Britton for Wright and $4M

[bgfield]

All this did was give the Yanks another young power arm in the pen and it takes a player off of their team that was insignificant to them.

Which sounds like making them a better team to me. Their bullpen was 8th in ERA in the AL last season. I know how high you are on Britton, so this just makes them that much better.

[Mackus]

I would have rather signed Wright as a FA, even as much as 2/$10M, and kept Britton than trade for him and only owe him $3M.

Getting Wright to be the #5 is a pretty solid minimal risk move with a chance of being a very good move if he plays well and we can move him at the deadline, but I really don't like moving Britton. I was a big fan of his and thought he'd be very good at the back end of our bullpen (and cheaply) for the next 5-6 years.

[mikezpen]

RZNJ, you mite be stunned at what Wright would get as a FA.I bet it w/b more than the 3.5 mill, or whatever, the O's have to pay him.

Another thing. I'm convinced that they don't consider this a move to build up the pitching staff long term. I don't think the Front Office considers Wright a building block for the Orioles Of The Future.He's a stopgap till Penn, Olson, Liz are ready, and that could be next season. Or, he gives them depth to trade from later this off season.

This was a tactical move, not a long-term strategic one.

[Mark Carver]

This is Wright taking RLopez spot in the rotation per and simple. And I will take Wright over RLopez any day of the week. Thus, RLopez is gone as well, as his 32 HRs in 189 IP, compared to Wright with 10 HRs in 140 IP. Both are 31 years old, and both will be a free agents at the end of the 2007. Now the thing is what can they get back for RLopez...

Wright (2006) -

K/9 = 5.39

K/BB = 1.47

HR/9 = 0.64

WHIP = 1.52

BAVG/OBP/SLG/OPS = 283/355/414/768

GB/FB = 0.97

ERA+ = 98

RLopez (2006) -

K/9 = 6.48

K/BB = 2.31

HR/9 = 1.52

WHIP = 1.55

BAVG/OBP/SLG/OPS = 302/353/500/851

GB/FB = 1.23

ERA+ = 77

[Sports Guy]

The Orioles had 2 issues with Britton:

1) Lack of second pitch or at least confidence in it.

2) Conditioning.

It's not like you just got a young starter or somneone for multiple yeasrs. You traded a reliever with alot of upside for a guy who may or may not last the full season.

I know relievers are a dime a dozen but still, if this doesn't lead to other things, it is a bad move.

[tennOsfan]

Re whether we should've just signed Wright when the Yanks let him loose, do we really know if other teams were interested in making a similar deal? Perhaps he wouldn't have been available as a FA.

[cutfastball]

I really like Chris Britton. I was hoping Williams would be the one to go. But I wonder if Duq and Mazzone were influenced by a couple of at-bats with respect to conditioning. I remember at-bats like Manny had one game, fouling pitch after pitch before getting a walk. After that, Britton seemed to fall apart and he had uncharacteristically bad innings. Maybe they feel that will never change.

[weams]

Re whether we should've just signed Wright when the Yanks let him loose, do we really know if other teams were interested in making a similar deal? Perhaps he wouldn't have been available as a FA.

Be Happy....this means there is a budget, and a plan.

Thank you BB and Belkast for further insight in advance.

[clapdiddy]

I agree with the general sentiment of most of the posters on this thread.

If we do successfully deal Lopez for another piece of the puzzle, then its definitely a deal that makes sense. I like Britton, but I like the fact that this deal will free up some cash for us to go out and possilbly make an impact bullpen acquisition. Chance are that Wright will put up numbers similar to RLo and he will actually cost us less this year with RLo's arbitration considered.

[AgentOrange]

If this leads to bigger, better things, it is an ok move.

If it leads to nothing else, it is a terrible move.

I am surprised we trading with the Yanks.

You have to think, that this early in the offseason that this means more moves to come. I really think we are unloading a lot of people this offseason.

I don't mind this move, people are higher on Britton than myself, so I understand why people may not be excited.

[mikezpen]

That's it. You look at the stats that result from the trade this one leads to-not necessarily the stats that Britton and Wright compile.

[clapdiddy]

You have to think, that this early in the offseason that this means more moves to come. I really think we are unloading a lot of people this offseason.

I don't mind this move, people are higher on Britton than myself, so I understand why people may not be excited.

Good point, AO. Bigbird or Belkast said they expected a big roster turnover this offseason.

The one thing I will say about this move, is that they identified someone they wanted and got him. No waiting around letting the "market" determine their moves.

But, again, I do agree with others that if this move was a singular move, its not a good one. We got an older, marginal pitcher for a young guy who could have been a decent setup guy at a small prices for the next 5 years.

[Cornbread]

This is basically just like the Kris Benson trade. I'm surprised we've got Cashman's ear and doing business with the Yankees. We've tried to get Sheffield and now we got Wright. If getting Wright means that Lopez will be traded for a bat, then it's a solid move. Lopez and Wright are similar pitchers....take that for what it's worth.

[Hank Scorpio]

Good point, AO. Bigbird or Belkast said they expected a big roster turnover this offseason.

The one thing I will say about this move, is that they identified someone they wanted and got him. No waiting around letting the "market" determine their moves.

But, again, I do agree with others that if this move was a singular move, its not a good one. We got an older, marginal pitcher for a young guy who could have been a decent setup guy at a small prices for the next 5 years.

Benson

Bedard

Cabrera

Loewen

Lopez

Wright

Penn

.....................somebody's gotta go, especially when you consider this :

A team source also said that the move doesn't mean that the Orioles won't make a run at another pitcher in free agency.

[clapdiddy]

Benson

Bedard

Cabrera

Loewen

Lopez

Wright

Penn

.....................somebody's gotta go, especially when you consider this :

Yes...and I am a little optimistic that they are still looking at free agents. We need depth in the rotation. The one thing the Yankees always had was a lot of depth in the rotation. Not necessarily quality, but quantity. Wright was part of that equation and, when healthy, performed decently.

I am a little concerned about 1970's review of Wright's flyball tendencies, though.