Top Offseason Options for Baltimore Orioles to Finish off Winter Plans
Pitchers and catchers report to spring training in just under a month. The offseason is almost over, and baseball is almost back.
For Baltimore Orioles fans, the season couldn't come any sooner, as the winter has been full of nothing but disappointment.
In short, the team lost designated hitter Nelson Cruz, reliever Andrew Miller and right fielder Nick Markakis, a longtime fan favorite, in free agency. Executive Vice President Dan Duquette is being courted by a division rival, the Toronto Blue Jays (if you're unaware of that situation, this excellent piece by Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun should fill you in nicely), and the team has yet to make any meaningful moves to fatten up the quality of the 25-man roster.
Luckily for the O's, they already have a strong core in place, allowing them to enter the 2015 season as automatic contenders as it currently stands.
Still, though, Baltimore could benefit from a few small additions to its roster to add some depth to the team in hopes of a standout, much like what Steve Pearce did for the team in 2014.
Let's look at a list of available players who could still be nice additions to the O's roster.
Charlie Blackmon, Outfielder
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The O's are still searching for a left-handed hitting outfielder after losing out on Markakis, Nori Aoki and Colby Rasmus. Charlie Blackmon fits the bill after having a breakout season in 2014.
Blackmon hit .288 with a .335 OBP, 19 homers, 72 RBI and 28 stolen bases. Not bad at all. And he'll be turning just 29 years old during the 2015 season, so his best years are theoretically still to come.
However, Blackmon posted some lopsided splits in 2014. The Colorado Rockie calls the hitter-friendly Coors Field his home, and at home the outfielder batted .335 with 13 homers and 48 RBI. On the road, he tallied just a .241 average with six homers and 24 RBI. Those splits are obviously a little alarming, though it is possible that Blackmon performs well playing a majority of his games in American League East ballparks.
In his defense, the Rockies are a National League West team, meaning Blackmon ends up playing a good portion of his road games in the likes of Petco Park, Dodger Stadium and AT&T Park. It's not exactly easy to hit in those places.
The Rockies are looking for starting pitching, according to Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, and the O's have a surplus of quality starters. A deal could very well get done.
Alexi Ogando, Relief Pitcher
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The Orioles are interested in adding bullpen depth, and right-hander Alexi Ogando is an interesting name.
Ogando struggled with the injury bug during 2014, but he's got a strong 3.35 ERA in 406.0 career innings. He's pitched as both a starter and reliever, also providing some flexibility for any team that signs him.
Signing him would be a little bit of a risk, as there are conflicting reports on the state of his right arm, but his agent believes that he'll be ready to pitch at the start of spring training.
If he could be had on a minor league deal, then Ogando would present a low-risk, high-reward situation for the O's. If he's healthy, he could very well help stabilize the bullpen after the team lost Miller this offseason.
Jay Bruce, Outfielder
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Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jay Bruce is a powerful left-handed bat who could be had on the trade market.
After a down season, the Reds reportedly are at least willing to listen to offers on the right fielder according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
Bruce knocked at least 21 homers in each of the first six seasons of his career, including at least 30 from 2011-2013, but he hit just 18 long balls in 2014. And while he's never been known for being a hitter with a high batting average, his .217 number in 2014 is a bit off from his .251 career batting average.
Bruce will be just 28 years old come Opening Day, so like Blackmon, theoretically his best years are still ahead of him. It's very possible that the outfielder just had an off season.
He's got two years and $24.5 million left on his contract with a $13 million option and a $1 million buyout for 2017 according to Spotrac, so he's really not that expensive when you consider the type of production he's capable of. But the O's would likely have to give up more than they're comfortable parting with to acquire Bruce, so that right there means it probably won't happen.
If the right deal comes up, though, it would be quite fun to watch Bruce hit multiple balls onto Eutaw Street for the next two to three seasons.
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Ichiro Suzuki, Outfielder
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Note: Since the time of this piece being published, Ichiro has agreed to terms on a one-year, $2 million deal with the Miami Marlins.
Considering that there isn't much left on the free-agent market, it shouldn't be surprising to see Ichiro Suzuki's name on this list.
Despite the fact that the right fielder is 41 years of age, it's still very possible that he could put up respectable numbers this year. He hit .284 with a .324 OBP in 359 at-bats for the New York Yankees in 2014, being used part time.
Though he's older, he managed 20 steals in 2013 and 15 steals last season, and either number would easily top the team-leading eight stolen bases that David Lough swiped for the O's in 2014.
If he could be had on a financially reasonable deal, he could provide a valuable option as a leadoff hitter, defensive replacement and platoon guy for an Orioles team desperately in need of outfield depth.
Even better, any deal would conceivably be for just one season, so he wouldn't block any minor league guys beyond this season. Heck, if he's playing just OK and there's a minor league guy knocking on the door this summer, the O's would likely be able to release him and eat his contract.
At this point in the offseason, there really isn't much left on the free-agent market. But Ichiro could be a better option than a lot of people realize. Not a great option, but not horrible, either.
Jonny Gomes, Outfielder
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Note: Since the time of this piece being published, Gomes has agreed to terms on a one-year, $4 million deal with a vesting option with the Atlanta Braves.
Jonny Gomes is a career platoon guy, so entering an organization looking for a platoon type of player wouldn't be a problem for him.
The problem, though, is that he's not a left-handed batter. He's a right-handed guy who mashes left-handed pitching (career .277 BA and .376 OBP), and the O's already have a guy like that in Delmon Young (career .302 BA and .338 OBP).
On top of that, Gomes isn't known for his work in the field, though he can play the corner outfield spots if needed.
So honestly, there isn't much of a need for Gomes, but he's worth some consideration when you take into account his power potential.
In 12 MLB seasons, Gomes averaged 23 homers over a 162-game period, and he's got eight seasons with 13 or more dingers.
With Alejandro De Aza and David Lough currently projected as the O's two left-handed batting outfield options at the MLB level, Gomes could contribute to a lefty-mashing platoon in addition to Young. At that point, though, things start to get a little crowded when it comes to outfielders on the MLB roster.
Gomes probably isn't coming to Baltimore for the 2015 season, but stranger things have happened. He's worth keeping an eye on, at least.
Andre Ethier, Outfielder
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Back on January 4, Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports reported that the O's had at least discussed the possibility of a deal involving Andre Ethier with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the team preferred signing either Colby Rasmus or Nori Aoki to trading for the former All-Star.
Whelp, since then the O's have lost out on both Rasmus and Aoki, and one would imagine that they're beginning to scramble for possible outfield acquisitions.
As Kubatko points out, the O's had talked to the Dodgers about Matt Kemp prior to him being traded to the San Diego Padres, but they ultimately decided against such a deal. With Kemp gone, it's probably less likely the Dodgers would part with Ethier, but obviously they're at least listening to such an idea.
A trade for Ethier wouldn't require giving up as much talent as acquiring Kemp would have, and if the O's are willing to take on most or all of the remaining $53.5 million owed to Ethier over the next three seasons, it's possible the O's wouldn't have to give up anything of much value at all.
The left-handed hitting outfielder hit just .249 last season with four homers in 341 at-bats and eventually found himself on the bench, but he has a career .285 batting average with a .359 OBP (he still managed a .322 OBP in 2014). He's also capable of hitting the long ball, as his 162-game average is 18. However, Ethier will be 33 years old in April, so he's exiting his "prime years."
Considering what's realistically left on the market, the O's might be smart to explore a trade for Ethier a little more heavily.
Who knows, maybe they can swap one bad contract for another and trade Ubaldo Jimenez and the remaining $38.75 million on his three years to the Dodgers while exchanging a little money and/or a prospect or two. Jimenez may pitch better out west, and Ethier may benefit from a move to the smaller AL East ballparks.
It's just a thought.
"I Like Our Guys"
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The O's lost some key players to free agency, yes, but they also still possess much of what helped them play so well in 2014.
Their starting rotation is returning completely intact. Their bullpen lost just Andrew Miller, and while that's a big arm to lose, the team's 'pen was still good before he arrived.
The biggest loss comes from the outfield, where the team lost Nick Markakis and Nelson Cruz. Even still, the O's have some players who could step up this season.
Adam Jones has been an All-Star player for six seasons now. Steve Pearce broke out in 2014, swatting 21 homers with a .373 OBP in 338 at-bats, and while it's unreasonable to expect a huge season from him this time around, it's not unrealistic that he continues to be a force at the plate and an average to above-average guy in the field.
Alejandro De Aza (pictured) had a fire light in his belly after he was traded to the O's last year (.293 BA, .341 OBP, three triples, three homers in 82 at-bats), and the Steamer projections on FanGraphs predict that De Aza will produce more wins above replacement (1.6) than Aoki, Cruz or Markakis in 2015.
David Lough played much better in the second half of the season (.351 BA, .387 OBP in 57 at-bats), and it's possible that at that point he had finally recovered from a concussion he suffered in spring training of last year, meaning the real Lough is a better player than his first-half stats show (.197 BA, .271 OBP in 117 at-bats).
On top of that, the team has talented guys in the minors, such as outfielders Dariel Alvarez and Mike Yastrzemski and first baseman Christian Walker, who could find their way to the majors this season.
The returns of catcher Matt Wieters, Manny Machado and a hopefully better Chris Davis could be a huge boost for the team, and if those three play to their capabilities, they would more than make up for the losses of Markakis and Cruz.
So alas, not all hope is lost in Birdland after such a miserable winter. Some things have to break the team's way, yes, but it's not as if the O's haven't faced adversity before.
At this point, they're pros at overcoming it, so don't be surprised when they do this season.
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