Orioles to sign Vladimir Guerrero for $8,000,000.

[Northside Blues]

They're gearing up for the battle with the Jays for the 4th place parade.

[Splendid Splinter]

I'm glad he got signed. I'm looking forward to one day on ESPN top 10 this season where someone threw either 3 ft outside of the zone or in the dirt and Vlad still hits a HR out of it somehow... Dude just swings at EVERYTHING and still hits them. If only Soriano could be like Vlad...

[Post Count Padder]

The Orioles quietly have a pretty solid lineup now:

 

Brian Roberts

Nick Markakis

Vlad

Mark Reynolds

Luke Scott

DLee

Adam Jones

Matt Wieters

JJ Hardy

[rawaction]

The Orioles quietly have a pretty solid lineup now:

 

Brian Roberts

Nick Markakis

Vlad

Mark Reynolds

Luke Scott

DLee

Adam Jones

Matt Wieters

JJ Hardy

 

If they stay healthy, they will score some runs. The key to the Orioles doing anything (by anything I mean maybe .500 and 3rd place finish in AL East) is the starting rotation. They actually have a bunch of talent there too, but Matusz, Arrieta, Tillman, and Zach Britton have to mature in a hurry.

[Keener98]

Well they are definitely going to have a few guys teams in contention at the deadline will covet.

[Post Count Padder]

The Orioles quietly have a pretty solid lineup now:

 

Brian Roberts

Nick Markakis

Vlad

Mark Reynolds

Luke Scott

DLee

Adam Jones

Matt Wieters

JJ Hardy

 

If they stay healthy, they will score some runs. The key to the Orioles doing anything (by anything I mean maybe .500 and 3rd place finish in AL East) is the starting rotation. They actually have a bunch of talent there too, but Matusz, Arrieta, Tillman, and Zach Britton have to mature in a hurry.

 

Agreed. They have some really good young pitchers, but I don't know if they're all there yet. I also liked their low-risk, high-reward signing of Duchscherer. I wish we had picked him up.

[Sammy Sofa]

So, where is Luke Scott going to play?

[Northside Blues]

LF.

 

The Os don't have a prayer at finishing third in the division. Tampa and Boston should be around 90 wins. I really don't know what to think about the Yankees with that rotation. But at worst, they have a better offense, better rotation and a better bullpen than the Os. Not sure I like their chances against the Sawx and Rays though.

[mookie]

I love what the Orioles have done. I strongly believe the Blue Jays, Rays, and Orioles are going to pound the crap out of each other all season long. I think all three of them are very similar teams. Tampa Bay isn't going to win 90 games this season.

[rawaction]

LF.

 

The Os don't have a prayer at finishing third in the division. Tampa and Boston should be around 90 wins. I really don't know what to think about the Yankees with that rotation. But at worst, they have a better offense, better rotation and a better bullpen than the Os. Not sure I like their chances against the Sawx and Rays though.

 

Rays aren't as good as last year. As bad as Pena was last year, they are not going to get 1B production from Ben Zobrist who is the everyday guy there this year. Downgrade from Carl Crawford to Johnny Damon. Loss of Soriano, Balfour, Wheeler, and Benoit in the pen, their 4 best relievers. Who knows if Desmond Jennings can produce right away? John Jaso is due for a decline at C. As is David Price. And of course, you got no Garza this year. Then you throw in Manny Ramirez whenever he feels like playing.

 

Rays don't look like a .500 team to me on paper this season.

[Little Slide Rooter]

This is part of the reason that we'll never be able to trade Soriano without eating the majority of his salary. By then, he'll only be good as a DH, and as long as there are guys like Vlad, Manny, and Thome willing to to take 1 year deals at 5-8 mil, who the hells going to want to give up any more money for Soriano?

[Tracer Bullet]

Vlad OPS'd under .800 outside Texas last year. Are the Os really better off now than they were 2 days ago? Seems possible that Pie in LF with Scott at DH and $8m is worth more than Vlad at this point.

[Clem Fandango]

There was speculation that the O's might try and move Pie and/or Nolan Reimold. They figured Pie would be the first to go since he's out of options with no place to play, while Reimold still has options left and they can start him in the minors

[UMFan83]

Remember back in 2007 when we were all hanging around Orioles Hangout looking for Brian Roberts information, and the theme of the Orioles offseason was how they were selling everyone off and going through this youth movement? Everyone there was celebrating tanking and building the right way and not dealing with declining former stars signing with the Orioles to lead them to 75 win seasons just to get extra fans in the park?

 

Does this not seem like what they are doing this offseason? After 3 horrible 95+ loss seasons in a row, the fans on that board seem to be more than ok with these signings of Lee and Guerrero.

[Splendid Splinter]

There was speculation that the O's might try and move Pie and/or Nolan Reimold. They figured Pie would be the first to go since he's out of options with no place to play, while Reimold still has options left and they can start him in the minors

 

 

Bring Pie back to the Cubs... LOL he's fine as the last bench spot. He would be better than Reed Johnson/Perez/any other OF options for that spot if they decided to go with a 5th OF with the last spot, but I think it'll go to Max Ramirez IMO.

[erik316wttn]

I missed JJ Hardy going to Baltimore-- when did that happen?

[CubColtPacer]

I missed JJ Hardy going to Baltimore-- when did that happen?

 

early December.

[UMFan83]

I missed JJ Hardy going to Baltimore-- when did that happen?

 

Were you recently suspended from Google too?

[erik316wttn]

I missed JJ Hardy going to Baltimore-- when did that happen?

 

Were you recently suspended from Google too?

 

Nope, but thank you for your helpful answer. :)

[Soul]

Well, they're trying to compete anyways.

 

Maybe they'll slide into 3rd place.