The Baltimore Orioles and Free Agents: Beware What You Crave

Aug 17, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; Los Angeles Angels left fielder Josh Hamilton (32) during the game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

2012-2013 Offseason

Josh Hamilton – Los Angeles Angels – 5 years for $125 million

Though it was difficult to imagine the Orioles landing such a high-cost free agent as Hamilton, much focus and writing was upon the desire to hope against hope that it could really happen and fill a long-term hole in left field. An All-Star for five consecutive seasons, in 2012 he hit 43 home runs with 128 RBIs on a .285 average. In two seasons since then with the LAA, he has hit 31 home runs and batted .255.  Compare that with the 40 homers in one year the Orioles got for $8 million from Nelson Cruz.

Edwin Jackson – Chicago Cubs – 4 years for $52 million

As Roch Kubatko often jokes, the Orioles seem to be linked to Edwin Jackson every year in some way, but especially two years ago as the O’s were in desperate need of starting pitchers and innings eaters. In two years with the Cubs, he is 14-33 with a 5.58 ERA and WHIP of 1.541 … all of which, at similar dollars, helps the Ubaldo situation look less rare and maybe not so bad.

Koji Uehara – Texas – 1 year for $4 million in 2012, 1 year with Boston for $4.25 million in 2013

Full disclosure here is that I was unusually loud in calling for the Baltimore Orioles to get Uehara back after his trade to the Rangers. The return on that trade was great for the O’s, but it would have been fantastic to have him those two following seasons, and he would have liked it as well. The dollars would have been worth it, and he proved to be a critically big piece of the World Series Red Sox team of 2013.

Having said all of that, I do not think that his current deal for 2015 for $9 million makes any sense at all, even as I think he is the ultimate prototype of an effective reliever due to that fact that he walks practically nobody.

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