Orioles Acquire Julio Lugo For PTBNL

After a very disappointing day in the field yesterday by Robert Andino, 25, it looks as though the Orioles are prepared to go in a different direction to fill their utility infield spot.

Acquired to Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com, the Orioles have just picked up Julio Lugo, 34, for a player to be named later from the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Cardinals no longer had a place for Lugo after signing Felipe Lopez. The Orioles who have a healing Brian Roberts at second and the light-hitting Ceasar Izturis at short needed a player with more offense than Andino to give them a rest. Lugo, who hit a combined .280/.352/.406 with the Red Sox and Cardinals last year, offers a bit more insurance in case Roberts' back acts up again. Roberts is a key offensive cog in the Orioles' line-up and Andino's was a dismal .222/.274/.288 line from 2009 would hardly make-up the difference.

Lugo has experience in the AL East after playing for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (before the name change) and the Boston Red Sox. He is also in the final year of his contract which makes him more appealing.

While Lugo's original contract was a heafy four year pact, the Orioles will only be held responsible for paying the league minimum while the Boston Red Sox eat the rest of the contract that totals $8.6 million left on his deal.

In addition, the Orioles granted the outright release to veteran catcher Chad Moeller, 35, who was signed to a minor league contract over the winter and figured to win the back-up job to Matt Wieters. Instead, the Orioles decided to give the job to the younger, defensive minded Craig Tatum, 27. 

Moeller hit .258 in limited action with the Orioles last season after beginning the year as the back-up to Gregg Zaun, 38, before being sent to AAA to make room for Wieters. Moeller rejoined the major league squad in 2009 after the Orioles sent Zaun to the Tampa Bay Rays in an August deal for fringe- prospect, Rhyne Hughes, 26.