Baltimore Orioles: Denard Span to Giants – Good or Bad News?
Does the San Francisco Giants’ signing of Denard Span benefit the efforts of the Baltimore Orioles to round out their roster, or does it signal bad news?
This can be argued two ways, and it has been exactly done so by writers for the same sports outlet.
ESPN columnists Buster Olney and Eddie Matz have looked at this from two opposite directions: Olney seeing it as good for the O’s, whereas Matz calls it bad news. (Matz is the writer who most frequently covers Orioles news, and his column can be seen here; Olney’s comments require an insider subscription.)
The Span agreement with the Giants is for three years at $31 million. Given his recent health history, the Orioles would have probably only been interested in him for a year, and that with a performance or incentive-based contract.
Matz gives two reasons why this is bad news:
Number One — As he puts it, there is “one fewer fish in the sea.” And by that he is referencing the issue of available free agent outfielders who could play right field. Matz also points out that Span is a lefty leadoff hitter, which would be an asset as well. These are good points, if Span really is healthy for a change.
However, I think it could be argued that not only is there one fewer fish in the sea, there is one fewer fisherman on the boat with sufficient bait. This makes for one fewer place as well for a Justin Upton or Yoenis Cespedes to go … or Chris Davis for that matter.
Number Two — If super-agent Scott Boras can get a 3-for-31 million deal for a 32-year-old with an injury history, what will he therefore be able to do with the track record of Chris Davis? And without doubt, Boras has done the impossible in the past. But even so, the possible place for a deal beyond the $150 previously tendered is just about unimaginable, no matter how much he is selling Crush as a viable outfielder as well. But then again, after the power ball lottery craze of this weekend, that salary offer doesn’t look so big!
On the other hand, Buster Olney uses the word “beneficiary” to describe the Baltimore Orioles situation after the Span signing (and the Alex Gordon contract as well). His view is similar to what I said above, though he speaks in terms of how it gives the Orioles “leverage” with the remaining free agents.
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While admitting that I hope Olney is correct, I actually do genuinely think that he is. Somehow, the Orioles may well come out of this better than we might expect at the moment. I believe they are going to get one of these three big bats: Davis, Cespedes or Upton. And the value of that eventuality will only be known several years from now, as in hindsight we are able to see what bang was gotten for the buck.
Along with my projection here that the Orioles are going to get a significant bat, my suspicion is that the cost of such will lead the O’s to not spending much on a top rotation piece. Instead, it will be a Red Cross list of players bouncing back, along with the bounce-backers already on the roster (which is most of the staff starters). The idea will be to try out a wide range of possibilities, go with the best, hope for the best, and expect the bullpen to save the day — every day. It’s a tough way to play the game.