Add Luis Ayala to the stable

[FR500]

The 2012 Orioles: 10 pounds of crap in a 5 pound bag.

Agree. Most disappointing off season. Besides the untested MLB (Chen & Wada), would any of the other teams take any of our acquisitions if we paid them?

[Capn Vivi]

ODay will be on the team since he makes over a million dollars. The O's have been looking for relievers all winter. Remember they almost traded Reynolds for Morrow . Also wanted Cordero. I think Koji will not be in Baltimore. They are still looking for a bat so who knows what happens by next Friday.

I remember we discussed Reynolds to the Mariners earlier this offseason, but that was for Jason Vargas and/or Brandon League. Though of course the Mariners acquired League from Toronto for Morrow...

[wildcard]

I'll be stunned if Wada goes to AAA. He would have to look totally abysmal in spring training. You don't sign relatively high profile Japanese free agents, coming off a 1.55 ERA as a starter in the NPB, and dump them in Norfolk.

I look at the Japanese league as AAA. If Wada out pitches the other guys with options then he makes the team. If he doesn't then he probably not ready for the majors and could use some time at AAA. Just because any of the O's players start at AAA doesn't mean they will stay there. There are injuries and there is non performance.

[Fan4Life]

I look at the Japanese league as AAA. If Wada out pitches the other guys with options then he makes the team. If he doesn't then he probably not ready for the majors and could use some time at AAA. Just because any of the O's players start at AAA doesn't mean they will stay there. There are injuries and there is non performance.

Duke:

"Some clubs would be concerned about his velocity," said Duquette, who has never seen Wada pitch live but said he received favorable reports from scouts, "but when I saw that he could throw his breaking pitches and his changeup over when he is behind in the count, to both left- and right-handed batters, I felt like he had everything to contribute as a starting pitcher for the Orioles."

[byrdz]

The 2012 Orioles: 10 pounds of crap in a 5 pound bag.

My dog achieves this every day.

[Sparkwinder]

First signing/trade this off-season that has me a little wary, but looking at the contract...so what. It is under a million. This isn't Kevin Gregg stupid. Ayala had a fantastic year last year. It isn't bad at all to have a few guys who had great years last year to go along with the guys we hope bounce back. This move says a couple things to me:

1) Short term depth is more important to Duquette than trying to find sure thing/long term answers. I absolutely agree with this philosophy in a rebuilding effort. All of these pieces need to be looked at with the idea that they may not be our long-term solution, but we may be able to trade them for the guy that will be.

2) He continues to want guys who can throw strikes / get on base. This is more indication that Jones may be out the door. Hopefully Gregg and Reynolds are on the way out too. I see them as the weakest links in this team on a per-cost basis, though there is definitely a good argument for keeping them and hoping they up their values by the trade deadline.

[Fan4Life]

My dog achieves this every day.

Can he throw at least 2 pitches for strikes?

[LookinUp]

List of pitchers

I see this much differently.

Top 4 starters:

Britton

Hammel

Chen

Arrieta

#5/6 starters:

Wada

Hunter

Bullpen:

Johnson

Lindstrom

Gregg

O'Day

Strop

Ayala

Eveland

Simon

AAA:

Patton

Matusz* (a true wildcard)

Bergy

Tillman

Berken

Phillips??

This has 14 pitchers on our ML roster and it doesn't count Matusz, who will hopefully earn his way there sooner than later. That means we have two extra guys that I personally don't expect to be cut. Barring trade, this might mean we really are considering putting Arrieta/Britton in AAA. It could mean we're considering a trade. It could mean we'd cut Simon + one of DD's acquisitions like Eveland. It could mean we're just building a surplus for the inevitable run of injuries. I guess it could mean a lot.

[Fan4Life]

Ayala for Koji straight up?

Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio and ESPN.com adds the Giants and Rangers to the list of teams that had interest in Luis Ayala before the right-hander agreed to terms with the Orioles (Twitter link).

[DrungoHazewood]

I look at the Japanese league as AAA. If Wada out pitches the other guys with options then he makes the team. If he doesn't then he probably not ready for the majors and could use some time at AAA. Just because any of the O's players start at AAA doesn't mean they will stay there. There are injuries and there is non performance.

Wada is 31 years old and has been pitching in NPB as a regular starter (and a really good one) for nine years. If he's not ready for the majors right now he never, ever will be. He's not going to learn anything by going to Norfolk and mainly pitching to batters who're worse than the ones he's already been facing for a decade.

[Osandbohs83]

Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com reports that the Orioles maintain interest in trading for Koji Uehara despite their recent acquisitions of Matt Lindstrom and Luis Ayala.

The O's bullpen is suddenly quite crowded, but evidently they're not closing the door on making more additions. The reality is that it's probably unlikely to happen, though. We suspect that Uehara will remain with the Rangers or be traded elsewhere. The A's have also shown interest in him. Uehara posted a 2.35 ERA and 85/9 K/BB ratio over 65 innings last season.

MLB trade rumors

[Let's go O's!]

Not a terrible signing. His numbers do look a little iffy prior to last year though..

[Sports Guy]

Sure, why not? They signed a dime a dozen reliever for a dime. If it's part of a larger plan that works out, great. If it's not, well I guess we can go back to whining about how they should have spent this on 334 scouts and 23 guys from Korea. But let's not pretend this is a big deal either way. You combine the salaries of all the minor guys we've had 25-page threads about this offseason and they don't add up to Gregg's 2012 paycheck.

Stupid decisions are a big deal...there are just varying degrees of that.

[wildcard]

Wada is 31 years old and has been pitching in NPB as a regular starter (and a really good one) for nine years. If he's not ready for the majors right now he never, ever will be. He's not going to learn anything by going to Norfolk and mainly pitching to batters who're worse than the ones he's already been facing for a decade.

You could say that 5 starters with options on the O's roster are not going to learn anything at AAA. Its not about that. Its about who is pitching well and who goes to AAA to wait for their chance.

[Dipper9]

Stupid decisions are a big deal...there are just varying degrees of that.

Baez, Gonzo, Gregg....all VERY stupid decisions. $1 million dollar relievers who can be sent packing if they stink....low risk high reward decisions.