently were the first time there were very significant lineup changes for the better part of the year. But Cabrera has had a solid bat so it's hard to keep him out of the lineup. They've also had Mel Rojas, a light hitting defensive SS/2B starting, so who knows maybe Cabrera plays in middle infield a bit more?
Gathright won't be playing at the expense of Christian I don't think. He's been on fire with the bat, has great speed and plays plus defense in CF.
Rob Dibble and Jody MacDonald were just breaking down the deal on XM Radio and had it in their heads that this trade materialized because the Orioles coveted Joey Gathright.
Hahaha!
I would be severly disappointed if gathright takes pie's spot. pie is about as fast as gathright only he has more power, better arm and more potential. if we are gonna have a speedster OF on the roster, let it be pie, not gathright.
I wonder why Waters is still on the 40 man roster? Do we lose an "option" on him if we remove him? I think it's pretty obvious he's not coming up any time soon (if ever), is keeping him on there strictly semantics until we need his spot?
I meant Carlos Rojas last post, had Melvin on tv as I was typing lol.
Do the Orioles really "send cash" to the Cubs or do the Orioles simply continue issuing paychecks to Freel even though he will be playing for the Cubs?
Can Andrew cram anymore cliches into one interview? Really, not room for one more? Just one of those "star crossed things"? "He just didn't get the at-bats that we anticipated when we first made the deal."
"I think this gives him a new lease and hopefully he'll get back to the kind of player he was before."
Really Andrew get some better PR people around you. Your statements sound like something out of Sunday school.
Now that we've settled the situation about which so-so ballplayer will help the O's finish last..........
It's May 8. In 1966, on this date, Frank Robinson became the only player to hit a home run out of Memorial Stadium. It was a 541-foot shot over the left-field wall off Cleveland right-hander Luis Tiant. The Orioles won 8-3.
Maybe tonight will be the night an O will hit the warehouse on the fly. Not that the warehouse wears pants. I'm just saying.
People, if you read the story in the Sun you will see that Gathright cleared waivers and was sent to AAA by the Cubs before the trade could go through. That's why it took so long. If Gathright can slip through waivers, then I imagine Pie can as well. But, I don't think that that will happen.
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Isn't that what I wrote? - Roch
"But it's just one of those star-crossed things that just didn't evolve."
Andrew makes it sound like its an act of nature or god. Like a migration on the Serengetti that went awry. Or one of those moths during the industrial revolution that got eaten by the birds because it did not evolve and develop darker colors.
It just didn't evolve? How about the guy stunk and was sitting behind all your other stellar acquisitions, so therefore he did not earn any playing time.
"And I do think, and he thought, that he really saw himself more as a National League-type player - double-switch, get to play more often than he would here."
Really Andrew? Then why did you take him in the trade in the first place? You see him as an NL type player, so you bring him to the AL East. Ya, makes perfect sense there.
Just admit it, you acquired deadwood and this trade is fixing one of your MANY mistakes.
At least two things have been resolved in this trade 1. We know that his cell phone Works and 2. It gets reception on the golf course.
The position up in the air is 4th outfielder. Pie is the current backup centerfielder/4th outfielder. This gives us the ability to get rid of Pie for someone that doesn't expect to play much and won't complain about his role. This is the beginning of the end for Pie and possiblity good news for Neimold.
Roch--Yes, you did write that...guess I'm reading too much stuff on the O's and getting everything crossed up. Such is the life of a seminary student heading into finals week.
Can we get a restart?
ouch.
For Norfolk... Wieters flied out to left to end the first and The Surprise Second Coming (duh... Nolan) hit a great shot to center. But Buffalo has the lead in the second. They are still the worst team in all organized baseball and the city still stinks.
Sorry to infringe on your Tides reporting, bms... Take the night off!
since the trade clears a spot on the 40 man roster does that mean Weiters will be taking it hmmm
Two words that I'm tired of hearing from this organization... Tool or Speed! Every time they say that about a player they turned out to be a mess... oh yeah... I'm talking about Pie... And what's the deal with bringing all the players from the Cubs?
i would have preferred to trade Freel for Wade Boggs and a side of rice pilaf.