As it appears more likely that Grant Balfour‘s two-year, $15 million deal with the Orioles will be voided due to issues in his pre-signing physical, the Baltimore Sun’s Dan Connolly tweets that the team is turning their attention to free agent Fernando Rodney. Control issues have always been Rodney’s biggest concern. Last season he posted a 1.335 WHIP and 4.9 BB/9.
However his numbers the past two seasons are relatively close to that of Balfour’s.
Rodney: 1.91 ERA, 141.1 IP, 201 ERA+, 1.040 WHIP, 0.3 HR/9, 3.2 BB/9, 10.1 K/9, 3.10 K/BB
Balfour: 2.56 ERA, 137.1 IP, 150 ERA+, 1.049 WHIP, 0.7 HR/9, 3.6 BB/9, 9.4 K/9, 2.62 K/BB
Could the Birds sign Rodney for less than the $15 million they planned to give Balfour? Then could they use that money they saved on some freaking starting pitching?
How many times did O’s fans bitch about watching Fernando Rodney shoot imaginary arrows into the sky while sporting a crocked hat? Too much.
I Hope Not
The fans will be all over Rodney like they were with Strop. I honestly think that Jim Johnson may have been the most liked reliever in Baltimore since Tippy Martinez. We love to hate the closer here in Baltimore.
Except for a slow start in ’13, this dude was pretty much lights-out the last few years. I hate the goofy (and tired) flat-brim-sideways-retro-ghetto bs cap look as much any normal person, but I think he’d be a good get for the price. So I guess K-Rod is back to bum status again? No trust in T Hunter? Quick rant: so again, how/why did we let Koji sign with the red sox after Texas?!!
Pete Jr., I’ll answer your question about letting Koji sign with the Red Sox with other questions…
1. Why do the Orioles have the most stringent physicals prior to signing free agents?
2. Why do the Orioles continue to stockpile “Designated for Assignment” players?
3. Why did the Orioles trade Johnson with no clear cut alternative in place?
4. Why won’t the Orioles sign some decent starting pitchers?
5. Why are/were the Orioles looking to trade Hardy & Weiters?
6. Why do the Orioles continue to lowball free agents?
7. Why don’t the Orioles get players that will put this team far into the playoffs when they already have a good nucleus?
8. Why did the Orioles raise ticket prices after an increase in attendance?
9. Why do people at the mall taunt SPY and little kids cuss him out?
2488 – I know….PA. The grandiose promises after the 2012 playoffs did feel good for awhile though. “Fool me once…..” Stevie B, will you please buy the O’s when Peter the Shame finally kicks it?
Only the Orioles could strike out on a guy named “Ball Four”
So the Yankees can sign Beltran who has had 4 knee operation and we can’t sign a reliever who had arm surgery 8 years ago…WTF! Just look at the same thing we did with Aaron Sele in 2000, he went on to win 50 games over 3 years with Seattle after he failed our physical. As fans, they have F’d us again. Rodney is an older version of Peedro Strope.
The Orioles become more and more of a joke every freaking day!