Orioles standout Manny Machado showed up to camp Saturday and told reporters (including Bob Nightengale of USA Today, via Twitter) that he and the team have not discussed a long-term extension. Interestingly, the soon-to-be free agent added that he’d like to line up at shortstop for the rest of his career. Machado, 25, has played the majority of his career at third base since debuting in 2012, but the O’s decided to move him back to shortstop – his original position – last month. “This is where my heart has always been,” Machado said of short (Twitter link via Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com). Barring an unlikely extension before next offseason, Machado will easily be the premier shortstop option available in a star-studded free agent class. In the meantime, if he thrives at short this year, Machado will have a chance to earn a bit more than his $16MM salary. He’d make an extra $100K by winning a Gold Glove Award and $250K by taking home Platinum Glove honors, Nightengale tweets.
A couple more notes on Baltimore…
- Like Machado, second baseman Jonathan Schoop may not be long for Baltimore (he’s in his penultimate year of team control). However, Schoop “would be open to an extension,” Ghiroli tweets. And while there was reportedly some frustration between him and the Orioles during the arbitration process, Schoop indicated there’s no bitterness on either end. To this point, there haven’t been any extension talks, but Schopp said he’s “not disappointed” in that (Twitter link via Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com). He’ll make $8.5MM this season after posting a career year in 2017.
- Kubatko has the latest on the Orioles’ search for starters, writing that they’re monitoring free agent left-hander Francisco Liriano. On the other hand, the Orioles have “cooled on” free agent right-hander Trevor Cahill, whom they were interested in earlier in the offseason, per Kubatko. Fellow righties R.A. Dickey and Scott Feldman (an ex-Oriole) are options for Baltimore, Kubatko suggests, though he notes that the former may end up retiring instead of pitching in 2018.
I hope we can extend Schoop. Would 5/90 work?
They can afford to let him go… he is good trade bait if they falter during the season..
Definitely not. He’s worth 20 mil per at least
The Orioles are so dumb not to have already signed Machado. If they thought it was too much then trade him. They are doing the stupidest thing by letting him walk. They haven’t even talked extension??? What a bunch of geniuses.
I think you’re comments are out of context. The O’s approaches Machado with extension talks before his breakout season and they apparently got close. Injuries played a role in the negotiations as well. That being said, Machado then preceded to break out and when the O’s circled around Machado’s asking price was way too high for them.
Angelos is cheap. We all know that and the few times he’s dished out a huge contract he’s regretted it with one exception (Adam Jones). More recent misses on guys like Chris Davis and Ubaldo Jimenez now have Angelos even more afraid to dish out money. If he could have steered clear of Davis, we would still have a chance to sign Machado but unfortunately the O’s are a small market team with a tight budget owner and they will not make a $200-300 million investment, regarding of who the player is.
It’s O’s fault that they are in this position but to say they are dumb for not already signing him? That’s a stretch. It takes too sides getting together at the right time to make that happen.
Also, they believe they have a chance to win this year. I know it’s silly but everyone said it was silly in 2012, 2014, and 2016 as well when they outplayed their projections each of those years. I think they’ll outplay them this year as well and make a run. Not a World Series run but they have a shot at a WC. Do I think they should have started rebuilding last season and this offseason? Absolutely. But kiddos to them for trying to put one more winning team on the field before Jones, Machado, and Schoop are gone. They don’t have the money to keep all three unless they move Davis which is not practical unless they eat the money.
I’ve always wondered what would the O’s have been if they let Davis walk instead of Nelson Cruz. They probably would have a World Series appearance by now if that was the case. Granted they would have never of signed Cruz to that one year deal if it were not for the bad Ubaldo signing.
Approached *
Preferred they kept Cruz and not signed Trumbo.
“I’ve always wondered what would the O’s have been if they let Davis walk instead of Nelson Cruz. They probably would have a World Series appearance by now if that was the case.”
With what starting pitching? Aside from 2014 – and if you look at the stats their top 3 guys from that season were extremely lucky – starting pitching has always been the O’s weakness. In fact, they haven’t had a bona fide top of the roto guy since Moose.
That Eduardo Rodriguez trade for a couple months of Andrew Miller was downright dumb. He’s been hampered by injuries … but if he can stay healthy he’s probably going to be a top of the rotation arm. He’s got nasty stuff. If they had him with Gausman and Bundy … they’d be alright. The Davis contract was also dumb and now they likely can’t sign Machado or Schoop. Also, why’d they let Cruz go? It’s a shame. They have an amazing manager, but the GM needs to do better.
Absolutely false. The Andrew Miller trade was 100% the right deal. Not making an effort to bring him back was the mistake. Eddy Rodriguez can be a fine pitcher but we’re talking 4 years later and he’s no better than a mid rotation starter at this point. Those are the kinds of moves you have to make when you try to win.
The 2018 Orioles are going to be an unmitigated disaster. They’re going to get pummeled by the AL East and compete with Toronto for 90+ losses. They have no visible or viable plan whatsoever. They’ll just exist in mediocrity for the time being. Too say they’re a small market club is ridiculous. They and the Mets just act as one.
Mets do have a payroll of 150 Million. They have surprising been active this FA period and they also splurged on Cespedes not long ago. I wouldn’t say they’re operating as a small market team.
Toronto has a chance of a very good rotation if healthy!
The O’s have a double A rotation. They aren’t good. Terrible ownership, terrible management. No real plans. The Orioles have absolutely no chance. None
O’s are not a small market team at all!
You should apply to become the General Manager. Im sure you would have an All-Star team and a ring with your expertise.
You don’t just get to force players to sign extensions.
You’re a fool if you believe for one second that the Orioles haven’t tried to sign him to a long term contract.
Crazy idea, but it could work for both sides..
Yankees have holes at 2B & 3B. They have Torres, who is a great prospect, but he’s just that…a prospect. So, they should try…
Trade Torres, Andujar, Adams, Tate & Hicks for Machado & Schoop.
If the orioles still want more, throw in McKinney.
Yankees could sign both to extensions…they have the money.
Hicks clears up some of the logjam in the outfield and sells high on him. Ellsbury is impossible to move, so even though that’s ideal, it’s not happening.
From an orioles standpoint, andujar & Torres replace Schoop & machado (at least somewhat) at a lower cost for a rebuild. Plus it brings in 2 pitching prospects and another OF that has some defensive skills, which Baltimore lacks in the corners.
They could possibly explore a swap of bad contracts with Ellsbury for Davis. Also fits a need for each team, in itd open 1B for Mancini or trumbo in Baltimore and get them out of the corners while bringing in another guy who can play the OF, and for the Yankees it’s insurance for Greg Bird, and gives them another DH option while getting Frazier more playing time as a 4th OF.
Except they are in the same division and this would make an already superior Yankees team so much better for longer. wait, you’re a Yankees fan, aren’t you? 😉
No I’m not. But I don’t see Baltimore competing with NYY & Boston anytime soon.
Plus, long term, It handcuffs them financially. With Schoop, Stanton, machado under contract they won’t be in on many FA going forward. Meaning by the time Baltimore is competitive again in 3 years, they won’t be competing with NYY for FA’s.
Plus it jump starts the rebuild in BAL, which is the point they’re at anyway.
Sometimes it’s better to not cut the nose off to spite the face, so to speak. Yankees can offer the best prospect package and the needs would match up perfectly
1. Orioles are never going to commit to a rebuild.
2. Everyone hates the Marlins for gifting Stanton to them for nothing, the rest of the league views Miami as a joke, Baltimore doesn’t want to be lumped in with them.
3. Plus the whole in-division super-trade thing, which just never happens IRL.
1. That’s why they’ll never compete with the top level of the division and always be 3rd or bounced 1st round at best
2. Not the Yankees fault Miami wanted to dump money, and any other team was welcome to take on that contract. Besides, the package proposed seemed pretty fair
3. Divisional trades are overrated In terms of “were not doing that!”
If it helps your team long term, just do it. Bigger picture instead of pettiness.
Besides, Clemens- wells trade?
It’s better to get something for the 2 than get nothing for them and have them sign with the yankees anyway
OMG better to get something for those two I agree but you are giving away so much more then “something” are you nuts?
1. Yep, the Orioles are run poorly. They aren’t committed to winning, or else they’d have signed Darvish or Cobb.
2. lol “faulting” – are you a Yankee fan or Jeter fan? Bootlicking at its finest, and totally ignoring my argument there, that Miami has forever lost trade partners due to Jeter gifting the Yankees Stanton and Baltimore doesn’t want to be viewed the same way, which they totally would.
3. Note: if you have to go 20+ years back to find ONE example to “win” your severely flawed argument, you have already lost.
Look, I don’t even personally agree with it, but it’s just a fact that teams don’t trade within their div too often. Why are you trying to work against facts? Don’t do that, you are only wasting your time.
Except Michael Hill is the GM in Miami
and in charge! Not Jeter.
Name the trade partners Miami has permanently lost…
If he’s a Yankee fan, he’s not a very good one. 90% of a very strong farm system for a combined three years of team control? No way the Yankees would go anywhere near that.
Hes no yankee fan because no yankee fan would be stupid enough to make that trade.
When in the history of baseball has there ever been a trade like that.
Don’t make the downvoting homer losers mad now by bringing up facts and logic.
Interesting points and very well thought out
Are you high? No way the Yankees make that deal. They would be giving the Orioles way too much.
Yea its a crazy idea if your the Yankees. Great trade for the O’s. Terrible trade for the Yankees and a fireable offense if Cashman did something as lame as that move.
From the Yanks perspective, no. Not trading all those guys for only 1 year of control for Machado and 2 for Shoop. There’s never a guarantee that they can resign them and who knows at what ridiculous cost. If the idea is that the Yanks have the big wallet to sign anyone they want then they might as well just wait for them to be FA. In fact, I think the plan is to give Torres and Andujar a shot so we can determine if they can fill those two spots on the cheap or if they need to go to a FA.
yankees have said they want to play andujar and torres, so they would likely only trade one of the two, and the other would be super util. since machado only has one year left and school two, the yankees would likely not trade torres. a modified package for the two would likely be somebody like mckinney instead of torres, as well as a non-t30 guy as a throw in, because you know how Angelos hates inter divisional trades. Another point is, machado wants to play short. theoretically, didi can go back to second, with machado playing short, and torres is versatile enough to play third(he is a superior prospect than andujar) and since there is no harm done in getting a little more time to work out the kinks, andujar plays in AAA to start the season. maybe later on machado or didi gets flipped midway if andujar forces his way up, but since the yanks are going for the ring, that is unlikely.
my point is, there is no place for schoop on the yankees if machado demands playing time at short(he is too good to be a super util IMO), so the orioles could likely only get hicks, adams, tate, mckinney and a guy like david hale who can compete for a sp/lr role in spring training for a year of machado
Yankees aren’t going to blow past the luxury tax, they’d never make that deal. Makes much more sense for them to have the kids who are cheap and under team control. Then once they free same cap space … spend on the rotation. It’s kind of crazy how loaded their franchise is right now. To have guys like Byrd, Judge, Severino, Torres, Sanchez and Andujar all cheap and controllable for years on top of the crazy stacked bullpen and all their financial resources. It’s nuts. I used to think Cashman wasn’t all that when they were spending 250 mil every year and still not winning. But even since he’s been allowed to operate the franchise his way … I can’t help but be extremely impressed.
As a Yankees fan I agree with everything in post but “when they were spending 250 mil every year and still not winning”. They have won more games made the playoffs more then any organization in the last 15 years…
Why would the Yankees give up all those prospects when they can wait until free agency to sign these players? Hint; they won’t!
Yankees can’t sign either to extensions you nitwit!
Wondering how Machado‘s market would change with him wanting to be SS. Would he turn down more money if he were told he was needed more as a 3B?
Now this is an idea worth talking about, not some pathetic MLB The Show level fake-trade that is never ever going to happen.
The Indians apparently offered Mejia for Machado and the Orioles thought about it, but if it went down, would they seriously move Lindor off SS? Lindor is a superior defender to Machado no matter what position. If Baltimore did trade him, what would happen if the team acquiring him already had a locked-in SS?
Machado ends up on DBacks by the end of the year. If they are in it close to the deadline they will pull the trigger and I believe resign him in the off season as well. They move Thomas & Greinke and they could afford him.
I think matchado end up on Cincinnati Reds
maybe for garrett, mahle, gutierrez/floro, daal, siri, and kivlehan. Os get 3 pitchers ready for action at the highest level, an infielder who (when he heals) will be a versatile utility guy/shortstop, and one outfielders who can fill jones’ shoes and another to spell trumbo and hays when needed(eventually)
Or you don’t be ridiculous and realize that Machado to reds would be idiotic.
i know he won’t i was just curious as to what it would take and others’ thoughts on it
No one would take Tomas, because he sucks. I can’t see Arizona going anywhere near $400 million, but I wouldn’t be shocked if they traded for him in-season. There’s just no way they re-sign him in my opinion
How though? That contract for greinke no one will take. Unless it’s a big market team who could afford him. They were stupid to give him that kind of money. Also the orioles problem is always they can’t keep players because of that owner of theirs. They trade away their international pool money for mediocre players. Like seriously they should traded some of these guys when their value was at their highest , you could of done something similar to yankees.
i could see this done for duplantier, clarke, ellis, leyba, and wilson. Os get two SPs who can compete for jobs or shore up their AAA rotation for now, two eventual proposed replacements for schoop and machado in a few years, and a proposed replacement for jones in 2-3 years
I think Machado will end up on AZ at the deadline, along with JD, who will sign within the next 30 days. They are absolutely never trading Greinke, but Tomas might get moved. I think AZ is a perfect example of team about to go all-in to try and win a title in 2018.
Matchado end up on Cincinnati Reds
Matchado end up on San Diego Padres
how do you mean? unless the Os take a package looking something like/the padres are open to trading rea, lucchesi/quantrill, urias, cordero, and brewer, and i don’t think either team would.
Machado, or any one, will sniff 400 mil. He may get 7 for 250, but this year is setting the precedence for contracts moving forward. You may see $35-$40 AAV for the super premier players but the 10 year contacts are done. Its the owners version of the player favorable opt out clauses.
* will not sniff $400 mil
No, you were right, he might get there – especially after this offseason with teams getting accused of hoarding money, supposedly for the Machado/Harper/Donaldson etc super-FA market.
The owners are not hoarding money. That’s the media spin, the same media that has been saying $400 mil for Harper for the past 4 years. Your witnessing a change in baseball contracts. Just like the way the nfl salaries were reset with the rookie wage scale. TV networks don’t set player salaries and players won’t get paid for past production or locked into long excessive deals anymore. Owners are better off competing for a player every 5 years if he still producing than paying for committing to 10 and hoping to get 5.
-Machado is gone
-Schoop will be gone,
-Gausman and Bundy will be gone, in a few years
You poor Orioles fans..lol.
Lol.
You are right they all gone
Dump both now.
They have zero interest in signing in Baltimore.
Machado can bring you some marginal talent in return, and School can bring a ton.
No team needs 2- cancers in the clubhouse