A few links for Monday night…
- Morosi reports (via Twitter) that the Orioles have signed lefty reliever Will Startup to a minor league contract. The 25-year-old missed all of 2008 and most of 2009 with injuries, though prior to that he had a 2.56 ERA and held lefties to a .206 batting average in 175.2 career minor league innings. He spend last season in the Padres' system.
- Marc Topkin of The St. Petersburg Times passes along some quotes Rays' vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman made during his appearance on 620-AM this evening. He basically said the team is keeping an eye on the market, though it's difficult to say if they'll be able to act on anything given their current financial situation.
- After losing out on Erik Bedard, the Orioles are still looking to add an arm according to Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com (via Twitter).
- MLB.com's Mark Sheldon lists the Reds' players who are out of options. Wladimir Balentien appears to be the biggest question mark.
- Dave O'Brien of The Atlanta Journal Constitution tweets that the Braves are not interested in Jermaine Dye, but they could still make another addition if Johnny Damon's (or another free agent's) price falls.
- Unsurprisingly, Twins' CEO Jim Pohlad declined to talk about contract negotiations with Joe Mauer, though he did say that they try to stay away from deferred compensation.
- In a mailbag, MLB.com's Matthew Leach says the Cardinals are likely done spending until Spring Training.
If the Orioles sign Braden Looper, It would be the worst signing since the Rangers signed Chan Ho Park.
Carlos Silva, Oliver Perez, Gary Matthews Jr., Barry Zito, and a slew of others disagree with you.
Looper would sign for what? One year and $2MM? If and when he tanked, he’d be cut loose. Hardly the “worst signing” even this offseason. Brandon Lyon anyone?
If Washburn stops being picky or Looper realizes that, well, he’s Braden Looper and he should be lucky that anyone will sign him at all… either could land in Baltimore.
Can’t say either would help the team, but at this point they better take an offer or call it quits. I’ll never understand how garbage players misread the interest in their limited ability so much.
Good point. Looper lead Major League Baseball in home runs surrendured. I think Chris Tillman would be much better in the 5th spot.
I would love to watch Looper, Washburn, or Suppan pitch in the AL East, especially at Camden Yards. The sheer volume of bombs and doubles would be awesome to watch.
I really think Looper or Washburn should be signed to pitch in the Homerun Derby to all of the contestants. They should come in to pitch with their actual per-game repertoire of stuff.
Inge should have gotten Jeremy Guthrie to pitch to him, then he would have been guaranteed to at least get one out of the park
Good point. Looper lead Major League Baseball in home runs surrendured. I think Chris Tillman would be much better in the 5th spot.
hah i just had a vision with looper or washburn in the al east they would be tore up talking about homeruns that done come down
hah i just had a vision with looper or washburn in the al east they would be tore up talking about homeruns that done come down
You can say they should just grab the next offer, but things are so slim at this point that one of these remainders guys might be tempted to just sit back and wait for the first injury. I mean, not much is going to change in the next two weeks, but a lot might change by April 1 if a few kids don’t pan out and an old guy’s arm falls off.
Carlos Silva, Oliver Perez, Gary Matthews Jr., Barry Zito, and a slew of others disagree with you.
Looper would sign for what? One year and $2MM? If and when he tanked, he’d be cut loose. Hardly the “worst signing” even this offseason. Brandon Lyon anyone?
If Washburn stops being picky or Looper realizes that, well, he’s Braden Looper and he should be lucky that anyone will sign him at all… either could land in Baltimore.
Can’t say either would help the team, but at this point they better take an offer or call it quits. I’ll never understand how garbage players misread the interest in their limited ability so much.
If the Orioles sign Braden Looper, It would be the worst signing since the Rangers signed Chan Ho Park.
is there gonna be one place where we can find all of the ‘out-of-options’ players? that would be awesome before camps open…
Tim’s working on that exact post.
Perfect. Good point Rootman. That way we can find out which players are droppables before teams break camp.
Perfect. Good point Rootman. That way we can find out which players are droppables before teams break camp.
Tim’s working on that exact post.
is there gonna be one place where we can find all of the ‘out-of-options’ players? that would be awesome before camps open…
Looper would be ugly in the AL,especially the ALEast
Looper would be ugly in the AL,especially the ALEast
Braves should just swoop in and sign Jermaine Dye to a small little 1 yr, $1M deal with incentives…. he’d be a great addition in LF.
OF’s the Braves already have that are better options than Dye: McLouth, Heyward, Diaz, Cabrera. Arguments can even be made for Hinske and Schafer. Damon is a fit because he would upgrade the lineup. Dye, not so much.
Braves should just swoop in and sign Jermaine Dye to a small little 1 yr, $1M deal with incentives…. he’d be a great addition in LF.
I think that Will has to “start” building his career back “up”.
Thank you!
“The Orioles are still looking to add an Arm.”
Unless they make a pointless signing of Smoltz, I don’t see any remaining “arms.”
Or do they mean literally an actual human arm, that has been severed at the shoulder and they just use for anatomical demonstrations in the trainer’s room?
they’re trying to add a lefty specialist on a minor league deal, the two main options being Will Ohman and Joe Biemel. I think Bedard was the only guy they were seriously considering signing for any real amount of money.
Johnny Damon would you lower your damn price and sign with a team already ! I’m sick of hearing about Johnny on this team ,Johnny on that team.Hurry up ! Its becoming really annoying hearing the same news!
Johnny Damon should really play a sport that involves lots of limp-wristed throwing, like darts.
He needs to do something is all I know haha.
Startup’s Minor League stats looked really good until the injury. maybe he can bounce back which would be great and hes only 25.
When you start signing #Padres castoffs you are really in trouble. Are the Orioles really that bad?
what’s wrong with looking to sd for castoffs? they have to be doing something wrong. just hope their player development has been talent stifling and not talent crushing