Baltimore Orioles: Acquiring pitching or hitting?
By Nate Wardle
Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Anyone and everyone who is a Baltimore Orioles fan knows the saying ‘Buy the bats, grow the arms.’ Stated by Andy MacPhail, it was an organizational mantra as to how the team was going to rebuild.
The ‘cavalry,’ as former manager Dave Trembley named the highly touted group of pitchers only a few short years ago, has washed out. In looking up who made that statement, you can see titles like “The Orioles pitching cavalry has been in full retreat,” a title by Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun. Or maybe you like “Sure is taking a while for cavalry to arrive,” written by CBS Sports’ Danny Knobler. And then from the blog Roarfrom34, “Orioles’ cavalry has taken a detour to the bullpen.’
Not exactly ringing endorsements. To say the group has mostly been a bust would be an understatement. At least there is Chris Tillman.
But, the pitchers that have been added have not necessarily been bought. Miguel Gonzalez and Wei-Yin Chen were both signed relatively inexpensively. No C.C. Sabathia contracts here. Bud Norris was traded for, as was Tommy Hunter, along with a guy you may have heard of named Chris Davis.
So let’s apply that to right now. The Orioles are still looking for an established hitter, but more importantly need pitching. Earlier today, Randy wrote here on The Baltimore Wire about signing Kendrys Morales. But the issue is, what arms are ready? Kevin Gausman, maybe. Dylan Bundy, no. Mike Wright, no. Eduardo Rodriguez, no. So unless those grown arms are Zach Britton and T.J. McFarland, the O’s need to sign a starting pitcher.
My top choice is A.J. Burnett. He is a strike-out guy, has been on winning teams and wants to play close to home, if at all. Bronson Arroyo leaves up a few too many homers for my liking (I almost always have him in fantasy baseball, so I should know!). Either way, go against the grain and go buy a starter Dan Duquette!