Orioles won't repeat Fowler pursuit

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - We won't get fooled again.

Not that it's going to surprise anyone who's been paying close attention, but the Orioles don't expect to solve their right field riddle by plugging in free agent Dexter Fowler.

Fowler is drawing serious interest from multiple teams, including the Cardinals, Blue Jays and Giants, and should easily hurdle the three-year, $33 million offer laid out by the Orioles in spring training. An offer they felt had gotten them Fowler before he reversed course and re-signed with the Cubs for one year.

Fowler won a World Series and hit the market again. MLBTraderumors.com ranked him as the sixth-best free agent and projected that he'd land a four-year, $64 million contract from the Cardinals.

According to reports, Fowler is seeking around $18 million annually on a multi-year pact.

Fowler comes with another qualifying offer attached to him. The Orioles have become detached, still needing his services as right fielder and leadoff hitter, but not eager to add significantly to their payroll beyond raises for their arbitration-eligible players and, yes, the possible re-signing of Mark Trumbo.

Duquette indicated on the "Hot Stove Show" on 105.7 The Fan that he maintains a solid relationship with Fowler's agent, Casey Close, who blasted the Orioles in a statement posted on Twitter following reports that the club reached agreement with his client. Reports he didn't refute until Fowler joined the Cubs.

Bridges apparently weren't burned, but they won't lead the Orioles back to Fowler.

Appearing this morning on MLB Network, Duquette hardly sounded like a man ready to jump into the bidding.

"I don't know if he's an option for us this year," Duquette said, smiling as the hosts' referenced a player dropped into the middle of a heated spring controversy.

"We tried to sign Dexter last year and to his credit he made a good decision and it worked out for him. We were able to have a good ball club, too. That's all in the past. Dexter was betting on himself, that he would be out there in the market that didn't have as many outfielders this year. Looks like he made the right call."

Too bad. Fowler remains a perfect fit with his career .366 on-base percentage, occasional pop, speed and ability to hit from both sides of the plate.

The Orioles talked to the Mets about Curtis Granderson, but the $15 million owed was a turnoff. Brad Brach, at least for now, stays in their bullpen. Angel Pagan still holds their interest - he's on manager Buck Showalter's board - but we're talking about a steep drop from Fowler.

It appears that Michael Saunders no longer is a consideration. The Orioles have some concerns over his ability to pass their physical, according to a few people I've talked to, and there doesn't appear to be anything brewing with him.