Baltimore Orioles: Yasiel Puig for the Outfield?
August 16, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig (66) misses catching a hit in the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The Baltimore Orioles have been named as one of five potential trade partners for the Dodgers, should Los Angeles hope to move Yasiel Puig.
The article appeared this past week on ESPN’s site, written by David Schoenfield. It speaks of a growing weariness of the entire organization with the “mercurial” Puig, leading to an expanding expectation that the Dodgers may wish to move out this problem personality, even in spite of his significant baseball talent.
And all of this was written in advance of a Wednesday evening physical altercation incident with his sister (and a bouncer) in the Blue Martini Bar in Miami. Nothing good comes of professional athletes and bars. Puig came out of it with a swollen eye and bumps and bruises, while the bouncer received a busted lip and facial injuries.
Enough of that discussion … back to baseball … why would the Orioles consider such a character? There is no doubt that corner outfield help is needed. As has been pointed out in varied articles in recent days, Adam Jones is the only regular starter on the 40-man roster.
As well in recent days, the news filtering out about Chris Davis is that the Orioles are willing to go pretty far in terms of millions of dollars and years, though it is assumed that someone, somewhere will likely offer him more. What is Baltimore worth to him? To Scott Boras? (The answer to the latter: ZERO).
Without Davis returning, those dollars could be allocated to a starting pitcher, a first baseman like Justin Morneau, along with an addition or two of a salary like Puig’s. The writer says …
"Of course, the Dodgers aren’t going to give away Puig just to get rid of him, considering his ability and contract (he makes $7.2 million, $8.2 million and $9.2 million the next three seasons and then has an arbitration season in 2019)."
That would be a sweet amount of team control for a player of his caliber of production. But why would this make sense for the Dodgers? The writer says …
"What the Dodgers could do, however, is trade Puig and then sign a free-agent outfielder such as Alex Gordon or Jason Heyward."
He then goes on to list five possible teams in this order: Cleveland, the White Sox, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Baltimore.
A couple of immediate objections and doubts come quickly to mind to Orioles fans. The Birds have an unusually good and healthy clubhouse. Why would they be willing to add to it a high-risk personality like Puig? Beyond the obvious talent, this clubhouse and this manager have a way of policing craziness and confronting wayward behavior. Puig might thrive under a new system and have a new beginning (just don’t get any ideas of attempting this with Papelbon).
The bigger objection would be to question what the Orioles would have in the way of trade pieces that they would be interested in parting with, and that the Dodgers would be interested in having. The sad truth is that there is likely not very much.
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The author makes a couple of suggestions …
"The Orioles have never seemed to completely believe in Kevin Gausman, so maybe there’s something there, although that would be a big sell-low by the Dodgers. Zach Britton still has three years until free agency, but again, it will take more than even a dominant closer like Britton to get Puig."
I think it is an inaccurate statement to say that the Orioles are weak in belief in Gausman. It has simply been his misfortune to have options at a time when other starters in the rotation did not. Given the pitching rotation challenges, it would be difficult to imagine that the Birds would part with the pitcher believed to be the future ace of the starting staff.
Zach Britton would be more believable, along with something else of value in the minor leagues. But again, filling one hole would create another (perhaps larger) hole in another place on roster.
Next: Orioles - collecting middle infielders
From a pure baseball perspective, Puig would be a great addition in an area of significant need. His .294 average over three years is exceptional for a player that will turn age 25 next week. He hits for moderate power and provides excellent OBP. But, his combined WAR of 10.2 in his first two seasons after defecting dropped to just 1.1 in an injury-riddled 2015.
Put all of this together and it seems like a pretty long shot.