In what might be the first positive statement about the Orioles from Baseball Prospectus since the late 1990s, Joe Sheehan approves of both the Benson and Patterson deals (subscription only):

Kris Benson was also a Mets' dumpee, sent to the Orioles in exchange for Jorge Julio and John Maine. Benson's three-year, $22.5-million contract kicked off a 16-month rush of silly deals for pitchers long on potential and short on production. Standing on the other side of that rush, having Benson--a league-average pitcher with some durability issues--for two years and $15 million doesn't seem like such a bad idea. Like the Dodgers with Seo, the Orioles didn't give up anything of note in exchange for a pitcher who is a good bet for 180 league-average innings, perhaps more if he can shake the nagging injuries. ...

The Orioles also added Corey Patterson, essentially for free, from the Cubs. Not to get too mainstream here, but if you're ever going to use the "he needed a change of scenery" argument for a player, you'd use it with Patterson, who was broken by the end of last year. He has flaws, especially at the plate, where he's never going to be a true leadoff man because he's not wired to work counts. If you set that aside, though, and look at him for what he is--a true center fielder with very good left-handed power and some speed--you can see a player who will be worth five wins on the cheap right now, and with a chance for more upside than that as he goes through his peak.

At the very least, I expect the Orioles to get a short-term bounce here, a kind of performance like Oddibe McDowell had in 1988 for the Braves. For a team that has struggled to find a center fielder and needs lefty pop, it's an excellent pickup.