Comments on: Mike Gonzalez Potentially an Oriole

By: jirish

jirish — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 02:58:39 +0000

I don’t see a particular problem with this signing. I guess you could question “high priced closer” for a team not likely to be a contender, but all teams need someone to finish games. It is true Oakland seems to find relief pitching from their system and the waiver wire. San Diego does too. Baltimore hasn’t been able to do it that way. Until they figure out a way to emulate Oakland and San Diego, they are going to have to trade for or sign some of their relief help.

They didn’t give up a prospect; Gonzalez isn’t blocking anyone, and a two year contract isn’t going to hurt their finanacial health. Hey, if the Orioles brass likes Gonzalez enough to pay him that, I say go for it.

By: Casadilla

Casadilla — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:02:00 +0000

Didn’t the O’s flip George Sherrill at the deadline for a B level 3B and C+level SP prospect to a team willing to overpay? Gonzalez will be another version of the same story. Seems like a good pickup.

By: Craig

Craig — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 15:22:53 +0000

Strange signing, it seemed like the Orioles front office had done a good job of building for the future before this move and the Millwood trade. IMO, Baltimore would be better off spending the Millwood/Gonzo cash on over slot draft picks and int’l talent.

Glad to see your reference to the Wallace/Taylor trade. I’d love to hear some fangraphs analysis of that trade. IMO, Toronto just gave Oakland the player that they always hoped Vernon Wells or Alexi Rios would be (Taylor) for the second coming of Lyle Overbay (Wallace).

By: TheImpossibleMan

TheImpossibleMan — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:36:41 +0000

Several times last year, when Matusz or Tillman were pitching, Trembley would deliberately put the best defensive lineups behind them he could – sacrificing bats for gloves in order to protect his young guys. Similarly, I think this move is designed to protect the young guys by giving the team a real closer.

Also, the team DIDN’T have a real closer. I think Johnson and Gonzalez will battle it out in Spring Training for the closer’s role and the O’s will be a better team for it. Still, that’s a big price tag…

By: Haze

Haze — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:05:58 +0000

This is an OK signing for the Orioles. The bullpen has been terrible for a long time, and a backend with Gonzalez and Uehara should be a big improvement. The dollars are high, and Gonzalez is high-risk both with his health and his flyball tendencies in the AL East. But the O’s are going to have to overpay until the team improves significantly…

Now about Garrett Atkins…. I hope that’s for the veteran minimum, I’d be shocked to see even Melvin Mora production out of him next season.

These aren’t the players a team like the Orioles should be signing if this is going to affect their ability to draft (losing the 2nd round pick) and sign (budget?) amateurs.

By: JollyRoger

JollyRoger — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 09:46:09 +0000

I think it is a good move for the orioles.
It can be demoralizing for a young pitching staff to see 7th/8th inning leads disappear like what happened last season after J Johnson had to take over the closer role.
Johnson who is clearly better suited to a set up role also blew 3 of 11 saves opportunities.

Altogether so far, the orioles have dished out
- $ 9million + Chris Ray +Rule 5 pick for Millwood
- $12 million [+$ 4million in incentives] n the 43rd pick for Gonzales.
- undisclosed amount for Garret Atkins

The O’s under A.McPhail is showing they have a sound plan/direction and spending wisely compare to Hou/Lyon and KC/Kendall.

They are slowly accomplishing their off season objectives of
- finding an innings eater in Millwood to take the burden off J.Guthrie
- getting a bona closer n let Johnson & Koji Uheara assume the set up roles
- getting a decent stop gap 3B until Josh Bell is ready

Granted these are baby steps, but the orioles are clearly improving themselves without having to trade away any of their promising young players yet.

They may still end up finishing 4th in the AL East but if they can showed significant improvements in the win/loss column, they might a better chance to attract free agents from a stronger 2011 FA class.

By: Larry Smith Jr.

Larry Smith Jr. — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:42:08 +0000

It seems to me that the Orioles have improved themselves dramatically in a small period of time, are having an outstanding off-season, and really are looking like a first class organization as of late. And for their efforts, will likely finish in fourth or last place again next year.

By: Matty Brown

Matty Brown — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 07:55:25 +0000

Players dubbed as “Closers” will forever see exxagerated money.

By: Jay

Jay — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 07:20:13 +0000

I’ve always liked Gonz, but as an Orioles fan I’m just not that into it. Oakland has proven time and again that closers can be found. The O’s should understand this well after the Ray injury. The money and years are fine. Injuries are a concern. The real loss in the draft pick. It’s how the O’s now have talent. They need to stick to the path of prospect development.

Tho if you told me it was Ray and a 2nd round pick for Millwood and Gonzalez, I guess that doesn’t sound too bad.

By: saj

saj — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 05:37:49 +0000

Flanaganesque. Andy’s 2010 theme is to only bring in pitchers whose OPS against trend has been ratcheting upward. That way they come really cheap, like only 9m for a starter whose trend projects to a 790 ops vs. and 6m for a reliever who projects to 650. Say I just noticed a great coincidence – both those numbers are likely to rank the same #55 for their positions. Possibly Andy is so good at robbing other gms for his sell-by date players because he so clearly understands how they think.