Wigginton and Orioles reach 2 year deal

[CubColtPacer]

Rosenthal reporting it. No money figures released yet:

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/9173224/Source:-Orioles,-Wigginton-reach-two-year-deal

 

It always was pretty likely that he was going to go to a team that would likely give him a decent amount of PT, and the Orioles likely will do that.

 

Edit: One Orioles source is now reporting 2 years, 6 million. Apparently Wigginton insisted on the 2nd guaranteed year before he would sign.

[hankp101]

I really like what the Orioles have done this offseason. I wonder if this move puts Luke Scott on the trading block? If they could move him for a young middle infielder, I'd think they'd have to do it. Plus they have lots of guys that should be attractive as deadline options in Roberts, Huff, Wigginton and Scottt if he doens't get moved sooner. I think they have positioned themselves nicely for continued improvement.

[biittner77]

I don't understand why they don't have any reported interest in Manny Ramirez. He would legitimize their lineup and sell tickets.

[YearofDaCubs]

I'd have taken Wigginton over Miles..

[Derwood]

I don't understand why they don't have any reported interest in Manny Ramirez. He would legitimize their lineup and sell tickets.

 

because Manny would never play there? same reason all the Manny/Teixeira/Dunn to the Nationals rumors were dumb

[biittner77]

I don't understand why they don't have any reported interest in Manny Ramirez. He would legitimize their lineup and sell tickets.

 

because Manny would never play there? same reason all the Manny/Teixeira/Dunn to the Nationals rumors were dumb

 

Do you really think he'd turn down a 4 year / $100 million contract because he didn't want to play for the Orioles? It doesn't seem like he has many options right now. The Angels, Yankees, Cubs and Mets have all said no. The only other team that could afford him is the Dodgers and they aren't going to give him the years he wants.

 

Tex to the Nationals was dumb because he had the luxury of being sought after by at least 5 teams. Dunn to the Nats could still happen if that's where the money is. Teams aren't exactly lining up for his services either.

[Post Count Padder]

I'd have taken Wigginton over Miles..

Seconded

[Cubswin11]

I really like what the Orioles have done this offseason. I wonder if this move puts Luke Scott on the trading block? If they could move him for a young middle infielder, I'd think they'd have to do it. Plus they have lots of guys that should be attractive as deadline options in Roberts, Huff, Wigginton and Scottt if he doens't get moved sooner. I think they have positioned themselves nicely for continued improvement.

They have done some nice things, but unfortunately they play in the AL East and it's going to take a lot for them to beat out the Sox, Yankees, and Rays the next 3-6 years, when the O's should be getting most of their young guys up. It's just an incredibly hard division, the Blue Jays would be serious contenders in any other division in baseball.

[Butterscup1679666578]

Man I would've loved to sign Wigginton, especially at that price.

[dew1679666265]

I'd have taken Wigginton over Miles..

Seconded

 

Yea, Wigginton at $3 mil a year is far better than Miles at $2.5 mil a year.

 

Plus, given our platoon situation at second and the likelihood of Bradley getting hurt in right (and Wigginton being moderately passable there, I believe), he would have gotten pretty decent playing time as well.

[RammyFanny]

Holy crap that's cheap. I thought he was getting 6 or 7 a year.

[SouthSideRyan]

Haha, Aaron Miles + Paul Bako over Ty Wigginton + Koyie Hill.

 

And before you say it, Miles isn't a SS either.

[cubsfan26]

Wigginton had to take alot less money then he was asking for a few months ago(wanted 5-7m per year). I doubt Wigginton would have signed with the Cubs anyways. I'm sure the Orioles promised 400 plus AB's in either LH, DH and 1b. The Cubs couldn't promise him that many AB's with there the way it is. How Wigginton defense at 2b anyways? I heard he's a horrible defender at 3rd. I'm not really sure about his outfield defense though.

[CubColtPacer]

Haha, Aaron Miles + Paul Bako over Ty Wigginton + Koyie Hill.

 

And before you say it, Miles isn't a SS either.

 

The money doesn't quite match up (2.95 million for the first, 3.5 million for the second) but I definitely agree with you that if Wigginton would have agreed to come here, the second option would have been far preferable. I'm not sure he would have because of the PT issue, but I bet Hendry preferred Miles even if Wigginton was interested, which IMO is a mistake.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Haha, Aaron Miles + Paul Bako over Ty Wigginton + Koyie Hill.

 

And before you say it, Miles isn't a SS either.

 

Even if you consider Miles a SS, you're better off with Wigginton + whatever SS you want to recycle(I'm sure we could've gotten somebody's good glove-no-hit SS in AAA for Rich Hill) than Miles + whoever we're getting for this last bench bat.

[Guest]

Haha, Aaron Miles + Paul Bako over Ty Wigginton + Koyie Hill.

 

And before you say it, Miles isn't a SS either.

 

Even if you consider Miles a SS, you're better off with Wigginton + whatever SS you want to recycle(I'm sure we could've gotten somebody's good glove-no-hit SS in AAA for Rich Hill) than Miles + whoever we're getting for this last bench bat.

Justin Sellers?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Haha, Aaron Miles + Paul Bako over Ty Wigginton + Koyie Hill.

 

And before you say it, Miles isn't a SS either.

 

Even if you consider Miles a SS, you're better off with Wigginton + whatever SS you want to recycle(I'm sure we could've gotten somebody's good glove-no-hit SS in AAA for Rich Hill) than Miles + whoever we're getting for this last bench bat.

Justin Sellers?

 

I was thinking of someone who had actually gotten to play in AAA, and maybe done better than a .255/.333/.367/.700 line in the Texas League.

[Backtobanks]

I'd have taken Wigginton over Miles..

Seconded

 

Yea, Wigginton at $3 mil a year is far better than Miles at $2.5 mil a year.

 

Plus, given our platoon situation at second and the likelihood of Bradley getting hurt in right (and Wigginton being moderately passable there, I believe), he would have gotten pretty decent playing time as well.

 

The only problem is that you're ignoring the timing of the signings. Wigginton wouldn't have signed for $3 million earlier, but now he's getting desperate. Abreu may end up signing for $7 or $8 million (for 1 year), but he was looking for something like $36 million over 3 years earlier.

[dew1679666265]

I'd have taken Wigginton over Miles..

Seconded

 

Yea, Wigginton at $3 mil a year is far better than Miles at $2.5 mil a year.

 

Plus, given our platoon situation at second and the likelihood of Bradley getting hurt in right (and Wigginton being moderately passable there, I believe), he would have gotten pretty decent playing time as well.

 

The only problem is that you're ignoring the timing of the signings. Wigginton wouldn't have signed for $3 million earlier, but now he's getting desperate. Abreu may end up signing for $7 or $8 million (for 1 year), but he was looking for something like $36 million over 3 years earlier.

 

Why did we have to make the move when we did? The season hasn't started yet - it would seem shrewd to wait out the players in order to get a better player at a similar price.

 

In your scenario, Hendry got worried nobody would be available and jumped on Miles too early. Had he waited, we've seen a player of Wigginton's caliber was available much later, and at a similar price, as Miles.

 

I can fully see the playing time issue as I'm sure the O's will give him more than we can, but that's about the only argument I can understand.

[dew1679666265]

Haha, Aaron Miles + Paul Bako over Ty Wigginton + Koyie Hill.

 

And before you say it, Miles isn't a SS either.

 

The money doesn't quite match up (2.95 million for the first, 3.5 million for the second) but I definitely agree with you that if Wigginton would have agreed to come here, the second option would have been far preferable. I'm not sure he would have because of the PT issue, but I bet Hendry preferred Miles even if Wigginton was interested, which IMO is a mistake.

 

Sadly, my friend, I believe you are correct.

 

I haven't seen the Cubs linked once to Wigginton all offseason. Even though he'd have been better than anybody we've been linked to for the middle of the infield.

[UMFan83]

Imagine how much better this offseason could have been if Hendry would have waited a bit to test the market before making his major moves. He could have gotten Dempster and Bradley cheaper, would have gotten a better player than Miles for the same money, etc.

[dew1679666265]

Imagine how much better this offseason could have been if Hendry would have waited a bit to test the market before making his major moves. He could have gotten Dempster and Bradley cheaper, would have gotten a better player than Miles for the same money, etc.

 

Would he have gotten Dempster and Bradley cheaper? Abreu has been offered $8 million, just $2 shy of Bradley's annual salary.

 

Dempster likely would have been close to, if not the same, amount.

 

I agree on the terrible signing of Miles, though.

[cubsfan26]

He could have gotten Dempster and Bradley cheaper,

 

 

I don't really we could have gotten either cheaper. Well maybe we could have gotten Bradley at 2 years. But at the time we signed Bradley he turned down simliar two year offers from the Rays and Nationals. The Cubs went three years with Bradley, but the third year can be a team option year if Bradley doesn't play 125 plus games next year. I still think Dempster gets paid, and gets more if he stays on the market. The top starting pitchers still got paid this offseason, Dempster was right there with AJ Burnett on teams radars. If we don't resign Dempster, I bet the Braves end up signing him to something like 4y at 60m or 5 at 70m. From everything I read they wanted him pretty bad and even more then Burnett.

Edited February 4, 2009 by cubsfan26

[dew1679666265]

He could have gotten Dempster and Bradley cheaper,

 

 

I don't really we could have gotten either cheaper. Well maybe we could have gotten Bradley at 2 years. But at the time we signed Bradley he turned down simliar two year offers from the Rays and Nationals. The Cubs went three years with Bradley, but the third year can be a team option year if Bradley doesn't play 125 plus games next year. I still think Dempster gets paid, and gets more if he stays on the market. The top starting pitchers still got paid this offseason, Dempster was right there with AJ Burnett on teams radars. If we don't resign Dempster, I bet the Braves end up signing him to something like 4y at 60m or 5 at 70m. From everything I read they wanted im pretty bad and even more then Burnett.

 

I still would have preferred Adam Dunn over Milton Bradley after we dumped DeRo, but I agree with you that neither Bradley nor Dempster would have come much, if any, cheaper waiting longer.

[BigbadB]

Wigginton had to take alot less money then he was asking for a few months ago(wanted 5-7m per year). I doubt Wigginton would have signed with the Cubs anyways. I'm sure the Orioles promised 400 plus AB's in either LH, DH and 1b. The Cubs couldn't promise him that many AB's with there the way it is. How Wigginton defense at 2b anyways? I heard he's a horrible defender at 3rd. I'm not really sure about his outfield defense though.

 

If they hadn't signed Miles, they most certainly could have offered Wiggington that many at bats. Between platooning with Fontenot at 2nd, spelling Lee, Ramirez, Soriano and Bradley, he could have had plenty of playing time. That's not including being the main PH off the bench.

 

Hendry didn't want anything to do with him because he hits right handed.