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

[Lester Freamon]

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

Duquette talked about this quite a bit at FanFest. DR will be a priority under him. no doubt. Not much has happend yet with DD, the O's, and the DR - and Duquette admitted this - but he also talked at length about his affinity for Dominican players. He also had a good track record of signing good Dominican talent as do some of the people he has added to the FO staff since he's been here.

[Can_of_corn]

Two year deal with a vesting option for '14.

I can't say that makes me happy.

[cb3fsu]

Name a better starting pitcher acquisition (not drafted player) after Guthrie. Then look at what Chen has done and the stuff he has. I gave the caveat of "potentially". No need to rip me on it.

I was referring more to the fact that an unproven pitcher from Taiwan could be the best starting pitching acquisition the Orioles have made in the last 5 or 6 years. That is INSANE.

[weams]

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.

Actually, it appears that 2.5 per is his value. I guess we will know later. I assume that we gave him the extra year in lieu of over paying him.

[Os84]

No, the vesting option is bad. Team option would have been much better.

VandenHurk out.

What matters here is how many ABs he needs for that option to vest, and whether it is realistic to expect him to get those ABs.

[Bazooka Jones]

What matters here is how many ABs he needs for that option to vest, and whether it is realistic to expect him to get those ABs.

Per Britt:

Betemit's option can vest depending on plate appearances his first two seasons. So he can play his way into a third yr w/ the club.

[clapdiddy]

No, the vesting option is bad. Team option would have been much better.

VandenHurk out.

I posted this in the "40 Man" thread, but I can't believe we kept Rapada over Vandenhurk. Stupid.

[LookitsPuck]

I think the organization has gotten better, where-as the ML roster has gotten marginally better with a lot of depth.

No big trades, unfortunately. Personally, I would have liked to see Jones and Guthrie flipped. I certainly like the additions that were made, but there's nothing exciting, although I certainly want to see how all of this pitching depth motivates our youngsters to do something.

[Capn Vivi]

I doubt he signed for more than $1.5m/year, maybe with some incentives rolled into it. I don't see any way he won't at least contribute, it just seems unnecessary to me. Why not give a spot like that to Ryan Adams and see what he can do with it?

[Sports Guy]

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.

Except I am thinking more long term.

When I am talking about improvement, I am talking about long term improvement.

2012 is over, in terms of a season where contention is likely. We are done with that.

All eyes should be on 2013 and beyond.

[Capn Vivi]

Except I am thinking more long term.

When I am talking about improvement, I am talking about long term improvement.

2012 is over, in terms of a season where contention is likely. We are done with that.

All eyes should be on 2013 and beyond.

That's why they snagged Betemit on a multi-year deal

It all makes sense now!

[33rdst]

I think what the Orioles haven't done says as much about how they tried to improve the team as what they have done.

The first and most important decision, in terms of the teams direction for the off season, was the decision to try to produce a winning record this year. Whether you agree with this or not, that's the decision they made and it has guided their moves throughout the off season.

Consistent with their goal of a .500 record this year, their second decision was to maintain the core of the team, Jones, Wieters, Hardy, Matusz, Britton, Arrieta, Johnson and acquire pieces to build around them.

The third decision was to keep their emerging assets, Reimold, Andino, Hunter, and their top minor league prospects.

Their fourth decision was to focus on improving pitching depth as the priority and sign complimentary offensive players later.

The pitching the O's got coincides with their interest in pursuing international talent and acquiring domestic talent in a manner that doesn't jeopardize their core and protects their emerging players.

With regard to the offensive improvements they have been committed to finding players that can get on base and provide roster flexibility.

Now, have they improved the team? Maybe. It all depends on the continued development of the core and the young pitchers. It also depends on the gamble they've made on international talent. IMO they settled on a goal and a direction for the club this off season and have made moves consistent with those goals, while operating under the constraints of a limited payroll and less then desirable stature among ML free agents.

[Sports Guy]

Duquette confirmed Betemit will be primarily used as team's DH. "His best position is batting

From Britt

[Frobby]

Betemit may turn out to be a better DH than Vlad was, but he's definitely not as exciting an acquisition. Two years with a vesting option? He'd better be so cheap that we could jettison him without thinking twice.

[weams]

Betemit may turn out to be a better DH than Vlad was, but he's definitely not as exciting an acquisition. Two years with a vesting option? He'd better be so cheap that we could jettison him without thinking twice.

How cheap would that be? Something less than 2.5 million a year?