How the Baltimore Orioles Should Handle Each of Their Big-Name Free Agents

The Baltimore Orioles ultimately fell short of their goal of capturing their first World Series title in over 30 years, but the season was not a failure by any means.

In their quest to capture their first American League East Division title since 1997, the Birds finished in the upper third in all of baseball in both offense and pitching (runs and ERA).

They managed to accomplish this even while being burdened with constant turnover due to injuries to stars Manny Machado and Matt Wieters and an end-of-the-season suspension of Chris Davis.

On top of that, no one could have predicted this pitching staff, with its lack of "superstars," would be destined for anything more than a below-average finish compared to the rest of the league.

Immediately following Baltimore's elimination in the American League Championship Series at the hands of the red-hot Kansas City Royals, questions turned to how the Orioles could possibly retain most of the 2014 roster with the impending free agency and salary hikes in arbitration to some of their big names.

Here's a take on how Baltimore should handle each of their big-name free agents this offseason.

Delmon Young, OF/DH

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Signed to a minor league deal in January that included a base salary of $1 million and up to $750,000 in incentives, Delmon Young provided a whole lot of bang for the buck with his clutch postseason hit alone.

Although his numbers were aided by a significantly high BABIP (batting average on balls in play) of .359, Young batted for an average of over .300 and reached base at a .337 rate.

Young is a well-below-average defender, but given his role on the team as a solid depth guy, much like Steve Pearce, he provided considerable production as an outfield and designated hitter fill-in.

Young's free-agency value is certainly pointing up, but the Orioles should be able to sign him to an affordable one- or two-year deal given the fact that AL teams will be the only ones to show interest.

Andrew Miller, RP

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Andrew Miller was an absolute stud in 2014, finishing up the regular season with an astounding strikeouts-per-nine-innings rate that ranked him 10th in all of baseball among non-qualified pitchers.

Even though the Orioles may desperately want to hang onto the lefty, there's likely 29 other teams that would throw their hat in the ring for the chance to sign him, with several of them willing to overspend.

That's just not something the Orioles wish to do given the fact that they are confident in keeping Zach Britton in the closer role for next season and would be unwilling to spend top-tier closer money on Miller this offseason.

The situation becomes interesting, however, if the Orioles choose to non-tender Chris Davis or trade him considering he is estimated to make $11.5 million in arbitration.

Regardless, it is still a long shot that a deal gets done.

Nick Markakis, OF

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Nick Markakis will hit free agency after his 2015 option set at $17.5 million was declined last week by the club, and instead, will be paid a $2 million buyout if the Orioles fail to agree to a long-term contract.

Markakis was among the best leadoff hitters in baseball this season, showcasing both his on-base ability (.342) and some pop (14 home runs).

Given that Markakis is a fan favorite, a reliable glove in the outfield and a consistent producer at the dish, the Orioles need to re-sign him at a lower rate this season, even if they need to extend him into the four- or five-year range.

Nelson Cruz, OF/DH

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The most valuable offseason signing in all of baseball, Nelson Cruz had an incredible platform year and set himself up extremely well heading into this offseason.

Signed right before spring training to a one-year, $8 million contract, Cruz had one of the greatest seasons for an Oriole in club history, hitting 40 bombs and driving in over 100 runs throughout the course of the season.

With such a down year for slugger Chris Davis, the Orioles need a sure thing in the cleanup spot to give Adam Jones protection in the lineup and to solidify an offense that has ranked consistently high in recent years.

The Orioles have decided to extend a qualifying offer to Cruz worth $15.3 million, but if he declines, as is expected, the situation gets interesting.

Per Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun, Cruz will be seeking a multiyear deal, and the Orioles would prefer to offer the slugger a two-year deal with an option worth $30 million guaranteed.

The Orioles desperately need to keep Cruz in town, but they cannot afford to be tied up in a hefty contract with him for longer than three years.

A three-year deal worth $50 million seems to be the most likely outcome, and the Orioles would be wise to retain Cruz for next year's playoff push alone.

Stats provided by Baseball-Reference, ESPN.com and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted.