Izturis to Orioles

[Schwarber Fan]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baseball/bal-orioles1216,0,3498776.story

 

Haha

[17 Seconds]

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baseball/bal-orioles1216,0,3498776.story

 

Haha

 

i can't wait until they try to get chase headley for him next offseason

[OleMissCub]

Damn, I think this makes them favorites for the division now.

[Jehrico]

Damn, I think this makes them favorites for the division now.

Maybe they're hoping he's still got a little pixie dust hanging around him...

 

Or maybe MacPhail is still unreasonably fascinated with former Cubs players.

[BigbadB]

Baltimore needed to make a splash after the Burnett and Sabathia signings in NY and the rumored Tex to Boston deal with one of their own.

 

=D>

[weis21]

Listening to MLB Homeplate this AM and Buck Martinez just loves this move for the O's. Great "baseball guy" and brings "stability to their infield". Oh yeah, he was campaigning for Eckstein and couldn't believe he hadn't signed yet. I think if Buck Martinez were a GM he would field a winless team.

[Jehrico]

Would the Orioles have been any worse off had they just signed your average slick-fielding, no bat AAA SS? Considering how little bat you're already working with with Izturis, and how his defense nowadays is hugely overrated from his early years with the Dodgers, I'm thinking no...

[Post Count Padder]

Would the Orioles have been any worse off had they just signed your average slick-fielding, no bat AAA SS? Considering how little bat you're already working with with Izturis, and how his defense nowadays is hugely overrated from his early years with the Dodgers, I'm thinking no...

I have friends who are O's fans and they're ok with this. They know he sucks, but they wanted an actual shortstop and stability at the position. They were fed up with the rotation there last year which included the great Brandon Fahey.

[indycub]

Cesar Izturrible. Nuff' said.

[Derwood]

they've FINALLY replaced Cal Ripken.

[Jehrico]

Cesar Izturrible. Nuff' said.

I always like to call him Izturdis.

[UK1679666180]

He was finally healthy last year for STL and made significant improvements defensively compared to when he was on the Cubs. Balt. overspent on someone who has similar value has Everett, but losing teams have to go overvalue to get even role players occasionally.

[Derwood]

http://www.simleaguebaseball.com/derwood/izturis.jpg

 

/obligatory

[biittner77]

Sad as it may be, Izturis is actually an upgrade from what they've had. The reality is that the other options were go after Furcal or accept whatever they get from SS and go after Texiera who is from MD and therefore a possibility. Angelos has money and is willing to spend it but the last few years no one seems to want it.

[weis21]

you're right that is sad

[Wheelimus]

I can understand a desire for stability, but the O's are going nowhere fast. Who really cares how stable shortstop is when you're coasting to a 90+ loss season.

 

For the long term growth of the organization, they would have been better off spending the $6 million on a handful of various non-tenders with 2010 options. Then at least they might luck into some trade bait at the deadline. Who could bring prospects who might help when the O's will next be competitive. Which will be long after Cesar finishes his two year contract.

 

Stupid.

[biittner77]

I can understand a desire for stability, but the O's are going nowhere fast. Who really cares how stable shortstop is when you're coasting to a 90+ loss season.

 

For the long term growth of the organization, they would have been better off spending the $6 million on a handful of various non-tenders with 2010 options. Then at least they might luck into some trade bait at the deadline. Who could bring prospects who might help when the O's will next be competitive. Which will be long after Cesar finishes his two year contract.

 

Stupid.

 

They still have to field a team.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by non tenders with 2010 options. If a player gets non tendered, doesn't that mean they have to be signed to a contract? Won't those contracts be in the same 2-3 million/ year that Izturis got?

 

Also if these guys got non tendered it was because they were either too expensive or not very good. If they were too expensive they cost more than Izturis. If they were bad no one will give up much for them at the trade deadline.

 

Anyway, the point is that they tried to catch lightning in a bottle at SS last year and it didn't work. Signing Izturis is never a good option but I understand why they did it.

[Wheelimus]

Well, I meant one year deals with 2010 options.

 

I wouldn't think that they'd all be in the 3 million range like Cesar got. Russel Branyan was signed for $1.4. John Bale $1.2. We signed Gathright for .8. That right there is just a bit more than Cesar gets in 2009. I would think they would have been much better off signing those 3, making them everyday players, and hoping that one (or more) of them have a little trade value come the deadline.

 

Hell, who is the teams crappiest left handed pitcher? We'd probably take him for Ronny Cedeno. Who would probably outperform Cesar, with fewer highlight reels admittedly.