The Orioles' claim of Liam Hendriks today was, like many waiver claims, an acquisition made with depth in mind — Orioles executive Dan Duquette sees Hendriks as a possible spot starter, Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun tweets. But Duquette also likes Hendriks' control. Hendriks struggled in the Majors in 2013, but he walked only 1.4 batters per nine innings in 98 1/3 frames for Triple-A Rochester, and since he was only 24, Duquette is optimistic that he might be able to post strong control numbers in the big leagues. Here are more notes on the Orioles.
- Hendriks' acquisition won't stop the Orioles from pursuing starting pitching. The O's continue to look for starters in both free agency and the trade market, Encina tweets. Baltimore has been connected to starters including Ubaldo Jimenez, Johan Santana and A.J. Burnett.
- Don't expect a big move before Christmas, however — Duquette indicates that most teams will begin their holiday breaks after today (via MASNsports.com's Roch Kubatko on Twitter).
- The Grant Balfour "fiasco" could be an issue for the Orioles as they pursue free agents, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal writes. The O's backed out of their agreement with Balfour over concern regarding his medicals, a concern some other teams did not share. That wasn't the first time the Orioles had voided a deal for medical reasons, as Rosenthal describes. "This will factor into every competent agent's thought process going forward," an agent tells Rosenthal.
- The Orioles do not seem to be interested in re-signing Francisco Rodriguez, Kubatko writes. Instead, they'll likely go with Tommy Hunter or free agent Fernando Rodney for their closer role.
Baltimore is always giving Miami and Seattle competition for worst-run franchise in baseball. Given all the blustering and threats made by the Diamondbacks management they’re coming into the fold as well.
Orioles have turned it around as of late. Who’s your team? I bet they aren’t perfect.
They have had success recently, but I agree, Angelos needs to be willing to spend more and they also seem to never want to make that one move (acquiring a legit #1 starter, maybe?) that will let them compete with the rest of their division.
The Os have been run pretty well the last 2-3 yrs under Duquette and Showalter. You haven’t been paying attention.
Oh no, I’ve been paying a lot of attention. Getting banned from South Korea was perhaps one of the funniest things I’ve ever heard.
Miami has won 2 championships in the last 20 years. Only the Yankees (4), Red Sox (3), Giants (2) and Cardinals (2) have done that as well.
Gee. Ken Rosenthal takes issue with the Orioles? Shocker. This situation wasn’t an issue for the Red Sox and Napoli last year. Why doesn’t every player’s agent cry now about this so the O’s will have to pay more than anyone for their players? Not surprised at the over reaction to the Balfour situation.
Napoli actually has an issue though. Balfour got a few doctors to clear him. It doesnt look good when doctors are saying there is no issue and Baltimore(who I wouldnt put it past them to nix a deal over something trivial) says there is.
The doctors who Balfour got to clear him weren’t exactly independent parties though. And in the case of Kremcheck, who was the one that performed Balfour’s surgeries, he didn’t do anything other than look at MRI reports. He didn’t examine him in person.
We most likely won’t know until the 2015 season if the Baltimore doctors’ concerns were unfounded or not, since their recommendation was nothing more than a one year deal with an option. That means they think he will likely be fine this season, but they would not want to commit further years without being able to re-evaluate him before the second season.
The same thing happened with Aaron Sele, where the doctors advised against the 4 year contract the Orioles had offered and sure enough, he started breaking down before that contract would have ended.
Time will tell on this one, but no one wants to wait to spout their opinion.
Let’s also put this into perspective. Balfour married Dr. Kremchek’s assistant a couple of years ago — so it’s not like the relationship between the two of them is business only. Dr. Eaton who works for the Rays is also the doctor who tried to diagnose Manny Machado as he was laying ten feet from 1B last year when he tore his patellar tendon. By the way, Eaton tried to tell Buck Showalter as Manny laid there that he blew out his ACL and was completely wrong. One doctor with a personal connection and another who has had issues with the O’s before aren’t exactly above the board.
You have only been paying attention from afar.
Each of Balfours docs were connected to him personally. Either thru marriage, or performing a previous surgery as his private doc. Not neutral parties. The 3 docs the Os who recommending nixing the deal, only one was oriole connected. Andrews is the top doctor in athletic medicine. And one was completely independent. All of balfour’s docs were hired by his agent for an opinion after the fact, to make sure it didn’t hurt his chances at a contract after the Os passed.
Kind of different, Napoli then signed with the Red Sox, and after the season was offered more money elsewhere but resigned with the Sox.
Having said that. it probably is an over reaction.
The Red Sox and Mike Napoli kept theirs pretty quiet compared to what this has become
Most of the noise is coming from Balfour though…
True but the Orioles have responded to some of it which they probably shouldn’t have responded
They haven’t really said much other than they are not happy with the situation. That’s pretty much all they can say.
As an Orioles fan, I just don’t know what the plan is. I feel the Balfour backout was merely a fear of spending money. And if they’re not spending money, then why aren’t they dealing off pieces to get prospects?
With a lack of organizational depth and an unwillingness to make big moves to improve the team, I really don’t see much reason to be optimistic about competing or obtaining a third straight winning season.
Ahhhhh, I finally can say my peace
1.) I hope Balfour files that grievance! He has my support!
2.) Hendriks’ acquisition won’t stop the Orioles from pursuing starting pitching
a.) I hardly call Hendriks a pitcher
b.) If I were interested in a pitcher from the Twins Organization, it would be Vance Worley
c.) It won’t stop? How can something start when something hasn’t started?
3.) I don’t like Tom Verducci’s idea of signing AJ Burnett. He is not effective in the AL East. Plus, what kind of condition is his shoulder, knee, foot, fingers, leg, gluteus maximus. Plus, he might have lesser maladies such as hang nail or dandruff. Thus would affect his pitching abilities
4.) Mitch Williams has no idea what the Oriole doctors are looking at
5.) I have no idea what they are looking at.
6.) When was the last time he was on the DL?
7.) The A’s fans loved him! he was very popular!
8.) Fernando Rodney can’t hit the plate with his fork! So why the interest?
I could go on but I read there is a word count that is recommended now, so I am trying to comply! =P
I like the Vance comment. Being a Phillies fan, I love the vanimal and I would love to see him in an environment where he can have success.
Balfour hasn’t been on the DL since he had his shoulder and elbow surgeries in 2005
AJ seemed pretty decent in the AL from 2006-2009
Upside: Hendriks gets his pitch over the plate. Downside: the same pitch generally ends up over the wall.
Liam Hendriks requires antacids whenever he pitched since it was going to be ugly more often than not and I know being a Twins Fan
The article mentions that the Orioles back out of another signed contract. It seems to there was one recently. Anyone know the details?
The Aaron Sele deal in 1999. It is just a typical move of Little Pete. There was also another time the Orioles have backed out on a pitcher but I can not remember that one as clear. It really comes down to Little Pete trying to play with the big boys in the Al East when we all know Little Peter had little pockets when it comes to baseball
The other pitcher was Xavier Hernandez, who upon physical examination, was found to have a torn rotator cuff. You’d expect them to sign him anyway after that finding? Also, just like the Baltimore doctors said he would, Sele started breaking down before the four year contract they had offered was up.
Are you one to go to the produce section, find an apple that looks good, pick it up and see it’s rotten on the other side and then purchase it anyway?
Also, your “Little Peter” jabs are laughable since Peter Angelos was actually the last person to outspend the Yankees. There was a time when he spent more than any other owner in the game. Maybe you are too young to remember that, I don’t know. The “Angelos won’t spend money” meme is pretty stale though.
I believe the Xavier Hernandez deal was the one that led to players taking physicals before the team officially announced the deal
Both sides should just stay quiet until a deal is done, the physical is done and the dotted lines are signed. That would keep incidents like this from blowing up.
That would make sense but that will never happen since that is too logical
That is great and all that was the past. Back then the Yankees didnt spend the way they do now. You can not live in the past in the present Little Peter will not spend money.
That is great and all that was the past. Back then the Yankees didnt spend the way they do now. You can not live in the past in the present Little Peter will not spend money.
I bet Ken Rosenthal does.
The problem with that statement is none of these deals were actually signed. If a deal is agreed upon pending physical, then that’s exactly what it is, a deal pending further examination.
Maybe the free agent market is just not for the Orioles. They have made some decent trades, they have developed some talent. Perhaps they should stick to that. If the average free agent is about 30, that’s 15 years of wear and tear on a body. Do a physical, and you are going to find he isn’t a perfect specimen. If I’m Balfour, I have a right to be livid, but the answer for future free agents is that this is a tree that maybe you don’t bark up.
And if you wanted the O’s to sign Balfour, we have a right to be livid as well.
The thing is do Angelos and Duquette want to build a winning a winning team or are the Orioles just an asset in his portfolio and is this just a job to Duquette. The one thing the O’s certainly aren’t doing and that is making the fans happy. Quite frankly, they both could care less!
Why not resign Rodriguez? Between him and Hunter that should be enough to close 50 games. They won’t go for Rodney and everyone else is off the table.