Baltimore Orioles Trade for Gerardo Parra – Reactions
Aug 20, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Brewers right fielder Gerardo Parra (28) during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Miller Park. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
As is being reported in sources everywhere, the Baltimore Orioles have completed a trade that brings outfielder Gerardo Parra to the O’s in exchange for AAA starter Zach Davies. You know what is next: pending physicals and all that sort of thing.
Early returns on comments by Baltimore fans would seem to indicate that this is a likely popular move deemed to be necessary. The natural gravitation of fans is that doing something is better than doing nothing – the latter of which the Orioles excel at beyond most franchises. This is the corollary to the conviction that the O’s ownership is cheap and unwilling to spend. There are arguments that cut both ways on that view – the salary budget is above average and not lagging the attendance … yet other more remote numbers can be ushered forward to say that the resources are deeper than the commitment and efforts that are made. I hate these arguments, and now turn to baseball analysis … though it is difficult to fully get away from the financial realities.
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First … the numbers …
Parra is a career .279 hitter. He has been better than that this year, and especially better than that of late. He was a free agent signing by the Diamondbacks as a 17-year old out of Venezuela. Parra played for Arizona from 2009 until being traded to the Brewers one year ago today. For the Diamondbacks he compiled a .274 average, but has hit for .312 for Milwaukee in the portions of the past two years. Most of that has been this year, as he batted .268 in 46 games for the Brewers to finish 2014.
Davies is only 5-6 this season for the Tides, but he has the excellent ERA of 2.84 in 101.1 innings. Only a 24th round pick in 2011 out of high school in Arizona, he broke through last year with a 10-7 record at Bowie, while posting a 3.35 ERA in 110 innings. Overall, his WHIP numbers are good, though not extraordinary. And at 6-0, 150 he is not a really big guy.
Thoughts …
- He is certainly better than anyone the Orioles have had this year at corner outfield positions. Alejandro De Aza did not work out. Travis Snider has not taken to it, and Chris Parmelee has lost all momentum after a good start. David Lough does not give enough confidence to send him out there daily. I continue to think that Nolan Reimold would come through if allowed to play daily, and the Orioles could still do that by sending Chris Davis back to first base.
- It is a sad reality that this had to happen. The current Orioles team should be good enough to compete for it all. Too many have not lived up to their historic numbers. Though even the very best teams make additions at this time for a deep run, I am not sure this will be enough for a squad that is a fearsome 51-50 at this moment. Parra will not make the entire difference. And neither will also adding Ben Revere, if that happens. Current Orioles players need to step up and out of too many extended funks if they are to win it all and not make this move a fool’s errand.
- Parra is a rental, unless the Orioles can re-sign him. Perhaps he comes here and loves the atmosphere and really wants to stay here and a deal is struck with him. That is not unbelievable, as we know the clubhouse is a healthy place compared to most. There is going to be a lot of turnover, and maybe the dollars will be there if it looks like a match. This year he is making $6,237,500. What will the market be for this guy in the offseason?
- Parra could bat leadoff and move Manny Machado to second in the lineup. In the past, the leadoff position has agreed with the new addition to the O’s. In 31 games this year he is hitting .384 with a .432 OBP out of the number one spot, and his power production numbers are excellent as well. For his career, Parra has hit well all over the lineup – being .288 at leadoff, with only the number six slot being better at .305. It would be accurate to say that he is a better leadoff hitter than anyone the Orioles have right now.
- He played in the National League; this is the American League.
- It will likely take years to know if this was a good deal or not. Having said that, if Parra “carries” the O’s to a championship, we can say it was a good deal this year. What are the chances of that? Not impossible, but honestly, it is a tough road … it is difficult to win it all. And it will be interesting to see what becomes of Davies in the years ahead.
Conclusion: I would not have done this, though as a fan I hope it works out. I will say that, having put together this article and looked at the splits in more detail, I feel better than I did when the text message hit my phone at mile 33 of a 50-mile bike ride … which I ended to do this! At least I can say I will always remember it happening.