SATURDAY, 8:18am: The signing is now official.
FRIDAY, 10:44am: USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets that Valencia’s deal comes with a $1.2MM base salary and an additional $3MM worth of possible incentives.
10:20am: The Orioles have agreed to a minor league contract with corner infielder/outfielder Danny Valencia, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (Twitter link). Valencia is represented by the MVP Sports Group. He’ll take his physical tomorrow, per Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (Twitter link).
The 33-year-old Valencia spent the 2017 season with the Mariners, for whom he logged a .256/.314/.411 slash with 15 home runs in an even 500 plate appearances. Valencia spent the vast majority of his time in the field at first base but also logged 51 innings in right field and another seven at his original position, third base.
Baltimore’s bench is anything but set at present, so Valencia could impress in camp and seize a spot as a right-handed-hitting complement to first baseman Chris Davis. His experience at all four corner spots would bring some versatility to O’s, who currently don’t have an established utility option on the roster. While Valencia isn’t a shortstop — a position at which most utility infielders are adept — the O’s have both Manny Machado and Tim Beckham as options there, which could lessen the need for that skill in a utilityman. Baltimore also has waiver pickup Engelb Vielma on the 40-man roster, and he’ll be among the names with whom Valencia is competing for a job.
This marks the second go-around for Valencia with the O’s. He also spent the 2013 season in Baltimore, hitting .304/.335/.553 with 14 homers in 170 trips to the plate. A veteran of eight Major League seasons, Valencia is a lifetime .269/.317/.427 hitter in the big leagues. He’s particularly strong against left-handed opponents, against whom he’s slashed .313/.370/.493 in 994 career PAs.
Good pickup for the O’s. There were big league fits for Danny, but I don’t run those clubs.
Why??
Seems like he would be a good platoon piece with Davis.
And remember Flaherty is still an option. If the Orioles do not like any of their current candidates, he has an opt out clause this spring with Philadelphia, and I’m sure that he would jump at the opportunity for a reunion with the Orioles.
Flaherty isn’t an option, he was signed by the Phillies.
…with an opt-out, as DimitriInLA wrote. Flaherty can become a free agent if not named to the Phillies’ 40-man roster by 3/22.
Valencia is 10x the player that Flaherty is
Flarity is a much better defender everywhere, and we already have a first base platoon partner in Trumbull. Trumbo and Davis will be a very expensive platoon, but it would be making the very best of a bad situation. But for back up infielder, Flaherty would probably be better than the guys we have auditioning right now
Yep, Valencia is a pretty good ballplayer, shame he’s a total nightmare to work with.
Flaherty opt-out only works if the Phils don’t add him to the 40 man roster not if the O’s decide to sign him.
hyperbole strikes again
Trumbo and Davis isn’t a platoon. Trumbo is our full time DH and Davis is our full time 1B. Trumbo will probably be playing some RF too if our roster stands as is. I wouldn’t expect a whole lot of time at first for Trumbo.
Because he couldn’t hit a beach ball!
Nice, lefty crusher who can play multiple positions. Orioles have Schoop who can be 3rd string shortstop as well, Orioles have great flexibility with Machado/Schoop/Beckham and even Davis can play decent RF. Got to give a lot of credit to the Cubs, I like how they move their bats around the diamond to maximize Plate appearances. Baez/Contreras/Rizzo/Bryant/Zobrist are the ideal model for starters flexibility.
Schoop won’t be playing any SS. He doesn’t have the range for that.
Not ideally, But he started a few games last year at short and has 200+ starts in his lower minor league career at short. He realistically wont play short, but when your “backup” shortstop is also in the starting lineup its nice to have a 3rd option. Basically eliminates the need for a bench player who can back up short is what i’m getting at, IE no more need for the struggling bats of Janish/Flaherty/Tejada
Agreed. Beckham should give us the flexibility to not have to carry an essentially worthless player. They all hit like a backup catcher and play sparingly. Hopefully we can keep Valencia around instead and at least squeeze some offense out on rest days.
Just fellow is a ball player. He will complement this club well.
Welcome back.
Isn’t he the one who beat up Billy Butler? Not sure what happened exactly.
Beckham is fully capable of playing 2nd and short. I like this a lot better than carrying a guy like Vielma on the roster. We don’t necessarily have to play TB everyday and this will give us another option at 3b while allowing Beckham to sub in for schoop and machado as needed. Schoop and machado don’t take many games off when they’re healthy though.
Maybe he plays 3rd and Beckham goes to short if Manny is traded.
Exactly what I was thinking. Valencia’s production is a great value for BAL even as an every day 3B. Looking at the O’s pitching staff as it’s currently constructed, I’d be shocked if they’re in contention on 7/1. Unless they plan on backing up the Brinks truck to extend Machado, they’ll have to trade him for best offer.
Yea Machado won’t be playing the whole season with Baltimore so i guess they brought in Valencia to play 3rd and Beckham at SS when Manny is gone. So Valencia i guess is a bench piece for now
This will make them contendors
Do all of you guys who make these childish, repetitive comments about every signing have a clubhouse, somewhere?
It’s a minors contract that carries very little salary if he does make the team. Good deal for the boobirds.
He’s not an outfielder by any means.
except, in the fact he plays there
Uh oh…. Manny machado about to lose his job
Just for clarity’s sake, Danny Valencia’s reputation issues started long, long before he ever got into it with Billy Butler… from about the moment he arrived in rookie ball with the Twins he had problems. The entire time he was coming through the minors the reports on him were that he was a decent hitter with some nice potential, but he desperately needs to get over himself.
Danny boy got his contract… He was great while in Oakland… That dugout business with Billy Butler was way blown out of proportions… Great signing…
I legit Lol’d considering the 0’s era last year and this spring against backups..
I Roflmbfbao!