Sunday Open Thread

by duck on Dec 13, 2009 9:00 AM EST in Open Threads

Consider this your Open Thread for Sunday.

Zrebiec: A Ray of class
"[Chris] Ray’s fastball velocity started to come back as the 2009 season progressed and he said that he has put on eight pounds of muscle this offseason to get some strength back that he felt he lacked last year. He said his 2009 struggles have provided great motivation. The bet here is that he’ll return to form and be a pretty effective reliever for Texas." -duck

Big names added to free-agent pool | MLB.com: News
Oakland slugger Jack Cust, Yankees right-hander Chien-Ming Wang, Colorado third baseman Garret Atkins and Pittsburgh closer Matt Capps were among the prominent players not tendered contracts prior to Saturday's 11:59 p.m. ET deadline, swelling the free-agent ranks. Other veterans granted free agency by virtue of not receiving contract offers are Nationals closer Mike MacDougal, Reds outfielder Johnny Gomes and the Giants' Ryan Garko. -zk

Zrebiec: Winter Meetings leftovers
"(T)he Royals and Orioles never engaged in formal trade talks (for Felix Pie) in Indianapolis, unless you count a couple of quick lobby conversations among scouts and other team officials. So no, the Orioles didn’t ask for Royals first baseman Billy Butler or third baseman Alex Gordon. " -duck

O's agree to terms with Albers, Meredith -- baltimoresun.com
The Orioles have agreed to terms with relievers Matt Albers and Cla Meredith on 2010 contracts, according to team sources today. -duck

Garret Atkins non-tendered by Rockies
"The Orioles have some interest and didn't engage in serious trade talks with the Rockies because they anticipated that he would hit the open market." Just Andy being Andy, people. -duck

IN OTHER BASEBALL NEWS...

Jason Bay rejects Red Sox offer
"Boston Red Sox free agent left fielder Jason Bay has rejected the team’s latest offer, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports via Twitter Saturday. Bay’s agent Joe Urbon said ”We have other offers on table that are of greater interest to Jason.” Ha. See how YOU like it, Boston. -duck

Feliz Navidad / Feliz Navidad / Feliz Navidad / Prospero Ano y Open Thread.

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Comments

New people to sign?

Who’s a better idea to sign as a pitcher Bedard or Chien-Ming Wang?
I’m going to with Wang, even though I know he won’t be ready until May, I still think he’s a better investment than Bedard. And, yes, I know Bedard was an Oriole and can be a stud when he’s healthy but it’s just that, he’s rarely healthy. Wang, on the other hand, has been injured once in his career. I say that because the second time he went down had to have been part of the first injury…or something. Whatever.

Also, is Matt Capps a better closer option then the others available? Mike Gonzalez (Type-A), Kevin Gregg (not very good last year as the closer for the Cubs), Mike MacDougal (He pitched for the Nats last season after being non-tendered by the White Sox…that tells you everything), Fernando Rodney (look at his stats, no thanks), or Jose Valverde (Type-A and looks like a tool with those glasses and the way he throws)?

by Dr Orpheus on Dec 13, 2009 9:41 AM EST reply actions

I'm not on the Bedard train

But I wouldn’t want to touch Wang with a 10 foot pole.

Don't give up, don't ever give up. - Jim Valvano

by BaltimoreSportsFan on Dec 13, 2009 9:46 AM EST up reply actions

Wang had a Lisfranc break

and hasn’t been the same since. Some speculate he’s changed his delivery slightly to compensate, and it sure didn’t work last year.

"(Brock Lesnar) is never in good spirits and he's not in good spirits now." - Dana White

by duck on Dec 13, 2009 9:51 AM EST via mobile up reply actions

I can see why.

Don't give up, don't ever give up. - Jim Valvano

by BaltimoreSportsFan on Dec 13, 2009 9:58 AM EST up reply actions

Damn

So, maybe he’s really done for. Maybe not though.

Meh. Bedard it is.

by Dr Orpheus on Dec 13, 2009 9:59 AM EST up reply actions

Probably Capps..

He does give up the long ball and a lot of hits, but after reading this..

Before signing Brandon Lyon, the Astros were talking to Fernando Rodney as well. Apparently his asking price was near $30MM over three years. If that’s true, he’ll probably end up disappointed this winter.
Jose Valverde may be “pricing himself out of the market” as well. Teams like the Tigers and Orioles seem unwilling to commit $10MM+ annually to Valverde in a long-term deal.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/12/cafardo-on-gonzalez-rodney-valverde.html

What up?

by snakethejake on Dec 13, 2009 11:45 AM EST up reply actions

$30MM for 3 years?

For a closer who hasn’t put up a sub 4 ERA in 3 years? Good luck with that. I wouldn’t go over $6MM for 2 years.

"Hey Yankees... you can take your apology and your trophy and shove 'em straight up your ass!" --Tanner Boyle

by BirdFanInPhilly on Dec 13, 2009 1:08 PM EST up reply actions

agreed

by twistedlogic on Dec 13, 2009 3:57 PM EST up reply actions

for some reason

I read that thing about Jason Bay and thought it was about Jason Varitek and I was totally confused. It wasn’t until I clicked the link that I realized what was going on.

by Stacey on Dec 13, 2009 10:22 AM EST reply actions

Jason Varitek

shouldn’t be turning down any deals at the rate of his decline. Oh wait, he is the captain…intangibles, blah blah.

by sickuvitall on Dec 13, 2009 10:38 AM EST up reply actions

Varitek calls a great game

"Hey Yankees... you can take your apology and your trophy and shove 'em straight up your ass!" --Tanner Boyle

by BirdFanInPhilly on Dec 13, 2009 1:09 PM EST up reply actions

closer

out of the available closer one the market who maks the best fit?

by chuckthefan on Dec 13, 2009 10:54 AM EST reply actions

Kiko Calero

"I like baseball, movies, good clothes, whiskey, fast cars ... and you. What else you need to know?"

by Andrew_G on Dec 13, 2009 11:27 AM EST up reply actions

hmm

of the recognized “closers”, I would be looking at Matt Capps and Kevin Gregg, if either is willing to take 1 or 2 years for reasonable money (I dunno, $5 million per?). If that doesn’t happen, I’d consider Calero, D.J. Carrasco, Octavio Dotel, Darren Oliver, etc. Sign one of these guys to a cheap 1 year deal with incentives and maybe a team option (obviously a guy like Oliver is less likely to accept that kind of deal, but you might as well ask), and have them compete with Uehara / Mickolio / Jim Johnson for the closer / setup man roles.

by ugen64 on Dec 13, 2009 5:12 PM EST up reply actions

"Whoooooooaaa Doggie!" -- Gary Thorne

by thewaywardO on Dec 13, 2009 11:35 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

THANK YOU WAYWARD O

The stock market will never recover, our armies will never again be #1, and our children will drink filthy water for the rest of their lives - HST

by the fix is in on Dec 13, 2009 10:25 PM EST up reply actions

Ryan Garko

could be interesting…

What up?

by snakethejake on Dec 13, 2009 11:40 AM EST reply actions

I think...

the open thread lead in should use the 12 days of xmas. I believe today would be the 1st, so it’d be something like
“on the 1st day of open thread my true love gave to me, a bat via free agen-cy”

by daveh873 on Dec 13, 2009 11:53 AM EST reply actions

not bad

but have you really got 11 more of those?

"you know what the orioles could use right now? a day off." - joe angel

by swilhelmross on Dec 13, 2009 11:59 AM EST up reply actions

I thought the 12 days

were the days between christmas and the epiphany.
So the twelve days AFTER christmas.

wikipedia’s got my back
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_Days_of_Christmas

by Steve. on Dec 13, 2009 1:45 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

I have no idea

I celebrate xmas for the presents.

by daveh873 on Dec 13, 2009 1:46 PM EST up reply actions

you're right

12 days between Xmas and epiphany

by Gorilla Bird on Dec 13, 2009 10:48 PM EST up reply actions

I would love for the Orioles to get Garko

Check out my website, it has scouting reports for all the Orioles' top prospects and is updated daily. www.oriolesprospects.com

Follow me on twitter @orioleprospects

by Jordan Tuwiner on Dec 13, 2009 4:06 PM EST reply actions

You throw that "love" word around pretty casually

Guys like Garko and Capps – would anybody really “love” to get them?

by O'sFan21 on Dec 13, 2009 4:10 PM EST up reply actions

capps, yes

If we get him on a short-term (1 or 2 years) deal for reasonable money, I would “love” that deal simply because it means we didn’t do something stupid like give up a draft pick for Jose Valverde, or give Fernando Rodney 3 years / $30 million like he wanted.

Garko on the other hand? Average at best defender, below average bat for 1st base…. that’s a deal I would not love us to make. Over the past 3 seasons, he’s been worth an average of 0.9 wins per season. Just as a comparison – Luke Scott was worth 1.4 wins as a full-time DH last season. A DH is considered equivalent to a below average defensive first baseman, which sounds about right for Scott. So no thanks on Garko.

by ugen64 on Dec 13, 2009 5:18 PM EST up reply actions

I still don’t think I’d “love” acquiring a guy like Capps – as you say I’d be really happy that we didn’t throw away money/picks for those other guys, but I’m still not bursting with excitement.

And yeah pass on Garko.

by O'sFan21 on Dec 13, 2009 8:00 PM EST up reply actions

How do we feel about Justin Duchscherer? He has experience as a starter and as a reliever. Not saying he’d be OUR closer, but he’s versatile and could find a spot on our roster.

Is Mark Hendrickson still coming back, PS?

by cjatud2012 on Dec 13, 2009 9:57 PM EST up reply actions