2016-2017 Offseason thread

[UVA_Guy81]

Rick Peterson won’t return to Orioles in 2017

As for catchers, I wouldn't be opposed to giving Avila a one year deal. I'd say Ramos as well but I seriously doubt he's looking for a one year deal.

If we sign an OF, I'd like to sign either Fowler or Cespedes, even though they're probably both long shots. I'd even take a chance at using either of them in CF and moving Jones to right if we signed either of those guys. I also wonder since Bourn seemed to do well in his short stint here this past season if we'll sign him to a one year deal and platoon him with Kim and send Rickard down to Norfolk.
But I have a feeling that we're not going to make any big free agent moves this year. And I'd be fine with that if it means that we sign Manny, Tillman and/or Britton to long-term extensions.

 

[stealth]

I like Bourn and the pitching is still the issue along with any money issues/players. I don't think Dan needs to/or is going to go with big money players. if he does then there are a few contracts that will be going as well. I really wouldn't mind seeing Jimenez go and Geraldo go, if there is some bull-pen value okay but they are on my short list

 

[mikeytheman247]

Reddick to the Astros, "The Astros have struck twice today: after announcing a deal to acquire catcher Brian McCann, the club has now agreed to sign free-agent outfielder Josh Reddick, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (Twitter links). So long as his physical pans out, Reddick will receive a four-year, $52MM deal, per the report."

 

[mikeytheman247]

With Matt Wieters hitting the open market this winter, the Orioles “definitely have an interest” in a reunion with Nick Hundley, according to Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Orioles add McDowell and Mills to coaching staff

 

[mikeytheman247]

The Orioles announced today that they’ve claimed outfielder Adam Walker off waivers from the Brewers.

 

[mikeytheman247]

The Orioles have extended a four-year offer to free-agent slugger Mark Trumbo, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (Twitter links). While the value of Baltimore’s offer isn’t known, the first baseman/outfielder is said to be seeking $80MM.

 

[stealth]

guess what Trumbo isn't worth 45 million....let him walk

 

[UVA_Guy81]

This is from MLBTradeRumors:

1. The Mets are interested in swinging a deal for Orioles right-hander Brad Brach, tweets ESPN’s Buster Olney. The Mets have been rumored to be seeking right-handed help in the ’pen but aren’t pursuing top-tier free agents. Brach would represent an affordable setup option, but with two years of club control and a 2.39 ERA over his past 158 1/3 innings, Brach should come with a high asking price. The Orioles have been linked to Mets outfielders Jay Bruce and Curtis Granderson (they’re said to prefer the latter), but neither of those outfielders would be enough to get the O’s to part with Brach.

2. 2:55pm: Olney tweets the Orioles were comfortable in the four-year, $52-55MM range but backed off when Trumbo’s camp countered between $75-80MM. ESPN’s Jayson Stark hears a bit differently tweeting that the Orioles were only willing to offer three years and an option, however.

2:06pm: ESPN’s Buster Olney reports (on Twitter) that the Orioles don’t get the sense that they’re close in talks with Trumbo, and they could move on to other targets at this point.

12:54pm: The Orioles have extended a four-year offer to free-agent slugger Mark Trumbo, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (Twitter links). While the value of Baltimore’s offer isn’t known, the first baseman/outfielder is said to be seeking $80MM.

That price sounds like a non-starter for most organizations, and that likely includes the O’s. Per Kubatko, Trumbo’s side has already signaled a willingness to move down to the $70MM to $75MM range while also taking a backloaded salary structure. But that’s still arguably too much for the thirty-year-old slugger, who’s also said to be seeking a no-trade clause.

Kubatko notes that the O’s aren’t going to bite on the no-trade request, though it seems it’s still possible that the sides will work something out. It remains to be seen whether Baltimore will move up to Trumbo’s apparent asking price, or whether interest from other quarters will emerge at or near that level.

While Trumbo did lead all of baseball with 47 home runs in 2016, power is in abundant supply on this year’s free-agent market — particularly with Chris Carter now available. Carter, of course, was cut loose despite being arbitration-eligible at a projected $8.1MM arbitration salary. His .222/.321/.499 batting line wasn’t all that much less productive than Trumbo’s .256/.316/.533 slash, particularly once park effects are accounted for, and the two have rather similar lifetime numbers as well. It does seem that the O’s are at least somewhat comfortable playing Trumbo in the outfield, but it’s eminently arguable that neither player should be allowed to roam past the infield dirt.


3. With a need to address in the outfield, the Orioles are showing interest in free agent Michael Saunders, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (Twitter link).

Orioles general manager Dan Duquette said Sunday that he’s comfortable with a platoon of Hyun Soo Kim and Joey Rickard in left field. There’s no clear answer in right field, however, which is where Saunders could enter the equation. The 30-year-old has primarily manned left field in his career, including in 2016 as a member of the the Blue Jays – the team that knocked the Orioles out of the playoffs.

At the midway point of last season, Saunders looked as though he was playing his way to a qualifying offer and a lucrative multiyear pact. In 344 first-half plate appearances, the former Mariner batted an outstanding .298/.372/.551 with 16 home runs and a .252 ISO en route to his first All-Star appearance. Saunders’ production cratered thereafter – .178/.282/.357 with eight HRs and a .178 ISO in 214 PAs – which put a damper on his seemingly skyrocketing value and led the Blue Jays to elect against tendering him a qualifying offer. It also didn’t help that Saunders graded poorly in left, ranking toward the bottom of the majors in Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating.

While he comes with negatives, including a checkered injury history, Saunders would add some variety to a Baltimore lineup whose only current lefty-swinging everyday player is first baseman Chris Davis. He’s also not going to sign for a bank-breaking price, with MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes projecting a three-year, $33MM deal (from the Orioles, in fact). That’s the same contract the O’s nearly signed outfielder Dexter Fowler to last offseason.

4. 1:17pm: Add the Orioles to the list of teams interested in Wellington Castillo, as MASN’s Roch Kubatko tweets. The Orioles could lose Matt Wieters to free agency and have been interested in Castillo for some time, according to Kubatko.

 

[stealth]

I don't see Angelosi having much free-agent money. trade and sign outside players for smaller amounts if possible. You have to remember baseball is baseball without the money. You still have to hit, field and pitch. The Orioles already have paid out the cash and it got them a 1 game playoff for an exit. Build around young starting pitchers along with many and Jones, take it from there

 

[mikeytheman247]

O's meeting with Trumbo again today.

Red Sox got Chris Sale. Not good for us, they also traded for a setup man.

 

[skinz2winz]

What exactly are the O's doing? First off, any lineup that doesn't include Kim in LF is stupid. Not for his defense but the guy is the BEST contact hitter on the team, period! DD & Co should quit over valuing their own players. Jones has lost a step and is his awful lack of discipline at the plate should be enough to either move him down in the order or try trading him while he still has some value. Now that they probably realize they overpaid for Davis, they don't want to pay the better hitter in Trumbo. We have NO catcher at the moment and please don't tell me Joseph is capable, the guy couldn't must an RBI last season. WTF are we doing in Baltimore? The pitching outside of Bundy's potential and Gausman's upside of just crap. Never know what you will get from Tillman. The rest just plain sucks. (Miley, Ubaldo, Wright, Wilson etc)

The plan should have been:
1) Trade Hardy to any taker and move Manny to SS (Best player and face of franchise)
2) Should have signed Turner away from LA
3) Brach to Colorado for Cargo who will play RF
4) Trade Miley & Ubaldo for any type of prospects (Any)
5) Re-sign Wieters and bring Sisco up (4 yrs, 45M) Let Joseph walk
6) Look for a reasonably priced 4th starter on the market
7) Let Wright, Wilson, Hart, Lee or any other AAA body battle for 5 spot
8) Move Jones to LF and down in the order
9) Rotation: Tillman, Gausman, Bundy, FA, See #7

Lineup:
1) Dyson, CF
2) Kim, DH
3) Machado, SS
4) Davis, 1B
5) Turner, 3B
6) Gonzales, RF
7) Jones, LF
8) Wieters, C

Bench:
1) Sisco, C
2) Rickard, OF
3) Mancini, 1B, DH
4) Flaherty, IF

Bullpen:
Stays intact less Brach
9) Schoop, 2B

 

[skinz2winz]

What exactly are the O's doing? First off, any lineup that doesn't include Kim in LF is stupid. Not for his defense but the guy is the BEST contact hitter on the team, period! DD & Co should quit over valuing their own players. Jones has lost a step and is his awful lack of discipline at the plate should be enough to either move him down in the order or try trading him while he still has some value. Now that they probably realize they overpaid for Davis, they don't want to pay the better hitter in Trumbo. We have NO catcher at the moment and please don't tell me Joseph is capable, the guy couldn't must an RBI last season. WTF are we doing in Baltimore? The pitching outside of Bundy's potential and Gausman's upside of just crap. Never know what you will get from Tillman. The rest just plain sucks. (Miley, Ubaldo, Wright, Wilson etc)

The plan should have been:
1) Trade Hardy to any taker and move Manny to SS (Best player and face of franchise)
2) Should have signed Turner away from LA
3) Brach to Colorado for Cargo who will play RF
4) Trade Miley & Ubaldo for any type of prospects (Any)
5) Re-sign Wieters and bring Sisco up (4 yrs, 45M) Let Joseph walk
6) Look for a reasonably priced 4th starter on the market
7) Let Wright, Wilson, Hart, Lee or any other AAA body battle for 5 spot
8) Move Jones to LF and down in the order
9) Rotation: Tillman, Gausman, Bundy, FA, See #7

Lineup:
1) Dyson, CF
2) Kim, DH
3) Machado, SS
4) Davis, 1B
5) Turner, 3B
6) Gonzales, RF
7) Jones, LF
8) Wieters, C
9) Schoop, 2B

Bench:
1) Sisco, C
2) Rickard, OF
3) Mancini, 1B, DH
4) Flaherty, IF

Bullpen:
Stays intact less Brach

 

[jeffro151]

Orioles reach agreement with Welington Castillo

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Per MLBTradeRumors:

The Orioles announced a series of minors signings. Among those not previously covered at MLBTR, the club will bring back outfielder Chris Dickerson and take a shot on Tomo Ohka. Dickerson joined Beliveau at Double-A in the Baltimore organization last year, hitting well in brief action there, but hasn’t seen the bigs since 2014. Ohka, 40, is a much more speculative addition; he’s trying to return to the majors for the first time since 2009 by turning himself into a knuckleballer.

While there has been some movement on the free-agent market for relievers now that the top three arms are off the board, there’s also some untapped potential on the trade side, per Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links). The Orioles are “willing” to deal Brad Brach, who quietly turned in an excellent season and is projected by MLBTR to earn $2.9MM in his second pass at arbitration. And the Rangers are taking calls on some arms, with Jeremy Jeffress — a quality sinkerballer who has dealt with substance-abuse issues — said to be “in play,” among other hurlers. He, too, projects at a $2.9MM tab in his first season of arb eligibility.

The Orioles added infielder/outfielder Sean Coyle on a minor-league deal, Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun reports on Twitter. Now 24, Coyle was once seen as solid prospect in the Red Sox’ system. But he struggled badly last year in the upper minors, posting a cumulative .181/.269/.293 batting line over 426 plate appearances. He was claimed in mid-season by the Angels, but ended up being dropped from the team’s 40-man.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Contract talks between the Orioles and free agent outfielder/first baseman Mark Trumbo have stalled, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. The two sides previously agreed to a four-year framework, but Baltimore’s offer is now off the table, per Kubatko, who notes that a deal could still come together (Twitter link). In 2016, his first (and perhaps only) season as an Oriole, Trumbo hit .256/.316/.533 with a major league-high 47 home runs. Along with the O’s, the Rockies, Indians, Mariners and Rangers are among the clubs that have shown interest in the soon-to-be 31-year-old this offseason.

 

[ThruTheEyesOfRuby]

Contract talks between the Orioles and free agent outfielder/first baseman Mark Trumbo have stalled, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. The two sides previously agreed to a four-year framework, but Baltimore’s offer is now off the table, per Kubatko, who notes that a deal could still come together (Twitter link). In 2016, his first (and perhaps only) season as an Oriole, Trumbo hit .256/.316/.533 with a major league-high 47 home runs. Along with the O’s, the Rockies, Indians, Mariners and Rangers are among the clubs that have shown interest in the soon-to-be 31-year-old this offseason.

Haven't kept up with what the Indians are doing regarding their 1b situation. Are they pitting Napoli and Encarnacion against each other, with the hopes that Trumbo is still 'out there' as another bargaining chip?

The Rockies... if they still have interest in him, who are they moving to make space for him? Cause they have to move somebody. And it seems like their expectations in any trade talks regarding their outfielders are kinda laughable at this point in time.

The Mariners... DiPoto and Trumbo? Together again? Nah... I don't see it. Unless Trumbo directs his agent to make them pay. I mean, that GM gave up on him not once, but TWICE.

With Moreland gone, the Rangers are the ones I'm nervous about having serious interest in him. Them or possibly the Angels.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Haven't kept up with what the Indians are doing regarding their 1b situation. Are they pitting Napoli and Encarnacion against each other, with the hopes that Trumbo is still 'out there' as another bargaining chip?

The Rockies... if they still have interest in him, who are they moving to make space for him? Cause they have to move somebody. And it seems like their expectations in any trade talks regarding their outfielders are kinda laughable at this point in time.

The Mariners... DiPoto and Trumbo? Together again? Nah... I don't see it. Unless Trumbo directs his agent to make them pay. I mean, that GM gave up on him not once, but TWICE.

With Moreland gone, the Rangers are the ones I'm nervous about having serious interest in him. Them or possibly the Angels.

I know that the Rockies have tried to talk to us about getting CarGo, Parra or Blackmon but I seriously don't see that happening since they want Gausman in return and I don't see that happening since he's one of the few reliable starting pitchers that we have. I can see maybe trading Brach for either CarGo or Blackmon but not Parra since he sucked in the short time he was here but I doubt that they'd go for that.
I just don't see why the Mariners would want him back since they dumped him for a backup catcher in Cleavenger to start with. They obviously didn't think too much about him and I don't see it working out there for him.
I think that the Angels won't get him as (I might be wrong on this) I believe that they're more worried about trying to restock their farm system since they have very little, if anything there and probably want to keep all of their picks and really aren't a threat to make the playoffs at the moment.
I can see the Rangers making a play for him as I think he'd be good in their ballpark but they seem to have a loaded roster as is, so I don't see them being seriously in it unless he lowers his price.

 

[mikeytheman247]

I don't know if the Indians can afford EE or Trumbo. They're most likely waiting for their prices to fall and grab one for a good deal. Of course they would have to give up a 1st round draft pick for Trumbo or EE. I doubt they want to do that too.

I think they'll resign Napoli. As for EE and Trumbo there aren't to many teams looking for them. I heard Rangers, O's, and Mariners. Of course Mariners have Cruz so they would have to stick one of them at 1st.

 

[jeffro151]

I really hope we let Trumbo walk and get a 1st rd pick. Until this team lands a true Ace, it's pointless to sign these sluggers w/ high K's to long term deals. The Chris Davis trade will never work out for us. The best we can hope for now is to hope we are so far behind at the trade deadline that we trade Manny. He would do wonders for restocking our farm.