Dbacks and Braves agree to Upton deal

[Greg]

The Baltimore Orioles, quiet all offseason, might finally be turning active.

MLB

ON THE MOVE

Where did 2012's top free agents land and who's still available?

The Orioles are pursuing a trade for Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Jason Kubel and also are interested in Detroit Tigers right-hander Rick Porcello, according to major league sources.

No deal appears close, and it seems unlikely that the Orioles would acquire both players. Kubel, 30, is owed $7.5 million next season, plus a $1 million buyout. Porcello, 24, recently avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $5.1 million salary for 2013.

Other possibilities for the Orioles include free-agent left-hander Joe Saunders and Cubs left fielder Alfonso Soriano, who is available in a trade. Soriano, however, is the least likely option, sources said.

Saunders, 31, is seeking a three-year deal, sources say. Soriano, 36, is owed $36 million over the next two years. The Cubs would need to assume the bulk of that obligation for a deal to happen, and Soriano would need to waive his no-trade clause.

To this point, the Orioles? only free-agent acquisition has been outfielder Nate McLouth, whom the team re-signed to a one-year, $2 million contract.

Kubel, who batted .253 with 30 homers and 90 RBI last season, would fit well for the Orioles as a left fielder and designated hitter. Soriano, who batted .262 with 32 homers and 108 RBI, could fill the same role.

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McLouth and Nolan Reimold currently are projected to rotate at left field and DH, and Wilson Betemit is another option at DH. Betemit, a switch-hitter, hits righties well. Kubel bats left, Soriano right.

Porcello was only 10-12 with a 4.59 ERA last season, but his performance likely would improve if he went from the Tigers to the Orioles and pitched in front of a better infield defense.

The Tigers, who also are looking to move outfielder Brennan Boesch, continue to pursue late-inning bullpen help. As FOXSports.com?s Jon Paul Morosi reported last week, the Orioles might be willing to offer closer Jim Johnson in a deal for Porcello.

Johnson, 30, led the majors with 51 saves last season, but relievers work fewer innings than starters and generally have less value. Porcello also offers an extra year of control ? he is three years away from free agency, Johnson two.

[waroriole]

If that's the case, I think I'd rather start the year with Ishikawa at first and Davis at DH until Betemit's ready than trade someone like Arrieta or Britton for Kubel and his $7.5 million dollar contract. Either that, or sign someone like Kelly Johnson or Carlos Lee who would only cost money, and not quality talent.

Well, I definitely wouldn't trade Britton for Kubel, but I might trade Arrieta IF half of Kubel's salary is eaten AND Betemit is a no go.

[DrinkinWithFermi]

Well, I definitely wouldn't trade Britton for Kubel, but I might trade Arrieta IF half of Kubel's salary is eaten AND Betemit is a no go.

I would rather sign Aubrey Huff or Carlos Lee to DH until Betemit's ready than trade Arrieta, Britton, or Matusz for Kubel. Especially since we'd probably have to include someone else in the deal if they're eating salary. We probably would have to anyway.

[Guest rochester]

IDK.. maybe we have to take on Kubel and his salary as part of an Upton trade.

[Aglets]

Can someone help me out?

I'm looking at Rick Porcello's numbers for the past four seasons. I don't see a single statistic that looks appealing to me there.......what is the point exactly? Is he supposed to be our Joe Saunders esque signing to give us a bunch of mediocre innings? 3.5 WAR over 4 years seems not that attractive to me.

[canonfaz]

Can someone help me out?

I'm looking at Rick Porcello's numbers for the past four seasons. I don't see a single statistic that looks appealing to me there.......what is the point exactly? Is he supposed to be our Joe Saunders esque signing to give us a bunch of mediocre innings? 3.5 WAR over 4 years seems not that attractive to me.

Severe groundball pitcher with terrible infield defense. The thought is that he would flurish with our infield defense and put up better numbers.

[skanar]

Can someone help me out?

I'm looking at Rick Porcello's numbers for the past four seasons. I don't see a single statistic that looks appealing to me there.......what is the point exactly? Is he supposed to be our Joe Saunders esque signing to give us a bunch of mediocre innings? 3.5 WAR over 4 years seems not that attractive to me.

He's a pretty severe groundball pitcher, and Detroit has had a horrendous defense several years running.

He's about a serviceable 4th/5th starter with his current numbers, and it's possible that with a good infield defense (Machado/Hardy vs Cabrera/Peralta) his numbers would significantly improve.

[Ruzious]

It seems like the O's are just picking at the scraps that nobody else particularly wanted. Gotta wonder if they planned it this way, and if so - why? Other teams have made significant improvements, while the O's have essentially done nothing - other than lose Reynolds for nothing. Perhaps they're counting on what seemed like insignificant moves to have significant payoffs. Personally, I'm not confident in depending on someone like Wilson Betemit. I think he's an injury risk and not exactly the hardest working man in show business. At his age, that's a brutal combo.

[canonfaz]

It seems like the O's are just picking at the scraps that nobody else particularly wanted. Gotta wonder if they planned it this way, and if so - why? Other teams have made significant improvements, while the O's have essentially done nothing - other than lose Reynolds for nothing. Perhaps they're counting on what seemed like insignificant moves to have significant payoffs. Personally, I'm not confident in depending on someone like Wilson Betemit. I think he's an injury risk and not exactly the hardest working man in show business. At his age, that's a brutal combo.

If you look at it, there is a huge improvement over last years opening day roster with just the addition of Machado at 3B (better than Reynolds), McClouth in LF (better than Reimold), and Reimold at DH (better than Betemit).

I do think that the front office felt like they would be able to trade for either Butler, Morneau, or Willingham, but it didn't happen and I think they are content with adding what they need in season before the deadline (if we are in contention).

[DrinkinWithFermi]

If you look at it, there is a huge improvement over last years opening day roster with just the addition of Machado at 3B (better than Reynolds), McClouth in LF (better than Reimold), and Reimold at DH (better than Betemit).

I do think that the front office felt like they would be able to trade for either Butler, Morneau, or Willingham, but it didn't happen and I think they are content with adding what they need in season before the deadline (if we are in contention).

Bingo. I've come to believe that DD wants to see if the starting pitching is legit before making any major moves- if it isn't, and Gonzalez and Hammel regress without Matusz or Arrieta stepping up, then any any acquisition would probably have been wasted. But if it holds up, and we have needs to fill in late June(say DH for instance), then we can trade for guys to fill those holes with teams that are out of it at that time(maybe SEA, CLE or PIT for instance).

[hoosiers]

Kubel is a decent bat, IMO, but probably only necessary to this team if there are a series of moves that could involve dealing Reimold/JJ for Porcello, Kubel, and other (hopefully quality) prospects.

FWIW, while I think Porcello's numbers overall are relatively average, our FO appears to really like him. Not sure if there is something to tweak to improve the stuff (particularly to kick up the strikeouts) or if we would simply support RP with a better defense.

[VeveJones007]

If you look at it, there is a huge improvement over last years opening day roster with just the addition of Machado at 3B (better than Reynolds), McClouth in LF (better than Reimold), and Reimold at DH (better than Betemit).

I do think that the front office felt like they would be able to trade for either Butler, Morneau, or Willingham, but it didn't happen and I think they are content with adding what they need in season before the deadline (if we are in contention).

As a LHB vs. a RHP, Betemit has a career OPS of .824 with an OBP of .349. I think a lot of people are sleeping on Betemit's bat at DH vs righties.

Other than that, I completely agree with the sentiment. The O's don't need to waste $5-10 million on either or both of these players when they're redundant. Maybe a couple of months into the season there will be a need, but not at this stage.

[DrinkinWithFermi]

As a LHB vs. a RHP, Betemit has a career OPS of .824 with an OBP of .349. I think a lot of people are sleeping on Betemit's bat at DH vs righties.

Other than that, I completely agree with the sentiment. The O's don't need to waste $5-10 million on either or both of these players when they're redundant. Maybe a couple of months into the season there will be a need, but not at this stage.

As luismatos4prez has pointed out, Betemit OPS vs. RHPs since 2010 is .865.

The Meat Man is severely under-rated.

[DrungoHazewood]

As luismatos4prez has pointed out, Betemit OPS vs. RHPs since 2010 is .865.

The Meat Man is severely under-rated.

Of course the issue is that he OPSes about .500 against lefties, and try as Buck might he still let him face lefties about 25% of the time. It's just not reasonable to think a player in 2012 is going to be strictly platooned on offense.

[DrungoHazewood]

Can someone help me out?

I'm looking at Rick Porcello's numbers for the past four seasons. I don't see a single statistic that looks appealing to me there.......what is the point exactly? Is he supposed to be our Joe Saunders esque signing to give us a bunch of mediocre innings? 3.5 WAR over 4 years seems not that attractive to me.

Severe groundball pitcher with terrible infield defense. The thought is that he would flurish with our infield defense and put up better numbers.

He's a pretty severe groundball pitcher, and Detroit has had a horrendous defense several years running.

He's about a serviceable 4th/5th starter with his current numbers, and it's possible that with a good infield defense (Machado/Hardy vs Cabrera/Peralta) his numbers would significantly improve.

His FIP, xFIP, and SIERA are all between a quarter run and a half a run lower than his ERA, and his BABIPs have been high. All of that more pronounced last year. His HR/9, BB/9 are good. That's reflected in his fWAR, which has been over 2.0 each of his four years in the majors, and 2.7 and 2.9 the last two years.

And the Tigers' UZR was 29th in baseball in 2012. The O's wasn't much better, but their defese is probably better aligned to Porcello's strengths with a good infield and possible weaknesses in the outfield.

It's plausible that he could be an above-average starter with the Orioles.