(Update) Orioles reach agreement w/ Taiwanese LHP Wei-Yin Chen

[ChaosLex]

I guess that's it for the Jones/Prado/JJ trade.

Guthrie

Britton

Chen

Arrieta

Wada

Hunter

Simon

Eveland

Matusz

Tillman

Trade Guthrie for a 3B

We could still be asking for Prado and others though. Also, we could flip JJ to a team like the Tigers.

Wonder if this means an end to the Floyd speculation though?

[El Gordo]

Or Atlanta realizes that we have the starting pitching and don't really need JJ and ups their offer....:scratchchinhmm:

A dream but a nice dream. Now we don't need JJ. Prado and Delgado/Minor and Spruill would be good.

[OsLuvrInKy]

Could mean that some are going to be back in Norfolk.

And that would not be a bad thing. I could handle Matusz and Tillman in AAA as some depth.

[Lucky Jim]

I sincerely hope people don't start thinking of Chen as a potential SO pitcher. I can't discern much from the numbers available (i.e., whether he's a groundball/flyball guy, etc.), but he definitely doesn't strike out many batters.

He certainly didn't in 2011. (Just over 5/9IP.) That said, he was around 8 or so before. Not sure how much was due to (i) injury; or (ii) a fearlessness about contact w/ the new ball.

[ChaosLex]

Who else saw "Orioles close to signing..." on the frontpage and was like, "Fielder!?"

[TakebackOPACY]

So... guesses on the contract?

I'll say 3 yrs $16m-$16.5m with a club option 4th year at something like $7.5m or $750k buyout.

Something like $4.5/$5.5/$6.5/ option $7.5.

I guess the ideal that the 3rd and 4th years were club option years with escalating salaries. That'd cost a little more if he's successful but let you off the hook if he's a bust and/or homesick.

[Dipper9]

The other thing all these starting pitching moves tells me is this....

...Double D isn't NEARLY as impressed with our young cavalry as MacPhail was, and he seems dead set on making anyone and everyone EARN their way onto the team.

I love it.

[crissfan172]

People aren't going to like it , but I brought up the possibility recently. Arrieta and/or Britton could both wind up starting the season in the bullpen. I think I'm the only one who doesn't have a big problem with that. You could see a rotation of.

Guthrie

Chen

Hunter

Wada

Eveland

It's not that farfetched if you look at the moves DD has made. People will say that that is a stupid idea but if the starters are decent, it could give you a heckuva bullpen to win the majority of the close ones.

Considering Britton should be a better starter than most, if not all of them, I would have a big problem with that.

[OsLuvrInKy]

A dream but a nice dream. Now we don't need JJ. Prado and Delgado/Minor and Spruill would be good.

I would still take JJ though in a deal. Flip him at the deadline for more if one of the young arms shows they have taken the next step.

JJ

Guthrie

Britton

Chen

Arrieta

I'd take that as my opening day rotation with the ST losers going to the pen or AAA.

[Lester Freamon]

Great news. I still don't think DD is done.

I don't think he's done either, although - in regards to the starting pitching candidates, this may depend more on the contract they gave out to Chen. I don't think this necessarily takes the Jones trade off the table either, but it may mean we aren't looking to acquire JJ.

As of right now, without anymore trades, this is how I see the rotation breaking camp.

Guthrie

Britton

Arrieta (however, I'm not certain - despite what he says - that he'll be healthy enough to start the year)

Wada

Chen (not 100% sure about his injury history either, is he healthier than Arrieta at this point?)

What I like about this is that I DON'T want, or think you can, exclude Hunter or Matusz. So we are getting closer to what you call depth.

[OsLuvrInKy]

The other thing all these starting pitching moves tells me is this....

...Double D isn't NEARLY as impressed with our young cavalry as MacPhail was, and he seems dead set on making anyone and everyone EARN their way onto the team.

I love it.

Amen to this. It is refreshing to see for a change.

[glenn__davis]

People aren't going to like it , but I brought up the possibility recently. Arrieta and/or Britton could both wind up starting the season in the bullpen. I think I'm the only one who doesn't have a big problem with that. You could see a rotation of.

Guthrie

Chen

Hunter

Wada

Eveland

It's not that farfetched if you look at the moves DD has made. People will say that that is a stupid idea but if the starters are decent, it could give you a heckuva bullpen to win the majority of the close ones.

Not sure why Britton would go to bullpen. He was pretty successful as a starter last year. Makes no sense to have him anywhere other than the rotation.

Having said that, I would like to see the O's return to the habit of letting guys get their feet wet as long men out of the bullpen.

[.500_OR_BETTER]

And that would not be a bad thing. I could handle Matusz and Tillman in AAA as some depth.

Exactly. I could see that.

Matusz for example may be the #5 if he shows improvement in ST and might not be needed the first few weeks, so he can get a few starts down in AAA.

Tillman can work on movement and changing velocity. If he improves he should have some trade value given that he is only 24 or 25 years old with some decent MLB exp.

Arrieta and/or Pitcher X could also be used as a LR. If we sign/trade for more pitching (JJ, Jackson, etc.)

The more depth the better.

[El Gordo]

True. But I'd be careful to ever say the Orioles "don't need" any form of quality starting pitcher. Ever.

Ever ever.

I feel comfortable in not needing JJ. We certainly could use more SP. But JJ will probably cost more than Chen and is only controlled for two years and has serious injury questions. I would love to see Delgado, Matusz, and Tillman waiting in the wings at Norfolk.

[ccbird]

Saw his fastball was sitting between 147- 150 kms. Anybody know off hand what that translates to in MPH.