Baltimore Orioles: Evaluating Recent Rumors
The Baltimore Orioles have been mentioned over this past weekend in a variety of rumors regarding outfield and first base possibilities.
None of these rumors, where any to eventuate, are of the sort that O’s fans likely want to hear. We’re not talking about something like the re-signing of Chris Davis or an acquisition along the lines of Alex Gordon.
The name that is most recognizable is that of outfielder Jay Bruce of the Reds. One has to wonder what the Orioles may actually have in terms of talent that another organization would desire in a trade. Perhaps the Reds are interested in some measure of a salary dump, though Baltimore is not what you would consider as a great partner in accomplishing such a maneuver.
Bruce would not be cheap, even though he would be under team control for two years. The cost would be $12.5 million in 2016 and $13 million in 2017 (with a $1 million buyout).
Another issue, as with so many players, relates to who is the true Jay Bruce, and how much does more recent poorer performances take away from previous better numbers? A similar question surrounds such as Gerardo Parra as well.
The former first-round selection in 2005 (12th overall) will turn age 29 in the first week of the coming season. So he is far from too old.
But Bruce has only hit .217 and .226 over the past two seasons. Prior to that his career average was .257 while averaging 27 home runs per season. The left-handed batter hit 26 this past year, but only 18 in 2014. Would the right-field porch at Camden Yards collect a lot of his fly balls? That’s a big piece of the question.
It really is a lot of money for a lot of uncertainty, even while acknowledging the upside potential. But honestly, this does not look to be a lot better than, say, Steve Pearce, who could be secured for a lot less money.
Actually, for many Orioles fans, Hoes might be a more memorable name than Jay Bruce. The former O’s third-round pick in 2008 has been with the Astros (dating back to the Bud Norris trade), but has now been designated for assignment.
Hoes is one of those guys who has been on the cusp of breaking through, yet has never quite done it well enough to become a regular guy and get off the AAA shuttle. Hoes has now, at age 25, compiled a total of 337 MLB career plate appearances with an average of .237. However, his total AAA stat line has an average of .299 and OBP of .388. But a problem is that Hoes is not much of a power hitter for a corner outfielder.
But the price would be right, and we know that often is the deciding factor in giving a player like this another shot. Hoes would be coming home to some familiar surroundings on a team in need of outfield assistance.
This is more than a rumor, as the Orioles have been reported to have come to a minor league deal with a 24-year-old Korean first baseman / outfielder name Ji-Man Choi. After five years in the Mariners’ farm network, he is invited to spring training with a salary of $650K if he makes the team.
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Aug 2, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Astros left fielder L.J. Hoes (0) catches a foul ball hit by Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Munenori Kawasaki (not pictured) during the ninth inning at Minute Maid Park. The Astros defeated the Blue Jays 8-2. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Compared to Hoes, Choi has some similar numbers at the AAA level — just a bit lower at .280 for average and .379 OBP, yet he hits with a bit more power. And we should remember that these numbers are from the Pacific Coast League. Another element to this Choi story is that his production has dropped over the past two years due to some injuries, along with a 50-game PED suspension.
This all has the familiar appearance of throwing a lot of mud against the wall to see what sticks. In 2014, much of it did; but in 2015 most of the mud fell off (too many names to list!). The Orioles have to do some of this to fill all the holes they have, but clearly they need to sign a couple of quality free agents to truly compete in the short term.
Next: A good-looking sidearm reliever in the O's system
This could be another tedious offseason for Orioles fans. The free agent market is going to be slow to develop, and there are a lot of decent players looking for a home. Again it would appear logical that some very good deals are going to be available at the end of it all. But can the collective psyche of the O’s fanbase endure the wait and apparent loss of quality activity?