Baltimore Orioles intend on adding more outfield and pitching depth
By Ben Palmer
After trading pitcher Yovani Gallardo for outfielder Seth Smith, Baltimore Orioles GM Dan Duquette has stated that the team intends on adding more outfield and pitching depth before the start of the season.
It’s been a relatively quiet offseason for the Baltimore Orioles, and that’s drawn the ire of many Baltimore fans. So far, the only noteworthy moves the team has made has been signing catcher Welington Castillo, trading pitcher Yovani Gallardo to the Seattle Mariners for outfielder Seth Smith, and a handful of minor league signings (including former top-prospect Jesus Montero).
Baltimore Orioles fans everywhere have been clamoring for the team to make some kind of meaningful move, whether it be through a trade or a free agent signing. General manager Dan Duquette has said that the offseason moves for the Baltimore Orioles aren’t quite over yet.
In speaking with the media in the aftermath of the Gallardo/Smith trade, Duquette had this to say:
"The important thing that I want to emphasize today is that we added a good veteran hitter to our lineup to help us in a couple of areas: to help us in the field, to help us in getting on base and setting up the rest of the order, working the pitchers, and also driving in runs … We’re gonna continue to build the club. We’re looking to add depth. We may sign another outfielder and we may also look at some pitching depth."
That last sentence is what should interest Orioles fans. Don’t think for a second that Duquette looked at Seth Smith and said “well there’s our Mark Trumbo replacement, we’re all done here.” Not at all. Duquette is keenly aware that the team has some major needs, he just has a budget to work within.
While the Orioles are still in the mix for Trumbo as far as we’re aware, they’re still also looking at bringing back former-Oriole Pedro Alvarez. Re-signing Alvarez, as we’ve written, could fit well with the team, especially if they are unable to sign Trumbo.
More from Baltimore Orioles
- What other Baltimore Orioles Offseason Storylines will you be interested in seeing?
- Baltimore Orioles to Face Numerous Playoff Contenders Down the Stretch
- Baltimore Orioles Showing Encouraging Signs During Recent Wins
- The Baltimore Orioles and the Expanded September Roster
- Orioles Josh Rogers Expectations in his Major League Debut
The team still needs a lead-off hitter and speed. Smith is neither of those. He’s a career .261 hitter with a career .344 OBP and only 20 career steals. Smith is a top-of-the-lineup guy, but not leadoff. If the season started today, he’d likely bat second behind Adam Jones, though that wouldn’t necessarily be ideal.
Even more than a speedy lead-off hitter, the Orioles are in need of a power replacement for Mark Trumbo. Granted, that could be answered in re-signing Trumbo himself, but last word was that he’s asking for far more money than the Orioles are willing to give (and more than I’d say he’s worth).
There are still some decent outfielders out on the market, including Michael Saunders, Brandon Moss, Colby Rasmus, Angel Pagan, and Jose Bautista (though the latter is likely never coming to Baltimore because, as Duquette himself said, the fans hate him).
As far as pitching is concerned, there are still a handful of pitchers out there on the market that are worth looking at. We recently discussed five inexpensive bounceback candidates that the Orioles should target, including Tyson Ross and Doug Fister.
Next: How to easily vote John Wall for All-Star Game
Ultimately, we’ll see what plans Duquette has in store. Given his history of waiting out the market, it could be a while before we really have a good idea of what the Orioles starting rotation and lineup will look like in April, but don’t give up hope just yet. The Orioles still have more moves to make.