What are the Orioles doing with that $10 million they saved by trading Jim Johnson to Oakland? Jon Morosi of FOX Sports tweets that the Birds are “active in free agent talks for bats and arms” including outfielders Shin-Soo Choo, Nelson Cruz and starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez.
Yes. Yes. And Yes.
Last season the Orioles again highlighted their overall strength as a power hitting lineup leading all of baseball with 212 home runs (24 more than the second place Seattle Mariners) and slugging .434 (3rd in MLB). However, they struggled to consistently get on base (.313 team OBP, 19th in MLB) and hit in the clutch (.221 team batting average with runners in scoring position, 25th in MLB). Choo immediately helps to solve both of those problems as he posted a stellar .423 OBP in 2013 and has a career slashline of .285/.412/.455 with runners in scoring position.
The Scott Boras client won’t come cheap, especially after the comparable Jacoby Ellsbury just signed a seven-year, $153 million contract with the Yankees, but he’s a possible long-term replacement for Nick Markakis, who is set to make $15 million in the final year of his contract with the Orioles.
Cruz is an exciting player and would be a force in any lineup, but I’m not as convinced about his fit in Baltimore. His .327 career OBP won’t kill the Orioles, but it’s less than Nate McLouth‘s career .334 mark. Additionally, the strikeout totals are a bit scary: 109 in 2013, 140 in 2012. McLouth: 86 last season, 61 in 89 games in 2012. McLouth doesn’t bring the power that Cruz does, but he also doesn’t command nearly the same price tag.
Jimenez might be the most exciting name of the all and fills the team’s biggest need. He’s coming off a season in which he threw 182.2 innings in Cleveland and posted a 3.30 ERA, his best since 2010. He’s a strikeout pitcher, 194 K’s last year, 9.6 K/9, who appeared to turn a corner in the final six weeks of 2013 (8 starts, 6-2, 54.1 IP, 1.66 ERA, .233 batting average against with a .348 BABIP against, 71/10 K/BB).
He’s the type of starter the O’s need to solidify their rotation and, of the names listed by Morosi, should be the top priority.
I’d love to see the Orioles sign ONE of these guys, but I’m from Missouri, the “Show Me” state.
Cruz is a steroid guy , do you really want him ?
There is no way the Orioles sign ANY of these guys. Another publicity stunt to make the fans believe we will give Jimenez $13 miilion a year or Cruz $15 million a year or choo for $17 million a year. we, the fans must look like damn fools to believe that we would sign any of these guys.
Know any adjectives besides, “exciting,” Zach?
Could you send me a thesaurus?
frisky
Hey Polka, it’s going to be an “exciting” night when Carl, 9inchnails and I run a train on your girlfriend.
Hey Polka, I know some more adjectives…
You’re a LOATHSOME asshole.
How’s that?
Hey Intimidator,
Is ass clown an adjective? Polka is an assclown. Nope, not an adjective…
So Feldman signs with HOUSTON! F’ing HOUSTON! So, now we are losing guys to F’ing HOUSTON! We could have spent JJ’s money on Feldman, if saving that money was for other free agents. Face it BSR, we fans are SUCKERS. We love this team so much, we walk around with blinders on. It’s like a girl we really like, we keep buying her roses, taking her to the movies and paying her car payment. She gives us a kiss every now and then bur WE NEVER GET LUCKY! Angelos is F’ing us fans. And I am the biggest homer here….
But wait 9incher, it gets better… Yanks sign Beltran to $45mil for 3 years and Red Sox sign Napoli to $32 mil for 2 years. Orioles couldn’t have used either one in right field/DH?
Not only did they lose Marty Feldman to the Astros, McLouth signed with the Nationals but I just heard that Milwaukee just “Designated for Assignment”, .202 hitting Skip Beauchamp so maybe the Orioles will sign him!
You know what’s a pity and I can’t make this up, the Orioles actually ANNOUNCED the signing of .200 hitting, “Designated for Assignment” Francisco Peguero!
Since when do you “ANNOUNCE” the signing of a bum? I’m waiting for the Orioles to hold a press conference for Mr. Peguero!
Keep throwing your money at the Orioles who do not care about you, the fan nor putting a good product on the field for you. They worry about saving money… Where has Johnson’s $10mil savings gone? Longer lasting urinal cakes in the men’s room at the stadium?
Come on Sroka, paint your rosy Oriole picture for the Incher and me…
I meant LEFT FIELD not Right Field…
Of course the Orioles will throw $60mil at Markakis soon to keep him in right field then all the Oriole apologists will say “See, the Orioles will spend big money”….
Missing him already!! Nate was my favorite player! Always giving his best and was a great team player. He will be missed!
Ravens 2488 and the incher are correct,,,,,,,,it’s more of the same,,,,,,,stupid fans who give hard earned money ( except the gov’t workers ) to Angelos trust fund still believe in this guy ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,don’t you know the definition of INSANITY,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,grow up people , you are being played for fools,,,,,,,,,,,,and most of you seem like pretty decent guys,,,,,,,,,,,it’s sad……………….