Camden Chat - Darren O'Day free agency news and rumorsPut a bird on it!https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48285/camden-fave.png2015-12-07T22:28:02-05:00http://www.camdenchat.com/rss/stream/96233092015-12-07T22:28:02-05:002015-12-07T22:28:02-05:00For real now, O'Day deal done, pending physical
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/ipHq8u8uP9sWA0__jkY-Yap6pdQ=/0x106:3558x2478/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47825715/usa-today-8807377.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We mean it this time. The Orioles and Darren O'Day have agreed on a four year, $31 million contract, although it is still pending a physical. So far, it seems like this doesn't close the door on signing Chris Davis.</p> <p>Remember that time 36 hours ago when we all got excited that the <a href="https://www.camdenchat.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Orioles</a> were going to sign <span>Darren O'Day</span> to a new contract, and then that other time like 34 hours ago when no less than O'Day himself appeared on Twitter to tell everybody to pump the brakes? Yeah. On Monday night, <a href="https://twitter.com/danconnollysun/status/674040919751057408">the baseball reporter class re-asserted that the deal has been completed</a>: four years and $31 million.</p>
<p>The contract is still pending a physical, but other issues, which may have involved either the composition of a partial no-trade clause or the dispersal of deferred money, have been resolved. And while you never entirely know with Orioles physicals, the Orioles, being the team that has employed O'Day for the past four seasons, should have a pretty good idea already what they're going to see in there.</p>
<p>So it's still not official-official, but it's pretty much official. Unless something changes, the Orioles will keep their dominant 1-2 punch of O'Day and <span>Zach Britton</span> at the end of games, with players like <span>Brad Brach</span> and <span>Mychal Givens</span> free to try to grab hold of the seventh inning role to establish the kind of dominant trio that the <a href="https://www.royalsreview.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Royals</a> have partially ridden to postseason success the past two years.</p>
<p>If you believe <a href="https://twitter.com/masnRoch/status/674053407330729984">reporters from outlets that are 85% owned by the Orioles</a>, this signing does not close the door on the O's efforts to retain Chris Davis. The Orioles could still end up keeping three of their six free agents, when I could have just as easily predicted they'd keep one or none. Remember, I know even less than Jon Snow.</p>
<p>The Baltimore Sun wrote on Sunday afternoon about <a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-darren-oday-leadership-forces-orioles-out-of-financial-comfort-zone-20151206-story.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter">the importance of O'Day's leadership on the team</a>. It's all too easy as a blogger to scoff at this kind of stuff, but it sure sounds a lot like O'Day has more to offer the team than just being an awesome pitcher. Four years for a reliever is a lot. A total of $31 million for a non-closer is a lot. O'Day is the man, and he gets to stay ours. There's nothing bad about that.</p>
https://www.camdenchat.com/2015/12/7/9869680/orioles-rumors-darren-oday-contractMark Brown2015-12-06T20:02:11-05:002015-12-06T20:02:11-05:00The latest on the O's pursuit of Darren O'Day
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/G_Og5Sp-ez09mB4sONzP_aaBGSQ=/0x96:2761x1937/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47814055/usa-today-8146875.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The baseball world reported that the Orioles had an agreement with Darren O'Day, who himself said there was no agreement "yet." Examining some possible hurdles to the contract getting finalized.</p> <p>Sunday morning began with the first real exciting piece of news of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.camdenchat.com/">Orioles</a> offseason: That the Orioles and their free agent reliever <span>Darren O'Day</span> had <a href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/673514281833512960">agreed on a four year deal worth $31 million</a>. That's a lot of years and dollars for a non-closer reliever, but hey, O'Day has been good for a number of years and the Orioles have been better off for his presence on the team, so that's good, right?</p>
<p>Not so fast. Sometimes it seems like nothing can ever come easy for Orioles fans. After the baseball world was running that the deal was done, pending a physical, that the Orioles had managed to out-bid the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.federalbaseball.com/">Nationals</a> because, as The Baltimore Sun's Dan Connolly reported, <a href="https://twitter.com/danconnollysun/status/673544526699454464">the O's were willing to offer a fourth year</a> where Washington was not, the man himself took to Twitter with the following thought:</p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Contrary to the news, I have not reached an agreement with the O's yet. I am flattered by all the attention, but reports are premature.</p>
— Darren O'Day (@DODay56) <a href="https://twitter.com/DODay56/status/673565687546298369">December 6, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<p>Well, that's some cold water on everything. You can take that tweet and parse it a lot of ways to work yourself up into a panic. Until the ink is dry on the deal, I'll probably be doing the same. Surely the most encouraging thing about it is the use of the word "yet," which does seem to suggest that one is still anticipated to be forthcoming. But maybe what it means to you is not what it means to O'Day. Also, "reached an agreement" is typically reporter-speak for a contract that's done except for the physical.</p>
<p>Although there is a lot of stuff in the baseball rumor mill that can be categorized as your choice of livestock excrement, multiple big baseball writer names going in for something that turns out to be like the famous DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN headline doesn't really happen much. So, there's always the possibility that the picture became murky as a result of the Nats changing their minds and offering more years and dollars, or that some of the personal lobbying by Nats players, <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/status/673560419533983744">as reported by Jon Heyman</a>, still has some sway over O'Day. But it's not likely to be that.</p>
<p>Later in the day, Connolly characterized the signing for Orioles fans: <a href="https://twitter.com/danconnollysun/status/673552299227136000">"Buy champagne, don't pop cork."</a> That probably means there's still a little dickering to be done within the agreed-upon framework, which, again, <a href="https://twitter.com/masnRoch/status/673573631641956354">the reporter class all agrees is there.</a></p>
<h4>Possible obstacles still remaining</h4>
<p>That could mean there's still some negotiation over things like deferred contract money, or perhaps a no-trade clause. With the place the Orioles are right now, they might want to kick a few million dollars down the road to increase their present payroll flexibility. The two sides would have to agree on how and when that money would be paid out.</p>
<p>Given that O'Day's wife, Elizabeth Prann, working out of D.C. for the Fox News Channel was widely reported to be an important factor in his decision, and may be why the two final teams were the O's and Nats, an interest from O'Day in at least a limited no-trade clause would make sense. Not much fun for the O'Day family if Darren signs here to stay near here, then ends up getting traded to some place far away from that kind of big media job opportunity.</p>
<p>Dan Duquette <a href="https://twitter.com/masnRoch/status/673658920657907713">told Orioles reporters</a> that there is "more work to do" with O'Day, which makes me think it's something along the lines of the previous couple of issues.</p>
<p>Also not to be forgotten is the dreaded Orioles physical. That was sarcasm there. Though there are contingents of people both in the media and among Orioles fans who act like owner Peter Angelos is perched over the doctor's shoulder, waiting to fail everyone he doesn't want to pay, the fact is that the O's dinging someone after a contract is reached rarely happens.</p>
<p>In the most recent high profile instance, where the Orioles backed out of a deal they'd reached with <span>Grant Balfour</span>, subsequent events have seemed to vindicate their cautiousness. They were bashed by, among others, <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fmlb%2F2013%2F12%2F20%2Forioles-wont-sign-balfour%2F4147189%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.camdenchat.com%2F2015%2F12%2F6%2F9858882%2Forioles-rumors-darren-oday-signing" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener" target="_blank">the Rays team physician</a>, who said Balfour was healthy. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.draysbay.com/">Rays</a> ultimately signed him.</p>
<p>What the Rays got from that contract was a total 5.00 ERA and Balfour was designated for assignment before the end of April of the second year. Sure sounds like a guy who was probably pitching hurt and had that affecting his performance, just what the Orioles feared.</p>
<p>Another reason not to worry about the prospect of the physical, or at least not worry about it too much, is that if anyone has a good idea of what O'Day's health situation is, that's going to be the Orioles. Players take physicals at the start of spring training every year. Unless something's happened to O'Day in the last ten months or so - possible, but not likely - his bill of health should be clean.</p>
<p>If the Orioles had existing major concerns about O'Day's overall health, you have to think they wouldn't have stayed in the bidding process this long, going so far as to add the fourth year at the very end of it to beat out the Nats.</p>
<p>One other thing working in favor of a deal getting done is Adam Jones. In his typical Jones way, <a href="https://twitter.com/SimplyAJ10/status/673559118477561856">he posted a vague tweet that is celebratory</a>. Now, maybe Jones was just reacting to the other reports, same as the rest of us were, but Jones could well have spoken to O'Day himself.</p>
<p>Where does it all leave us? Just about the same place we were before, waiting around for something to happen. It sounds encouraging, even if it's not all finalized yet.</p>
https://www.camdenchat.com/2015/12/6/9858882/orioles-rumors-darren-oday-signingMark Brown2015-12-06T10:12:33-05:002015-12-06T10:12:33-05:00Orioles sign Darren O'Day to four year, $31M deal
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/bwlK10cMR4kMA27_jo2VM4leG_Y=/0x0:3393x2262/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47811367/usa-today-8832586.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The unlikely has happened and the Orioles shelled out big bucks for a reliever. What do you think?</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.camdenchat.com/">Orioles</a> have signed relief pitcher <span>Darren O'Day</span> to a four-year, $31M contract (pending physical). The deal was first reported by <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/673514281833512960">Ken Rosenthal</a>, with the money details coming from Jon Heyman.</p>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">O'Day gets $31M 4 year deal <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/orioles?src=hash">#orioles</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal">@Ken_Rosenthal</a> on it</p>
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/status/673515311950376960">December 6, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<p>Let me take you inside my immediate reaction on this.</p>
<p><i>Holy crap, the Orioles signed Darren O'Day? I'm so happy! O'DAAAAAY O'DAY O'DAY O'DAY, O'DAAAY, O'DAAAY.</i></p>
<p><i>Wait, how much is that contract? Almost $8M a year? For a reliever? </i></p>
<p><i>I can't believe they did it! </i></p>
<p><i>How are they going to sign <span>Chris Davis</span> now?</i></p>
<p><i>They're not going to sign Chris Davis, are they?</i></p>
<p>The Orioles have now committed $15,8M to <span>Matt Wieters</span>, approximately $9M to <span>Mark Trumbo</span>, and now about $8M to O'Day. That's about $32M to three players who are not named Chris Davis, and who are also not starting pitchers.</p>
<p>It has been reported for a few days now that the Orioles and Nationals were frontrunners to sign O'Day, and Rosenthal reports that the Nationals were balking at a fourth year. The Orioles seized the day, added a fourth season, and O'Day is theirs. Even though the money/length of the contract worries me, I'd also add a fourth year just to stick it to the Nationals.</p>
<p>I'm happy O'Day will be back in the fold, but worried about what this means for the rest of the off season. Of course, there is always the idea if the Orioles trade <span>Zach Britton</span>, that offsets O'Day's salary almost completely, depending on what they might get back.</p>
<p>What do you think? Yay or nay on this deal?</p>
https://www.camdenchat.com/2015/12/6/9856786/orioles-sign-darren-oday-to-four-year-31m-contractStacey2015-12-04T17:41:41-05:002015-12-04T17:41:41-05:00O'Day pursuit down to 3: Orioles, Braves, Nats
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/8xmCiwHHo4g6SzVjlR4lJuybWNE=/0x26:2663x1801/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47804497/usa-today-8781372.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Peter Llewellyn-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The latest on Darren O'Day is that the chase is down to three teams, who are reportedly the Orioles, Braves, and Nationals. Maybe the O's will still find a way to bring him back.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.camdenchat.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Orioles</a> are still in the hunt for their free agent reliever <span>Darren O'Day</span>. After a Tuesday report that the O's had made a "competitive offer" to O'Day, Friday night brings The Baltimore Sun's Dan Connolly with the news that the O's are one of three teams who are in on O'Day as the process <a href="https://twitter.com/danconnollysun/status/672899482112163844">nears the finish line</a>. The other two teams are the <a href="https://www.federalbaseball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Nationals</a> and the <a href="https://www.talkingchop.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Braves</a>.</p>
<p>If that's the case, the team with the deepest pockets in baseball, the <a href="https://www.truebluela.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Dodgers</a>, has been winnowed out of the field. It's always a surprise when the team that can spend the most doesn't get a particular free agent. Earlier on Friday, Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal noted that one of the other teams pursuing O'Day, the Nationals, <a href="https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/672879950903558144">don't expect to have the high bid for O'Day</a>, but are still hopeful that they might land him, since his wife works out of D.C. for Fox News.</p>
<p>One more reporter chiming in on O'Day right now is MASN's Roch Kubatko, who believes the Dodgers <a href="https://twitter.com/masnRoch/status/672902264512765952">were in fact the high bidders for O'Day</a> but that he wants to stay on the East Coast. Kubatko also adds that "some" with the Orioles view the Nationals as the favorites, and that this perception is also shared by people outside of the organization.</p>
<p>Yesterday, <a href="https://twitter.com/jcrasnick/status/672518836160212992">ESPN's Jerry Crasnick tweeted</a> that the "expectation in the industry" is that O'Day's contract will come in the $32-34 million range over four years. That sounds like a lot of money for a non-closer, and it certainly is, but at the same time, it's not a lot of money for a guy who has a 1.92 ERA over the past four seasons combined.</p>
<p>A missing piece of information here is how whatever offer the Orioles have made stacks up against where the Nationals are. Another missing piece is which of the two teams will be willing to expand their existing offer in order to get O'Day.</p>
<p>If there are Orioles people viewing the Nationals as the favorites, that would seem to indicate the Nationals are currently offering more, but you never really know with this stuff. Maybe the Orioles are close enough to where O'Day will end up deciding to stick with the team and manager under whom he's had such consistent success.</p>
<p>The reporter collective in general seems to view O'Day as being soon to sign, although they've been saying that for about a week now and nothing has happened just yet. Connolly today writes "definitely by the end of the Winter Meetings," which still leaves almost a week for things to happen. Don't hold your breath.</p>
https://www.camdenchat.com/2015/12/4/9851674/orioles-rumors-darren-odayMark Brown2015-12-01T15:32:34-05:002015-12-01T15:32:34-05:00O's have made "competitive" offer to Darren O'Day
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/fftoa0kId4hi_1U-dtiGWU5r_io=/167x0:4608x2961/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47780775/usa-today-8811919.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Darren O'Day market is winding towards its end, reports the Baltimore Sun, and in its final stages the Orioles are still there with a "competitive" offer. Could they keep their reliever after all?</p> <p>Have you, like me, spent the whole offseason assuming that Darren O'Day is going to be a goner from the Orioles next year? Not so fast! As the bidding for O'Day's services winds towards a conclusion, the Orioles have made a "competitive" offer, <a href="http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-source-orioles-make-oday-competitive-offer-could-make-a-decision-soon-20151201-story.html">reports Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun</a>.</p>
<p>Competitive is in the eye of the beholder, and it's not like there's a consolation prize for making the third-best offer to a free agent. A team signs a particular guy or not. It is interesting, however, to know that the O's are still in the conversation at this point in the game. That means they're interested enough in O'Day that their offer to O'Day wasn't summarily rejected for being nowhere close to what other teams are offering.</p>
<p>At this point, there's not an exact length or dollar amount attached to the contract. Does "competitive" mean the Orioles have joined other teams in offering a fourth guaranteed year to O'Day? Does it mean they're close to, but not offering the highest, average annual value?</p>
<p>Even the possibility that the Orioles believe their offer is competitive when it's actually not is something worth considering. That said, in Connolly's article, he describes "an industry source" as having proclaimed that the O's made a competitive offer - so that doesn't sound like language that means "someone in the Warehouse." If it's someone like O'Day's agent, well, he'd certainly be in a position to know.</p>
<p>Connolly names three other teams as also being in the "final conversations" - the Nationals, Braves, and Dodgers. There may be others. Hot stove season is the time for the mystery team to shine, after all.</p>
<p>With the O's already having Zach Britton established at closer, and with Brad Brach and Mychal Givens seemingly ready to audition for an eighth inning role, O'Day making $7 million per year or more seems like a bit of an extravagance at first glance.</p>
<p>On the other hand, there's no such thing as having too many good pitchers. They could always sort out what to do about that later. If O'Day signed a four year contract with a consistent yearly salary, for instance, he'd stay the same price even as Britton gets more expensive in arbitration. A year down the road, the O's could explore trading Britton, confident that O'Day could step in as closer behind him. That's just one possibility, and one where the O's would need to surprise us by signing O'Day to get there anyway.</p>
<p>Do you think the O's will find a way to retain O'Day? Do you think that's a good use of their resources, considering other needs the team faces?</p>
https://www.camdenchat.com/2015/12/1/9831180/orioles-rumors-darren-odayMark Brown