Orioles sign Gamboa to major league deal

One year after declining to offer Eddie Gamboa a contract and removing him from the 40-man roster at the non-tender deadline, the Orioles have signed the knuckleballer to a major league deal.

The Orioles re-signed Gamboa to a minor league contract last winter and he went a combined 5-7 with a 3.81 ERA and a career-high 8.6 strikeouts per 9.0 innings in 19 games (17 starts) with Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk. He's currently pitching in the Mexican Winter League, where he's gone 4-2 with a 1.33 ERA in eight starts, with six walks and 49 strikeouts in 54 innings.

Gamboa became a minor league free agent and drew interest from other teams, which prompted the Orioles to offer him a major league deal.

"He's really getting a feel for his knuckleball and he's understanding how to control it," said executive vice president Dan Duquette. "His walk-to-strikeout ratio reflects that he took a big step in the command of his pitches, and in particular the knuckleball.

"We were considering adding him to the roster before he became a free agent and at the time we decided not to put him on the roster, but after watching the progress he's made in Mexico and understanding the interest in the marketplace, it required us to put him on the roster."

Originally selected by the Orioles in the 21st round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft out of UC Davis, Gamboa is 42-41 with a 3.44 ERA in 183 career minor league appearances (91 starts) over seven seasons.

Gamboa received a 50-game suspension without pay in June after testing positive for exogenous testosterone, a performance-enhancing substance in violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

The Orioles currently view Gamboa as a starter, but he also could transition into a relief role.

"He's starting in Mexico," Duquette said. "I think the feel he's developing for his pitches allows him to be available to help the team in whatever role we think he can help us. He's continuing to develop as a pitcher, as a starter right now."

The 40-man roster is full, but the Orioles will clear at least one spot before the Rule 5 draft.

"We've got some other things we can do to create some space for ourselves," Duquette said.

In other news, ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports that talks between the Braves and Nick Markakis have intensified and he's hearing that a contract offer could fall in the range of four years and $45 million.

The Orioles have become hesitant to offer a fourth year. An early proposal from the club covered four years and about $34 million, according to sources. That was just a starting point.

Also, multiple reports suggest that left-hander Andrew Miller is close to signing with a new team. The Yankees and Dodgers appear to be the favorites, though 23 teams have expressed some level of interest.