After a decade of service at third base, Melvin Mora and the Orioles parted ways. Andy MacPhail and company filled that hole in the George Sherrill trade with the acquisition of Josh Bell. While Bell grows in the minors, the Birds needed a stop gap, so they brought back Miguel Tejada for his second stint and second position with the O’s.
While many wondered why the Orioles would want to bring Tejada back to Baltimore, to me it was a no brainer.
Tejada is coming off arguably his best season at the plate in 2009 with the Houston Astros. He hit .313, knocked in 86, had 46 doubles, and 14 homers. It was a season reminiscent of his 2004 performance with the Orioles and it even got him a few MVP votes and a trip to the All Star game.
Now, at age 35 Tejada makes the switch from shortstop to third base. He’s got the support of the beloved Cal Ripken, Jr. and brings back a spirited leadership into the locker room at Camden Yards.
Miggy’s fielding percentage is .971 for his career and has been above .970 since 1998, his second season in the bigs.
If he comes into Baltimore and plays solid defense with decent numbers at the plate, he’s the perfect guy to hold the position for Josh Bell. If he doesn’t and Bell heats up down on the farm, move over Miggy. No one expects a .313 season from Tejada in the AL East, but he’s proven that his bat is still alive and will be a vital part of the Orioles line up.
His numbers throughout 2009 were very well balanced. He hit .326 against left handed pitching, .380 in May, and .362 in September/October. He hit best in the 2 hole at .367 with on on base percentage of .393, but hit .280 in the three whole with 24 RBI.
It is projected that Tejada will hit clean up for the O’s, meaning he will get plenty of chances with men on. He hit .331 in 175 plate appearances and had 63 RBI with runners in scoring position last season and .328 with 22 RBI will runners in scoring position and two outs.
I think Tejada brings Baltimore a few more wins, more on offense than defense. He’s the man for the job and will make Bell work even harder to get the gig at third base, which is exactly what the Orioles are hoping.
Zach,
While the media has sometimes been critical of Miggy, his teammates go on and on about him as a teammate and a competitor. Brian Roberts said he was the "best teammate" he ever had. This team has to want to win, to expect to win, and from all accounts given by his teammates, Miggy can instill that quality in these young guys.
STG,
Yeah, Palmeiro went on and on about MIggy too. Only it was about B-12…__On a serious note, this was a very good move. Miggy will help in that line up and we could use him as trade bait once again at the deadline. I still think McPhail is moving at a snails pace in improving this team.
What do you think about McGuire's brother throwing him under the bus? That bastard! That would never happpen with us would it?
Brother from another mother, I'd never throw you under the bus.
I'll never forget Porn Star Mustache Palmeiro wagging that finger, ala Bill Clinton…
It's interesting to see the differing views on Tejada between the media and his team mates. I think if the team had issues with him they either would have said something…or said nothing. Stepping up means they must really feel good about him.
Hopefully Wiggy will become trade bait!
Oh PLEASE!!!!!
Some of you act like the O's are the Royals or the Pirates for crying out loud.
They have PLENTY of cash to spend and they choose not to spend it. McPhail has crafted a plan that many have bought into that involves basically avoiding any big name free agents. The reason Tampa went the route they did was because they had no choice. The Orioles have a choice. I get it. Believe me, I do. They absolutely must go the route of the young, homegrown (or mostly homegrown) players to have any chance of winning. But that only goes so far. And to keep kicking the can down the road with regards to adding significant free agents means, to me at least, that winning will is that much further down the road.
I sure hope Tejada is fine with the glove. I see a whole lot of assumptions about him and Atkins with regards to fielding.
His bat will be a help to the team no doubt. But Zach, his 2009 season isn't close to his 2004 season. In fact, choose any season from 2001-05 and it was better than his 2009 season.
That's not a knock on the guy. Those years were the prime of his career.
I gotta say, this team is a LOT better than when MacPhail took over, so I think the O's GM is working as fast as he can when he is working through the farm system. He could have improved the team overnight with a gigantic payroll and aging veteran free agents, but that is not how you can build a contender realistically.
Now to the post. Miguel still has the bat, he should be fine with the glove, and he will be a lot better than rushing Josh Bell. Good signing, I like the move as a low risk, high reward. With Atkins you don't know what offense he will give you. With Tejada it is a bit more reliable.
Sheila,
Like you said, if they were to go out and sign a bunch of free agents, they'd be in the same shape they've been the last 12 years. Aside from 1996 and 97, the Orioles forays into free agency haven't worked out too well – see Albert Belle, Scott Erickson – they are trying to build this organization the way another McPhail built them back in the day. People seem to think this MASN deal is a cash cow, and eventually it may be, be basic television economics tells you that money comes from advertising. Businesses don't like to drop tens of thousands of dollars in advertising for a station that not everyone is on baord with yet. I mean the Orioles and Nationals aren't exaclty fan favorites right now. Also, the economy is a bit down right now too, in case some of you haven't noticed.
I agree and disagree.
Yup, the Orioles are a much better team under MacPhail. But I don't think that they are rolling too quickly through the farm system, nor do I think they are able to spend massive amounts of money of veterans because they don't want to come to Baltimore.
*See Mark Teixeira
Regardless though, I agree with you. They're on the right track with much more depth in the farm system and I'm looking forward to watching it continue to unfold this season.
The comment about MacPhail being able to improve the team overnight was more a response to 9inchnails than anything else, and I don't think that would have turned the O's into contenders, just given them about 75 wins and mortgaged any shot at the future.
Not sure how you are privy to such information, but I'll trust you on it. The only things I know for sure are that the Orioles finished 27th in attendance… according to the Baltimore Business Journal the Orioles finished 27th in television ratings among major league teams and the Nats 29th. Granted, most of these dismal numbers are from the poor product that has been on the field the last 12 years. However, those kind of numbers do put them among the Kansas City's and Pittsburghs.
Rest assured the the Orioles revenue from the MASN dwarfs that of KC and Pittsburgh.
Mark,
I know you hate my "cut and paste" e-mails, but so often you seem to toss out "facts" which have no basis. Here's my latest cut and paste from the Baltimore Business Journal:
"MASN pulled in 37,000 average homes for both the Nationals and Baltimore Orioles games in the D.C. and Baltimore TV market. Pittsburgh (32,000) and Kansas City (26,000) rounded out the bottom of the list. Those markets each only have one team."
As you know, advertisers pay for shows with high ratings, that's why the Super Bowl can charge $3 mil for 30 seconds and why repeats of King of Queens cannot muster those numbers.
So while some day when the teams become competitive MASN may be a cash cow, at this point I doubt that it is based on the fact that their ratings for 2 teams is nearly equaled by KC and Pittsburgh with one team.
STG
Peter Angelos OWNS the network. He collects 100% of the O's revenue and no less than 66% of the the Nationals revenue.
Neither the Royals owner or Pirates owner has anything near that.
In fact, most teams don't.
That's the whole point.
I realize both team's ratings are low. That doesn't change the fact that Angelos rakes in millions and millions from MASN despite those low ratings.
This isn't some secret or something I'm pulling out of thin air.
If you don't think the Orioles have a huge advantage with regards to money and revenue over Bucs and Royals, then I don't know what to tell you. In fact, the Orioles are one of the most financially sound and viable teams in the league.
Along with owning a network comes operating expenses. I'm sure the Royals and Bucs have nearly nothing invested in their TV operations. Marketing departments to garner ads, TV crews, announcers, equipment, not one time costs, but recurring costs. Again, we are assuming that because they own the network, that cash is falling from the sky. When you don't have viewers, generating revenue is difficult at best. Owning 100% of a turd still makes it a turd.
Are you honestly trying to say that the Orioles are even close to the Bucs or Royals with regards to cash flow and available funds to sign players?
I mean, I've heard of people defending the organization. But this might take the cake.
I think a lot of assumptions are being made about MASN and the tremendous amount of cash it has ALREADY generated. I think it has potential to eventually put the Orioles up there in the low end of the top 10, but it's not there yet. It's funny, winning on the field will produce more viewers which produces more revenue which means the ability to acquire bigger name free agents which should translate to more wins…it's an odd paradigm. I believe that based on the numbers right now, that the Orioles revenues are closer to the bottom half of the league than they are the top half, based strictly on the numbers. Advertisers are not going to pay big bucks for TV shows that no one is watching, it's not smart business.
BTW, I am a contrarian in case you haven't figured it out. It drives me nuts that some sports fans in this town will stand behind any and every decision the Ravens make (not talking about you, I've seen and agree with many of your posts on the Ravens), but any and everything the Orioles do is crap.
STG
The Orioles offered Texeira 150 million bucks. They have the money.
They also knew that offer wasn't gonna get it done.
They spent 42 million bucks 3 years ago on middle relief.
There is no doubt they could make more money if they put a winning product on the field.
However, that doesn't mean they aren't making money now.
I believe they are easily in the top half in terms of revenue and probably very close to the top 10.
The deal they negotiated with MLB to have the rights to, at minimum 66%, the Nationals TV revenue is unreal.
I can tell you without a doubt that this team has the means to spend significantly more than they do now.
Not sure what would back up your statement that they are in the top 10 in the league. They are the Nielsen #24 or 27th market, ratings are in the bottom half of the league, attendance in the bottom of the league, can't imagine that their apparel is a top seller, and I can't think of how else teams generate money, so I don't know how you can back up that belief other than Nestor Aparicio saying it on WNST.
STG
How many owners see 100% of their team's TV revenue along with 66% of another teams?
It's really that simple.
Go look at their payroll the a few years ago. It was almost 100 million.
It's not 60% of that.
And please, don't even bring up that little troll Nestor.
I think for myself.
I said they are close to the top 10 and I truly believe that.
How many owners had a team relocate 35 miles from their home park?
By the way, Forbes Magazine listed the Orioles as the 17th most valuable team in baseball. That would technically be the bottom half of the league.
Those numbers are based on dollars and cents and not perception. Again, I know you hate the "cut and paste", but facts are facts and sometimes perception clouds reality.
http://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/33/baseball-valu…
STG, so when did doing something that a fellow sports fan hates ever keep you from doing it. I'm surprised your not putting a "cut and paste" on every email your sending just to push Mark to the edge. Keep em coming.
STG
Clear skies here.
The Orioles have money. They make money. If you want to try to contend that this organization is in the same realm as the bottom feeders, go right ahead.
Do me a favor. Email Forbes and ask them if the Orioles showed them their books.
Or just look at the Orioles payroll over the last 5 years. Look at the trend.
I've got nothing else for ya.
We're going in circles now.
Case closed.
Mark…… when are we going to play the home run game?
I really want this guy to turn it around so we don't have to argue who will be playing 1st base next season. I love Brandon Snyder, but Atkins in the 1st Baseman. I hope the gamble pays off better than the Rich Hill experiment.
Sadler,
You and me both. Besides the many bad choices this team has made, they need a few breaks as well.
The Home Run happens at every O's game I attend.
I will be missing opening day this year and I'm furious about it.