According to Yahoo's Tim Brown, former Atlanta Braves closer/setup man Mike Gonzalez has signed with the Baltimore Orioles:
Mike Gonzalez has agreed to a two-year, $12-million contract with O's. Incentives could bring worth to $16 million over two years.
Not a bad deal at all, and he should get a chance to close in Baltimore. Of course, this guarantees that the Braves will not have any first round picks in 2010's June draft. Thanks to Rafael Soriano accepting arbitration, the Braves lost the potential for a first round pick, and they surrendered their first round pick to the Boston Red Sox when they signed Billy Wagner.
The Braves will receive a supplemental first round pick as well as the Orioles second round pick as compensation for Gonzalez.
0 recs | 75 comments
BMac was a 2nd rounder
I guess we gotta go get ourselves another perennial all-star in this years draft. No big deal!
Scott Coleman - December 16, 2009
Not related at all but check this out:
From MLBTR:
Newsday Ken Davidoff said that (of all things) Bay’s long-ago stint in center field with Pittsburgh is the reason that New York rates him as a better defender than Matt Holliday.
acie4mvp - December 16, 2009
teehee
Thay iz smarts,
bwellnjonesco - December 16, 2009
wow…
Smoltz's Beard - December 17, 2009
Thank Jeebus for Omar Minaya.
Yakker - December 17, 2009
HAHA. He's gonna HATE Baltimore.
nick9314 - December 16, 2009
Have Fun
Hey Gonzo,
Have fun losing with the O’s for the entire two years and $12mil b/c the O’s are not going to make any type of serious run this year or next, lol.
Holty_Panthers_Fan - December 16, 2009
the Orioles actually have one of the best young nucleus’ in all of baseball. Weiters, Markakis and Jones are all going to be/already are studs. BRoberts and Luke Scott aren’t too bad either. Their minor league system is also pretty nice and they have some good looking up-and-coming pitchers. They could be a darkhorse team the next few seasons if their division wasnt so hard.
Scott Coleman - December 16, 2009
All the potential in the world
Means jack-squat if it doesn’t actually amount to anything. Having seven 90+ loss seasons in the decade (with 88,88,84 losses in the other three), you would hope someone would come along, that Peter Angelos wouldn’t ultimately meddle with and ship off for the future that won’t come to fruition.
I certainly hope that winning wasn’t motivation for choosing the O’s, because he’s certainly not going to experience a whole lot of it there.
royhobbs - December 16, 2009
They do have a decent roster though roy...
Weiters, Scott, Reimold, Markakis, Pie, Jones, Roberts, have some young guys hopefully step up at SS and 3B. I like Millwood as the veteran leader with Tillman, Matusz, and some of the other young arms there. They have some good young pieces to build around similar to Tampa. I wouldn’t expect playoffs with New York and Boston in their division, but I think that can start to play a lot better.
Mr. Sanchez - December 17, 2009
I can't disagree, but...
Their records indicate that they just can’t stop sucking, no matter what. So until they prove otherwise, all this talent, all this potential, and all this “should” is nothing but a big old ball-and-chain, hanging off of them, and making their record look worse than it is with all the losing, despite the talent.
Given their proximity to D.C., and that they were the “local” team for DC/VA/MD prior to the Natinals, they’re a lot like the Bullets/Wizards. I don’t think even the baseball equivalent to Michael Jordan could revive the Orioles sometimes.
royhobbs - December 17, 2009
And I can't disagree either.
Mr. Sanchez - December 17, 2009
The Orioles, however...
have generally not lost with a good roster. They have lost with a bad roster. When they had good players in the 90’s they were fine. Then they got several bad contracts in a row and crashed into oblivion. A ton of those bad contracts came off the books this offseason (something like $40, so while I don’t think they’ll seriously go for Holliday as one place reported, they certain have the money to do that) and they have acquired a nice nucleous of young talent—-at least partially from fleecing Bill Bavasi in the Bedard trade. (He was the gift that kept on giving, like the Horrible Ramirez-Soriano trade.)
If the Orioles’s young pitchers develop (Matusz, Tillman, eventually Arrietta) they could be contenders sooner rather than later.
cavebird - December 17, 2009
I think this is exactly right, and there is a lot to be optimistic about in Baltimore. That said, the organization has a poor track record of developing starting pitching over the last few years (Bedard, and maybe they get credit for Guthrie), with a ton of high-profile arms flaming out, a la Daniel Cabrera.
Yakker - December 17, 2009
Did those young arms have a veteran to lean on?...
I think Millwood will be an excellent mentor and veteran presence for that staff.
Mr. Sanchez - December 17, 2009
Mussina? Bedard? Guthrie? Ponson?
Yakker - December 18, 2009
Haha...
Sir Sidney?
MichaelProcton - December 19, 2009
Mussina was a Yankee as a vet...
how old were those guys when they were with the Orioles.
Mr. Sanchez - December 19, 2009
Mussina – Spent 10 years with the Orioles. He was 23 when he first got there and 33 when he left. Veteran? Yes.
Bedard – Spent 5 years with the Orioles. He was 23 when he first got there and 28 when he left. Veteran? Yes.
Guthrie – Spent 3 years (so far) with the Orioles. He was 28 when he first got there and is 31 now. Veteran? Yes.
Ponson – Spent 8 years with the Orioles. He was 22 when he first got there and was 25 when he left. He was 26 when he came back and was 28 when he left the second time. Veteran? Yes.
justincredubil02 - December 20, 2009
Weiters is overrated.
As is every #1 prospect(even Heyward, to an extent). They are all overhyped.
I think Weiters will be a solid player, but not the superstar that everyone expects him to be.
GouldisGold - December 17, 2009
You’re like the only person who feels this way.
Scott Coleman - December 17, 2009
What?
That Weiters is overrated?
GouldisGold - December 17, 2009
Yeah and that he won’t be a superstar.
Now, I cant speak for every scout, but KLaw, Callis, Badler, the BA guys, etc. are all crazy for this guy
Scott Coleman - December 17, 2009
You are wrong about Matt Wieters. Just wrong.
cbwilk - December 17, 2009
What makes Wieters overrated? What makes you think he becomes just a solid player instead of a superstar? He mashed through the minors, he looks like the real deal to me, and he is playin at a premium position. Unless he gets hurt i dont see why in 3 years he wont be a top 5 catcher in the game.
rockybull - December 17, 2009
He will only be a top 5 if McCann decides that he only wants to be the top 4 catchers in the game and makes room for Wieters to take that 5th spot.
justincredubil02 - December 17, 2009
+1
MichaelProcton - December 17, 2009
After the first couple picks the MLB draft is a crapshoot anyway. Even if one of they guys we draft turns out good its a win.
jack dein - December 16, 2009
Oooh
We should draft Jason Heyward!
Bronn - December 16, 2009
unless the Os
draft a higher ranking FA, then might get a No 3 instead
a hay - December 16, 2009
Wait, shouldn’t we get the Orioles’ first round pick? Boston got ours, why don’t we get Baltimore’s?
TradeAndruw - December 16, 2009
im pretty sure
its a protected pick since their 1st rounder is top-15.
Scott Coleman - December 16, 2009
Yeap protected
and if the O’s (unlikely) sign a FA better than Gonzalez, ie Bay, Boston gets their No2 and we gets the No 3
a hay - December 16, 2009
Who else is better?...
Damon, Holliday, Bay, Valverde. With Gonzo, Valverde isn’t coming. And they have Luke Scott, Felix Pie, Nick Markakis, Nolan Reimold, and Adam Jones, so I doubt Bay, Holliday, or Damon will be signed either.
Mr. Sanchez - December 17, 2009
MLBTR has them joining...
…the Holliday sweepstakes, although I seriously doubt that would happen.
cavebird - December 17, 2009
Again...
if they do, then who goes? Scott is already a DH/1B, with 4 guys fighting for 3 slots in the OF—Reimold, Pie, Jones, Markakis. If you add Holliday, who goes? That just sounds like fabricated interest to me, be it from just a media speculation or Holliday’s agent.
Mr. Sanchez - December 17, 2009
Luke Scott plays 1B, Reimold DH, Jones CF, Markakis RF, Holliday LF, Pie is released and banned from playing baseball like he should be.
cbwilk - December 17, 2009
Woah....
why the Pie hate? I’ve never known him as anything more than a big name prospect.
Mr. Sanchez - December 17, 2009
I guess that was way too harsh. He just isn’t an everyday major leaguer. He’s not worth even bringing into a discussion about who should play where because he’s nowhere near good enough for an everyday job.
(And it’s not a personal thing, only met him once and he was very nice to me.)
cbwilk - December 17, 2009
His numbers last year were respectable...
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/piefe01.shtml
For a 4th OF, those are solid numbers (and showing steady improvement), plus he doesn’t turn 25 until February so he can still become a solid starter.
Mr. Sanchez - December 17, 2009
Not lately.
MichaelProcton - December 17, 2009
FineHamAbounds' deleted fanpost:
Mike Gonzalez to the Orioles?
Tiny by FineHamAbounds on Dec 16, 2009 5:55 PM PST Comment 3 comments, 3 new
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2009/12/orioles-near-agreement-with-mike-gonzalez.html
Looks like we got screwed by both Soriano and Gonzo. If the O’s sign him, we only get their 2nd round pick, not a 1st rounder. Lame. I just hope all the radio silence on the Lowe front means something’s happening and Wren’s staying tight-lipped, because we could all use some good news.
I needed five more words.
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We also get a sandwhich pick for him.
by jack dein on Dec 16, 2009 6:02 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Fanshot fanshot fanshot
but whatever.
Most of the Orioles fans are pissed about paying a reliever all that money.
In Frank Wren I trust.
by mvhsbball on Dec 16, 2009 6:06 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
Shoulda offered LaRoche too
now let’s wait and see what we get for Lowe.
by Mr. Sanchez on Dec 16, 2009 7:17 PM PST reply actions 0 recs
cbwilk - December 16, 2009
Heh, thanks.
I was like “what happened to that post I worked so hard to throw up there faster than anyone else could?”
FineHamAbounds - December 16, 2009
i beat you by a minute.
Scott Coleman - December 16, 2009
ah well
now that kinda sucks. Im actually surprised he didnt get more. He actually could make less than Wagner i believe.
drumzalicious - December 16, 2009
Facepalm
We took it in the shorts on the draft picks again this year.
soup du jour - December 16, 2009
OH NOEZ!
Loss of draft picks!
MichaelProcton - December 17, 2009
Dude the O's just signed Atkins
Man, they seem pretty serious about contending.
GouldisGold - December 16, 2009
Atkins makes sense for them.
He was cheap, no long-term commitment, and that get a shot at an undervalued player. Atkins isn’t actually any good, but not a bad shot for them to take at the price they got him.
cavebird - December 17, 2009
Much more than Holliday...
I could see them going for Lowe to add another veteran arm to help guide the kiddies, or Beltre since they don’t look like they have much on the left side of the IF. Maybe package a group of young players for Adrian Gonzalez or Prince Fielder, but they don’t need an OF.
Mr. Sanchez - December 17, 2009
I think the idea is that...
…if they sign Holliday, they move an OF for pitching. However, Reimold, I think can play first and there is still the DH slot. They could do it and they have the money, but I doubt they will; there is a better free agent class next year and their young pitchers need another year before they can seriously consider contending.
cavebird - December 17, 2009
Reimold has played 1B once in his pro career, 5 years ago. Not saying he couldn’t play 1B, just seems unlikely, especially with Luke Scott there.
cbwilk - December 17, 2009
That's right.
I forgot about Scott. Still, it just seems like Markakis, Holliday, Reimold, and Jones for the 3 OF spots and DH. Pie is no more than a fourth or fifth OF.
cavebird - December 17, 2009
By the way...
…everyone who said I was pessimistic that we would get any first rounders from Gonzo and Soriano can eat their crow now. That being said, nice deal for Gonzo, good luck to him and the O’s. We weren’t going to get a first rounder for him at this point and at least the O’s second rounder is pretty early. They won’t contend this year due to the division (they could fight in the AL central, but the east is a beast) but if they developed those pitchers (Matusz, Tillman, Arrietta) they could in 2011.
cavebird - December 16, 2009
I’ll take some crow.
cbwilk - December 16, 2009
the two extra picks from Soriano screwed us...
combined with not offering arb to Laroche and that potential pick. That’s 3 possible picks, and even if it was 2 supplemental and a 2nd, we’ve had some very good selections in those slots recently. Now, we add a second and supplemental (and Chavez), but lose a first for Wags. Not a bad swap, but not quite what it could have been.
Mr. Sanchez - December 17, 2009
Pretty much no shot at getting Deck McGuire from GA Tech now. Meh.
cbwilk - December 16, 2009
oh baby
you know you’re destined to be a baseball player when you’re name is Deck.
Scott Coleman - December 16, 2009
I don’t see how we got “screwed” as far as draft picks. Yes theoretically we could have had 4 first rounders (includes comp.’s) but in reality we had one first and one second, we now have a comp. pick and two seconds. Though we slide down say 15-18 spots in the first we add another pick which is more valuable imo.
McCann's the Man - December 16, 2009
Soriano + #20 > Wagner + Chavez
Jay212033 - December 17, 2009 via mobile
unless #20
is crap.
apoxonbothyourhouses - December 17, 2009
known commodities > possible crap
apoxonbothyourhouses - December 17, 2009
This is why you scout and draft well. The #20 pick’s potential is worth more than Chavez.
soup du jour - December 17, 2009
and sind Wagner > Soriano
apoxonbothyourhouses - December 17, 2009
since
apoxonbothyourhouses - December 17, 2009
Chavez = known commodity
apoxonbothyourhouses - December 17, 2009
we win in the deals
apoxonbothyourhouses - December 17, 2009
so
Since we are talking about the Orioles here, apparently they have interest in Holliday. It’s not known how serious but apparently they have some sort of interest in him.
Would you guys trade J.J. for Adam Jones if they got Holliday?
drumzalicious - December 17, 2009
Not at all
We have a starting CF that can put up similar numbers, and another in AAA that could possibly do the same.
We do not have a SP in AAA that I feel could possibly match JJ’s numbers if we lost him.
So, I personally wouldn’t do that deal because I think JJ is more valuable to the Braves than Adam Jones would be.
Kelly's Big Johnson - December 17, 2009
hmmm
I see your point but im blinded by the thought of an OF of Schafer, Jones, Heyward
Everyone knows Atlanta has to have a jones at some point on their roster. Heck that could be the 1st 3 spots in the lineup
drumzalicious - December 17, 2009
Why would they get Holliday then trade Adam Jones? Seems like a backwards move.
cbwilk - December 17, 2009
well
the thought process is that they would essentially have 5 outfielders they have 3 now with Pie as the 4th and Holliday would make them have 5. They could then possibly move Reimold to 1B, Holliday to LF and Pie in CF.
Some are speculating it would be for a deal of A-Gonz that they would move one of their OF’ers.
drumzalicious - December 17, 2009
Do the Orioles have a different Felix Pie? Cause the one I’ve seen play for them basically sucks.
cbwilk - December 17, 2009
Good luck in Baltimore, Gonzo
Hope we meet each other in the World Series.
Kelly's Big Johnson - December 17, 2009
Big time F up here by Wren and Co.
Something went terribly wrong, either not understanding Soriano’s intentions or jumping the gun on Wagner. Possibly both.
There really is no excuse for losing your 1st round pick in order to sign a 38-year old closer with a history of injuries. Soriano would have been just as good, although I fear he may have trouble in the AL East.
Maybe they are counting on this being a weak draft class (2011 class is loaded), and don’t have any faith in the ownership opening up the pocketbook like the last draft? But even so, there is just too much value to be had in the first round.
Between this and coughing up a 1st for Glavine a couple of years ago, this front office had a lot to figure out with how to use free agency. There was just no guarantee Gonzo or Soriano were going to reject arb or go not go to teams with protected picks and you need to know more before rolling the dice on that.
jerryclore - December 18, 2009
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