Orioles have agreed to terms, pending physical, with INF Wilson Betemit

[Sports Guy]

Is it a poor contract regardless of price?

Anything more than 2/4 is a poor deal IMO.

Well, poor isn't the right word but its not a contract I feel would really be worth giving him. That's probably the better way to put it.

[Sports Guy]

To me, this reads as a gross overreaction. I just don't think Wada warrants being called "garbage", especially since we haven't seen him throw one pitch yet and he's not that expensive anyway. Betemit is a useful player if he utilized correctly, and if he's only costing a couple million/year, that's certainly better than signing Wigginton for $6. I'm not seeing much to get up in arms about yet. There's no Kevin Gregg signing. There's no Johnny Damon or Vlad-type signing.

What have the Orioles done, in terms of ML on the field signings or trades, this offseason that really improve this team short or long term?

[NCRaven]

Betimit reeks of the Fa signings this team has made over the course of the last 15 years. Chris Singleton. Jay Payton. Marty Cordova. Ty Wigginton. Two year deals for players who could easily be outperformed by the next Jai Miller or Matt Antonelli-type signing or trade.

Until now, DD has avoided singing these middling offensive FA's. So maybe this move is Buck's decision.

You've lost me. Betemit was signed to be a role player, not be a key part of the team. And, Duquette is the guy who also brought in Jai Miller and Matt Antonelli, so he's bring in both youth with high ceilings (but questions) and veterans that can fill a role, as well. Nor has he wasted a lot of money on old, middle relievers, as was done in the past. If Betemit rotates through the DH slot, sharing time with Davis, Reynolds any other players given a semi-day off, I'm fine with that. I don't expect him to be the everyday anything, so filling that role with a vet is no problem.

[SilentJames]

What have the Orioles done, in terms of ML on the field signings, this offseason that really improve this team?

Chen, Wada and I would say Chavez.

I think that Chen is going to be a very good signing at the end of the day.

I think Betemit could be a very useful and if the dollars are right could easily be packaged off in another deal later this year-next year. The Orioles need a high OBP bat in their lineup, if Betemit is a everyday DH type guy and while he has never batted "leadoff" he has a .340 OBP in his career when "leading off an inning" It could work if used correctly.

I don't like two years either, but I think Betemit could work for us after its all said and done.

And Edwin Jackson is still hovering out there.

[GoldGlove21]

I am only judging this offseason by:

a) how DD builds the FO
b) whether DD trades or extends Jones

These one to two year deals don't phase me either way, because they will have zero impact on our path to contention (which doesn't really exist over the next few years).

I agree with both points. Duquette is trying to put together a .500 or better squad to change the opinion of the average fan and industry as a whole. I hear people say that the Orioles will not win until they start spending more money, but what teams have given out a contract that was for $100M+ and how many of those contracts were good deals? I am counting a total of 16 teams that have given out $100M+ contracts and of those 29 instances only 6-8 of those instances turned out to be good decisions. My opinion is that long term deals are risky and they get even riskier as the price increases.

If you look at the teams listed below you will see the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, Mets Dodgers and now Angels. All of those teams are considered large market clubs. With that said, teams like the Twins, Rockies, Astros, Blue Jays, Nationals, Cardinals and Reds are not considered large market clubs and if they were in that class than Baltimore would be there too IMO. It is obvious that we could afford a guy like Fielder (without looking at the payroll of each team listed below at the time they signed/extended the listed player), but it is also obvious that the odds of us regretting the deal are much higher than us being excited about a 7/$140M+ contract by the time it is finished.

Rangers- Alex Rodriguez 10/$275M
Angels- Albert Pujols 10/$254M
Yankees- Alex Rodriguez 10/$252M
Yankees- Derek Jeter 10/$189M
Twins- Joe Mauer 10/$184M
Yankees-Mark Teixeira 8/$180M
Yankees- CC Sabathia 8/$161M
Red Sox- Manny Ramirez 8/$160M
Rockies- Troy Tulowitzski 10/$157.75M
Red Sox- Adrian Gonzalez 8/$154M
Tigers- Miguel Cabrera 8/$152.3M
Rockies- Todd Helton 10/$151.5M
Red Sox- Carl Crawford 7/$142M
Mets- Johan Santana 6/$137.5M
Cubs- Alfonso Soriano 8/$136M
Blue Jays- Vernon Wells 7/$126M
Giants- Barry Vito 7/$126M
Nationals- Jayson Werth 7/$126M
Phillies- Ryan Howard 5/$125M
Rockies- Mike Hampton 7/$121M
Phillies- Cliff Lee 5/$120M
Yankees- Jason Giambi 7/$120M
Cardinals- Matt Holiday 7/$120M
Mets- Carlos Beltran 7/$119M
Reds- Ken Griffey Jr. 9/$116.5M
Dodgers- Kevin Brown 7/$105M
Astros- Carlos Lee 6/$100M
Cardinals- Albert Pujols 7/$100M

[Sports Guy]

Chen, Wada and I would say Chavez.

I think that Chen is going to be a very good signing at the end of the day.

I think Betemit could be a very useful and if the dollars are right could easily be packaged off in another deal later this year-next year. The Orioles need a high OBP bat in their lineup, if Betemit is a everyday DH type guy and while he has never batted "leadoff" he has a .340 OBP in his career when "leading off an inning" It could work if used correctly.

I don't like two years either, but I think Betemit could work for us after its all said and done.

And Edwin Jackson is still hovering out there.

Chen...MAYBE.

The rest? Nothing.

Wada will be a 2 WAR pitcher at best and that is probably stretching it. Chavez is a role player and will likely have no to very little impact on the win column for the Orioles.

[dan-O]

What have the Orioles done, in terms of ML on the field signings, this offseason that really improve this team?

I think Chen is probably (potentially) the best starting pitching acquisition the Orioles have made since filing that waiver claim on Guthrie. Wada could be useful, if not as a starter then in the bullpen, where if he's effective, he's still not that expensive. Antonelli is a nice pickup, as is Miller.

I'm not just drinking kool aid here, I mean I agree Duq has done more internally and with scouting/development than with the product on the field. I get that. I just think "garbage" isn't accurate, and the offseason isn't over yet.

The starting rotation is looking deeper. None of these guys cost picks. All of them have solid OBP somewhere. The Japanese guys represent more activity internationally.

[NCRaven]

What have the Orioles done, in terms of ML on the field signings or trades, this offseason that really improve this team short or long term?

I think it remains to be seen. If Antonelli can begin to reach the potential that most in baseball thought he had, and claims the starting 2nd base slot (as an example), that would be a real improvement. Chen could certainly prove to be a real improvement. I also like the apparent commitments to Reimold in LF and Davis at 1B. Both could flop, but at least then we'll know for sure how to go forward at those two positions. The bullpen looks like a strength and both the rotation and pen are deeper than they've been in the past, though the young starters certainly remain question marks until they prove otherwise.

[Sports Guy]

I think Chen is probably (potentially) the best starting pitching acquisition the Orioles have made since filing that waiver claim on Guthrie. Wada could be useful, if not as a starter then in the bullpen, where if he's effective, he's still not that expensive. Antonelli is a nice pickup, as is Miller.

I'm not just drinking kool aid here, I mean I agree Duq has done more internally and with scouting/development than with the product on the field. I get that. I just think "garbage" isn't accurate, and the offseason isn't over yet.

The starting rotation is looking deeper. None of these guys cost picks. All of them have solid OBP somewhere. The Japanese guys represent more activity internationally.

Antonelli I will give you...but they probably like Andino more and I don't think Antonelli gets the at bats we want to see unless an injury occurs.

What you just said there was a whole lot of nothing.

They have added role players..that's it. Maybe Chen and Antonelli turn out to be something but other than those 2, these guys do very little to help us win more games.

They have kept the same team and added a few role players.

There is still no ML direction. There is still no hope of contention anytime soon because they haven't take any of the neccassary steps to make this team better for the long term.

[Frobby]

Antonelli I will give you...but they probably like Andino more and I don't think Antonelli gets the at bats we want to see unless an injury occurs.

What you just said there was a whole lot of nothing.

They have added role players..that's it. Maybe Chen and Antonelli turn out to be something but other than those 2, these guys do very little to help us win more games.

They have kept the same team and added a few role players.

There is still no ML direction. There is still no hope of contention anytime soon because they haven't take any of the neccassary steps to make this team better for the long term.

I'm kind of waiting to see what else is going to happen. I'd certainly agree that, with the possible exceptions of Chen and Wada, everything else the O's have done this offseason with regard to players is in the category of nibbling at the margins. But, a lot of depth has been built, and perhaps the stage has been set for some trades.

[dan-O]

Antonelli I will give you...but they probably like Andino more and I don't think Antonelli gets the at bats we want to see unless an injury occurs.

What you just said there was a whole lot of nothing.

They have added role players..that's it. Maybe Chen and Antonelli turn out to be something but other than those 2, these guys do very little to help us win more games.

They have kept the same team and added a few role players.

There is still no ML direction. There is still no hope of contention anytime soon because they haven't take any of the neccassary steps to make this team better for the long term.

I would argue the steps Duquette has taken have done more to make the Orioles better for the long term than what MacPhail was doing. Now I know you're talking about the current ML squad, and that trading Jones would help improve the team for the long-term, in your opinion, which I understand. But if you had the option of having Duquette fix and improve the core structure of the organization over improving the current baseball team, I think the priority is clear.

[Sports Guy]

I'm kind of waiting to see what else is going to happen. I'd certainly agree that, with the possible exceptions of Chen and Wada, everything else the O's have done this offseason with regard to players is in the category of nibbling at the margins. But, a lot of depth has been built, and perhaps the stage has been set for some trades.

I guess it depends on how you define depth.

What the Orioles have done, thus far, is add a lot of bodies.

[Sports Guy]

I would argue the steps Duquette has taken have done more to make the Orioles better for the long term than what MacPhail was doing. Now I know you're talking about the current ML squad, and that trading Jones would help improve the team for the long-term, in your opinion, which I understand. But if you had the option of having Duquette fix and improve the core structure of the organization over improving the current baseball team, I think the priority is clear.

What he has done off the field has been great.

But there shouldn't be a "priority". he should be doing both.

Now, I am not putting this all on Duquette because of how horrible Buck and PA are but, AS AN ORGANIZATION, what they have done with the ML team thus far this offseason, is awful.

[cb3fsu]

I think Chen is probably (potentially) the best starting pitching acquisition the Orioles have made since filing that waiver claim on Guthrie. Wada could be useful, if not as a starter then in the bullpen, where if he's effective, he's still not that expensive. Antonelli is a nice pickup, as is Miller.

I'm not just drinking kool aid here, I mean I agree Duq has done more internally and with scouting/development than with the product on the field. I get that. I just think "garbage" isn't accurate, and the offseason isn't over yet.

The starting rotation is looking deeper. None of these guys cost picks. All of them have solid OBP somewhere. The Japanese guys represent more activity internationally.

Chen? Really?

Think about what you just said and then try not get get upset.

The fact that your statement is even arguably true should be infuriating to every Orioles fan.

I'm not going to throw a victory party because we decided to start scouting asia...especially considering that area of the world has produced few actual impact players, and the one in question signed cheap.

Still not spending in the DR, WHERE AL THE TALENT IS.

Wilson Betemit. ugh

[dan-O]

What he has done off the field has been great.

But there shouldn't be a "priority". he should be doing both.

Now, I am not putting this all on Duquette because of how horrible Buck and PA are but, AS AN ORGANIZATION, what they have done with the ML team thus far this offseason, is awful.

That's fair enough, I agree. I'm not as ready to call Buck awful as you are, but I know your stance there.

I guess I'm not exactly sure what you'd have them do to the current team - trade Jones and Guthrie? That's fine but then your ML team could take a step back this year, which goes against what you're saying about improving the team right now. You've been adamantly against Edwin Jackson. You're open to Fielder, but only at the right price. You've mentioned trading for Bourjos, which would be great, but I don't think the Angels want to do that, and probably not for Guthrie anyway. And you like Burnett.

So.. let's say for the ML team we get Jurrjens, Burnett, Prado, and something for Guthrie that isn't Bourjos. Subtract Jones, Guthrie, and whoever plays 2B. Is that an improvement? I would say you're treading water there at best in regards to the current ML team.