With just two weeks until Spring Training, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Orioles under new management?
A surprise report yesterday indicated that the Angelos family, majority owners of the Orioles for the past three decades, have agreed to sell the club to a group led by David Rubenstein of the Carlyle Group, a private equity firm. Though the deal has not yet been approved by the league — reporting has indicated that a vote on the matter could come as soon as next week— the change in ownership could prove to be a seismic shift for the Orioles if approved.
Baltimore projects for just an $81MM payroll this year per Roster Resource, the third-lowest figure in the majors. That’s well below the club’s previous payroll capacity even while under the Angelos family, as the club topped out with a payroll of more than $164MM back in 2017 according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts. (That level of spending came under Peter Angelos, but his son John is now the team’s control person.) It’s unlikely the club would officially change hands in time for the new ownership group to approve a top-of-the-market free agent signing. With that being said, could news of the club changing hands give GM Mike Elias and his front office more leeway to pursue extensions with members of their star-studded young core, or perhaps even spend prospect capital to land a significant arm like right-hander Dylan Cease? John Angelos had previously cast serious doubt on the team’s ability to pursue extension with young stars such as Adley Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson, suggesting the Orioles would have to “raise prices massively” in order to afford contracts of that magnitude.
2. What’s next for the Blue Jays?
The Blue Jays made an addition to their offense yesterday by signing veteran infielder Justin Turner to a one-year deal yesterday. Turner joins infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa and center fielder Kevin Kiermaier in signing contracts worth between $10-15MM to help the Blue Jays round out a positional mix that could lose Whit Merrifield, Brandon Belt, and Matt Chapman. While Turner was able to be added to the 40-man roster without a corresponding move, the roster is now at capacity which will make a 40-man move necessary when the club’s previously-reported deal with Yariel Rodriguez eventually becomes official.
The addition of Turner, who figures to primarily spend time at DH while also getting occasional reps at the infield corners, makes other top free agent hitters remaining on the market something of a tricky fit for the Blue Jays. While the addition of Cody Bellinger or especially a reunion with Chapman is possible to make work from a roster building perspective, it’s unclear if Toronto has the appetite for making a star-level addition to a payroll that’s already top-four in the sport, per Roster Resource. On the other hand, replacing two quality bats from the club’s lineup last year in Chapman and Belt with just one above-average run producer in Turner could leave the club’s offense in a tricky situation entering the season.
3. Thor, Barnes audition for teams:
Veteran right-handers Noah Syndergaard and Matt Barnes worked out for interested clubs yesterday (as noted by Jon Heyman of the New York Post and Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, respectively) as they hope to find a role with a big league club in the final weeks prior to Spring Training. Both righties are coming off difficult years in 2023. Syndergaard posted a brutal 6.50 ERA in 18 starts split between the Dodgers and Guardians, while Barnes struggled to a 5.48 ERA in 24 appearances with the Marlins before hip surgery cut his 2024 season short.
Despite those recent struggles, both veterans have substantial track records of MLB success prior to the 2023 campaign. Syndergaard, of course, was among the most fearsome pitchers in the game earlier in his career and showcased the ability to perform as a capable back-end starter as recently as the 2022 campaign. Barnes, meanwhile, rattled off six consecutive seasons of above-average production out of the bullpen for the Red Sox from 2016 to 2021 and posted a respectable 4.31 ERA with a 3.87 FIP just two seasons ago. Will either righty find renewed interest in his services after throwing for scouts?
I still think Thor should repurpose himself as a reliever. Maybe he should talk to John Smoltz.
Agree with this. He could really reinvent himself and re-energize that arm. Who knows, maybe he becomes an excellent closer that comes out to Zep’s Immigrant Song.
If I read the news correctly, the complicated structure of the O’s deal, with the Angelos family retaining 60% until Peter passes away, may mean that big contracts/FA/extensions will wait until the acquirers get 100%
Certainly likely. This seems like good news for O’s fans in the big picture but it’s unlikely to have any real impacts on this off-season.
It’s also worth noting that new owners don’t always equal big spending. Not everyone is Steve Cohen. It’s possible that the new owners, once in full control, will open the purse strings, but it’s also possible they won’t, or at least not as much as fans may want.
We’ll find out when we find out.
Some additional spending may happen prior to new owners taking over. Since the franchise has already been valued for a set sales price, the current ownership may not feel the need to avoid the long term commitments anymore since the sales price is set. Many owners trying to sell try not to lock into long term commitments because those future debts negatively impact the value of the franchise. The fact that the valuation is done may not matter but is something to consider.
It’ll be written in the language of the sale contract that during this escrow time major commitments will not be made by the incumbents.
Mikenmn: Funny, isn’t it, that both the White Sox and Orioles fans are waiting for their owners to croak so they can move on.
Seems kind of sad….I get the Angelos thing–it’s probably something having to do with step-ups in basis on the date of death, and I’m sure these folks have the best estate planning money can buy–but, kind of gouhlish
The Angelos family owns 70% of the team, not 100%. So the new management getting 40% ownership off the starting line means they would be majority owners, hence Rubenstein being slated as the control person. The Angelos family would become minority owners immediately.
Unless the minority owners get paid first which would keep the Angelos family as majority owner.
But are the minority owners selling? I interpreted the news as the Angelos family is selling THEIR stake – not the other owners’ stake.
It was reported in 2022 or 2023 that the Angelos family held roughly 70% ownership, which would mean the new group would be in control as soon as everything is finalized.
Edit; here is a link with that 70% figure wbaltv.com/article/baltimore-orioles-sold-bought-j…
Rubenstein becomes controlling owner as soon as the deal is approved by the league. It does not matter what percent is leftover. He will be majority “shareholder” as soon as next week, once approved.
It’s like when you buy a new house. It’s going to take awhile to get the squatters out and even longer to buy new furniture cause you’re broke and stuff.
Bbbbbb b!!!!gddio
Rubenstein takes over day 1. Angelos will still have 30% or so due to taxes. There is another investor & a group that involves Cal Ripken Jr & others too. I do not think there is an impact day 1 but lets hope he signs Elias & Mejdal long term then figure what core 5 players they want to Keep. Id say Adley,Gunnar, Holiday,Bradish and Rodriguez would be your core 5. That is about 150 million right there for 10 years. The other players will be around 100 million total but those roster spots will be a revolving door. With that farm system they have, look out.
Dead on that everyone should worry about the Os farm system. But Mayo and Basallo may be better than Rutschman, Henderson and Holliday, they are getting fully engaged in the Latin market and they have 3 picks in the 2024 draft that are higher than the Gunnar pick. They will have multiple waves of talent coming up annually for years.
If Bellinger were to be a Blue Jay, that would mean an outfield of Varsho, KK and Springer with Turner at DH and Vlad at 1B. Neither Turner or Vlad will play 3B. That leads to a possible trade. Varsho? KK and Turner won’t be traded, and Springer’s contract would be tough to deal. Vlad is still a better hitter than Varsho, so he’d be the odd man out.
Makes it highly unlikely Bellinger will be a Blue Jay.
Bellinger was a long shot before Turner. He would have had to be a 1b/DH platoon with Vladdy and a time share in the outfield, probably with Springer when he DH’s. That was already not a great fit for Belli who probably could have found better opportunities to play elsewhere.
He’s an absolute no now.
The Jays came into this off-season with solid pitching, the best defense in the league, and a woefully ineffective offence. At this point in the off-season, the defence and pitching look to be pretty similar to last year and somehow, they look to have an even weaker offence.
They’ll need internal improvements from Vlad, Varsho, and probably at least one of the kids, or they may no longer be a playoff team.
Bellinger was a no-shot. If the Jays have no desire to extend Bo, why bother with Bellinger?
Have they said they have no desire to extend Bo?
It takes two. Bo may want to test free agency.
Pay him like a superstar. Bet they haven’t made an offer. We would heard about it. We hear, “Jays are in on _______”, or the outrageous Jose Bautista extension in 2016-17. They haven’t made an attempt on Bichette.
Given that they already bought out his remaining arbitration years, it seems likely that they would have broached the subject of a longer deal with him/his agent at that time.
As neither you or I were in the room/on the phone with them, neither of us can say what they have or have not done.
Lack of a longer extension is not evidence of anything.
Don’t kid yourself. If the Jays made an offer it would have been leaked. No question.
That could be true but I still think they’re the best fit for Bellinger. Bellinger playing RF or CF and in the lineup daily makes that team better.
Turner should play third base more in that scenario. It would really lift the offense, give them great depth and allow them to trade a couple of the younger guys for more pitching (bullpen help).
Turner played 7 games at 3rd last year and produced a minus 3 Defensive Runs Saved in that time. He’s not a 3rd baseman anymore. He’s the Jays DH this year. He may get a few games at 1st, and maybe an emergency game or 2 at 3rd, but he’s not getting much time at the hot corner.
Rob: I think Turner being able to play 3b gives the Jays some flexibility. If they can’t get the pitchers they need (and you can’t blame them for trying), they might have to outhit their pitching. It’s been done before.
Turner is not playing 3B at 39. Bellinger’s best fit is not the Jays with a full outfield. They’d need to get rid of Varsho. They wouldn’t get much trading Varsho.
Varsho provides a lot of value and he is capable of a better offensive season (probably). It would be unwise to sign a risky Bellinger contract. If they were gonna do it they wouldn’t have signed Turner probably.
Varsho provides little value. If he provides lots of value the Jays should trade him. Oh wait, he won’t bring a return because his value isn’t that high.
He was the best defensive player in all of the Majors at any position last year by DRS. His bat was obviously not good at all, but has been serviceable in previous seasons. He’s basically Kiermaier, but younger and with less injury history.
He’s by no means a superstar, but he has reasonable value. At this moment, not enough to get back what they traded, so there’s no way they would trade him away anytime soon.
Sign Bellinger, trade Varsho. If you seriously believe Varsho has value then make your team better. Bellinger when he is on is better than Varsho.
Varsho shaves over $5-million, Bellinger probably makes $20+. If you are certain Varsho brings the value you believe, he will garner some prospects worth trading at the deadline.
No team is buying Varsho’s value. It’s not there. The return will be minimal.
Later Angelos. Don’t let that door hit you on the way out!
Wait, on second thought, let it hit you. You won’t be missed and thanks for nothing.
The Orioles aren’t in the state they are w/o Angelos. The Orioles won 101 games last year because of Ownership, not in spite of it.
Mike Elias was hired by the Angelos’.
Angelos paid for Chris Davis (giving the fans what they wanted).
Angelos paid for Miguel Tejada and Albert Belle.
Angelos oversaw post season teams in every decade he owned the franchise.
I dunno what your standards are for ownership groups are, but Angelos did plenty right. Including stopping the other owners from bringing in Scabs in the early 90’s strike. Angelos was the only owner that stood by the players.
Just saying, nobody’s perfect, but Angelos was better than average, imo.
O’sSay – I’m referring to John. Most of what you list is because of Peter. John is so awful he makes his father look like a patron saint and savior.
If you want to give credit to John for hiring Elias, sure. I’m not going to post all the awful things John has done during his tenure since Peter became ill. It’s been discussed far too often here. He crippled the franchise. It’s been stuck in the mud. The AL East championship and 101 wins are because of Elias and co, not anything John did.
It’s amazing that people try to defend John. They are either blind or on his payroll. We are fortunate he decided to sell. Good riddance!
@ skins — I mean John green lit, and bank rolled the entire Dominican Academy and international signings when Peter would never.
Not perfect, but better than the mean.
John green lit that because it has a positive ROI.
Expenditures on the foreign baseball investment made the team more valuable. Ignoring that cheap pipeline of talent was a huge mistake by PA.
Given that neither of us know Johns mindstate/motivates, it’s hard attribute his motivation.
It could be that he wanted it all along and Peter was not buying it, and when John no longer needed approval from Dad, he made it happen knowing (just like even the most fair-weather baseball fan knows) International talent is vital to orginzational success.
Yeah, glaringly obvious problem the team had. Don’t care why it was solved, just glad it was. And like a lot of things, it looks like it made the Orginzation go from joke to leader overnight.
Good times in birdland. Just hope people don’t start rooting for an owners death thinking the grass is greener. A new owner will be different…it could go many ways. I have a lot of hope, but measured expectations.
Angelos’ plan was to build up a cheap winning roster as fast as he could. Dominican pipeline was another piece of that. But I’m with you—Idc why he made any decisions honestly.
He hired Elias and let him work. The O’s went from 0 to contender in a short period of time. He’s heading out the door and the team has a wide open window.
Enjoy racing horses or whatever the hell he wants to do.
I have the sneaking suspicion Chapman and Bellinger will both be Cubs opening day.
The 24 hour news ticker you see at the bottom of your screen on every cable news network started on 9/11. #facts #knowledge
Not relevant.
Atkins took the best offense in the game and slowly chipped away at it year over year, 2024 jays run production will be bottom 10.
I really just don’t understand the strategy given where they are in the window of opportunity, raising ticket prices and the renovation. This thing is headed over a cliff
“Meanwhile” has to START the sentence; it can’t come in the middle, set off by commas.