MLB.com article on the Wright deal

[utvolzac]

If another team wanted to give Wright 2 years at more than 3 mil a year, who cares. Let them.

He became a priority for us because we're not paying him anything. Rather than spend more money on a more talented pitcher, we took a cheaper alternative, again.

It would be hard for me to believe that our FO would have considered Jaret Wright an off-season target, if the Yankees weren't picking up the majority of his salary.

I'm sick to death of these cheap moves, rather than actually paying for some talent that might legitamitely improve the team.

Even now that we've traded for a starting pitcher and we might be trading RLo for Turnbow, yet our needs haven't changed. We still need a front of the rotation starter, we still need bullpen help (even more so w/o Britton). I don't see how trades like these really address the big picture. How does replacing RLo with Wright gives us any more flexiblity than we had before? I could see if we sign a legitimate front of the rotation pitcher, then maybe we can afford to trade some of our young pitching.

[El Gordo]

If another team wanted to give Wright 2 years at more than 3 mil a year, who cares. Let them.

He became a priority for us because we're not paying him anything. Rather than spend more money on a more talented pitcher, we took a cheaper alternative, again.

It would be hard for me to believe that our FO would have considered Jaret Wright an off-season target, if the Yankees weren't picking up the majority of his salary.

I'm sick to death of these cheap moves, rather than actually paying for some talent that might legitamitely improve the team.

Even now that we've traded for a starting pitcher and we might be trading RLo for Turnbow, yet our needs haven't changed. We still need a front of the rotation starter, we still need bullpen help (even more so w/o Britton). I don't see how trades like these really address the big picture. How does replacing RLo with Wright gives us any more flexiblity than we had before? I could see if we sign a legitimate front of the rotation pitcher, then maybe we can afford to trade some of our young pitching.

What makes you think they aren't going after another FA starter? They said this doesn't preclude that. They had to do this deal today before he became a FA. There are no front of the rotation FA's avilable to us. It would have to be a middle type guy.

[Mark Carver]

If you really wanted Jaret Wright, why not wait until the Yankees bought him out and then just sign him?

And what could you get for Britton? Well no one really knows for sure, but I think I would be looking for a team that had a young outfielder and/or power hitter for trade, not even necessarily at the MLB level yet.

The Yankees have to pay him $4m in 2007 no matter what. You mean to tell me that another team, like the Rangers would not have given up a minor leaguer to the Yankees to get Wright and the $4m in a trade. I am sure that some other team would have given Wright a shot for $3m for 2007 in a trade.

I highly doubt the Yankees would have just cut him loose.

[mweb]

Yes I don't think it's a huge leap that they may have kept Jaret Wright. But let me get it straight, Britton is some key guy for the Orioles but just some run of the mill reliever where the Yankees are concerned? You're talking out of both sides of your mouth.

And isn't it pretty much concluded that the Red Sox won the bidding to negotiate with "that Japanese guy"?

Obviously they weren't going to give the O's more than it would cost to just buyout his contract, but that doesn't automatically mean that buyout was a foregone conclusion if he wasn't traded. People complain that the Orioles don't have a plan and that they don't target players they want and go and get them, but when they do people still complain. This Chris Britton-Jaret Wright trade isn't the worst thing in the world.

By the way I thought you made a thread voicing your offseason thoughts so you wouldn't have to reply to any other thread?

I would say it's a leap to think they might have kept Wright, unless might equals less than 5%..

[mikezpen]

Re: Mazzone's failures last year. You have to have something to work with. Brower and Ortiz weren't-just weren't.I would put Jaret Wright in a better class than they.

I don't think this is just another el cheapo. It's not an end in itself; it's a precursor. I honestly think this sets up a trade for something they need-probably some salary dump on the hitting side-Jenkins, Burrell, etc.You won't get any kind of great pitching quality by trading Wright, Benson or Lopez. Certainly Turnbow is a turn-off.But you could get yourself a hitter who's decent.

Thy're going to have to spend money to sign some quality relievers. I don't think you can trade for them unless you're putting somebody really good out there in exchange-Loewen, Tejada, etc.

[DrungoHazewood]

Thy're going to have to spend money to sign some quality relievers. I don't think you can trade for them unless you're putting somebody really good out there in exchange-Loewen, Tejada, etc.

Which relievers? I look at the list of free agent relief pitchers and see a whole lot of $5M question marks.

[Fan4Life]

1. I agree with Frobby. If Britton is so easily replaceable then how come our bullpen was so awful last year. Most of the guys mentioned by Tony were pitching in AA or not at all last year. I think it's a pretty big question mark if even one will be ready to make the contribution that Britton did this year.

2. As to El Gordo. You always come up with the fact that we aren't privy to what the decision makers on the O's are. While this is true, should that preclude us from having an opinion or questioning their decision making? We are privy to watching these guys on TV and looking at the numbers.

3. As for Leo Mazzone. Good luck because this could be strike three for you as a scout.

4. The Yankees, who are loaded, didn't want to pay 7M for Jaret Wright to be their 5th starter, with just a one year risk involved. Didn't they see the great pitcher who went 7-2 down the stretch throwing 93-95? And El Gordo, we are not privy to what the Yankees know, and the Orioles don't know about Wright, at least as far as the last two years are concerned.

These are good points, I recall discussions on here during the season about trying to acquire Wright after the season, I believe SG was one that was onboard with that possibility, so is the real problem that we gave up Britton? Time will tell what Britton really is but I would agree that Wright's resume isn't impressive. haven't looked at the numbers, but I believe Wright dominated us last year on at least 2 occassions... that may speak more to how bad we were than to how good he was..

[Fan4Life]

He pitched well against us in Camden Yards. Trading for players who've looked good against your team is not the best evaluation process, particularly when you are the Orioles. I'm not as against the deal now as when it was first made. I do take a little issue for those who are totatlly discounting or dismissing Britton. IMO, Wright is a longshot. Chances are that he'll be mediocre even IF he stays healthy. There is a chance for a nice payoff IF Wright has a good year. Knowing the Orioles, if they are within 10 games of the wildcard, they will be unwilling to deal him. Hopefully they'll get some picks. Or they might just be dumb enough to sign him to a 3/21 deal like the Yankees did.

I'm not against it either... I think we'll have to wait and see how both do to make a fair analysis... I had seen some posters with the idea we should have let him become a FA and signed him anyway even if was at more money and at least we could have kept Britton.... had we done that, I presume we would have lost a draft pick?

[DrungoHazewood]

I'm not against it either... I think we'll have to wait and see how both do to make a fair analysis... I had seen some posters with the idea we should have let him become a FA and signed him anyway even if was at more money and at least we could have kept Britton.... had we done that, I presume we would have lost a draft pick?

No. First off, he would have been an unclassified free agent (below type C), so no draft pick. Secondly I think if they Yanks had payed his buyout that would be the equivalent of not offering arbitration - so no matter his classification no draft picks were involved.

[Baltimoron]

Second, the Orioles don't care about having Wright "long-term." They wanted a rent-a-player for several reasons. They have Bedard, Cabrera and Benson all under control for at least the next two seasons. They have two young pitchers in Loewen and Penn that have limited major league experience and could use additional seasoning (Loewen at the back end of the rotation or in the pen and Penn likely in AAA). They have solid prospects moving up in Olson and possibly Liz. So, the O's didn't want someone with a long-term commitment.

....

If you can get a starter - one that went 7-2 down the stretch in a penant race - for a questionable middle reliever, you just do it.

Stop spewing forth the FO's misleading characterization of the trade- its not a starter for a reliever.

Its a 30 year old starter under contract for one year for a 23 year old reliever not eligible for free agency for 5-6 years.

Take a step back. The Orioles are not on the cusp of the playoffs. Why is this team not building for the future? Aren't the Orioles the one who should be trading older, more expensive players with little time left on their contracts to teams who can win now for younger players who will be of value for some time.

1998 to now equals losing and a FO that refuses to rebuild but continually tries to reload. Thye have demonstarted a lack of awareness of where they are in the competition cycle. They are getting better and developing young talent, but they are not there yet and should still be working in that direction.

Maybe Britton is not what he is cracked up be, and this will be a great trade, but at least be honest in your assessment of the deal.

Because Britton will be cheaply under control for the next 5-6 years, he is more valuable than one year of Wright if he can simply be a below average relief guy, i.e. 4.75 ish ERA guy. This is especially so since what Wright does in his one year here will be of little consequence (if he is good maybe he is a 2-3 win improvment over whomever he is replacing, but those 2-3 wins aren't going to vault the Orioles into the playoffs, but more lilkey from a .500ish team, to a 80ish win team).

The relevant time frame for expecting success from the Os is the next few years, not next year. But absent an extension, Wright does nothing to help us then, while Britton certainly could have, even if he would have ended up as the last guy out of the bullpen in those years.

The Yankees get all the upside here. If Mazzone works his magic, Wright gets a big deal next offseason as a free agent. If Britton can hold down a major league bullpen spot, the Yankess have him cheaply for some time.

Is the O's upside limited solely to improving Wright under Mazzone and then hoping to flip him at the deadline to a contender? If so, what's the Orioles track record for trading aging stars/players eligible for free agency for young prospects at the deadline?

[Sapper]

OK, let me put this this way: What is the absolute best outcome for this trade?

Best case scenario is that Britton eats 20 cheeseburgers a day and sucks in about 20 innings as a Yankee before being sent down or outrighted. And for us, Wright regains form and pitches to a 3.80-4.00 ERA and wins 13-16 games in front of a weak offense then becomes a UFA.

Then what? It's not like it really changes the balance of power in the AL East. We're playing small ball, bunting for base hits when we're down 11-2 in the 7th inning.

[Sports Guy]

OK, let me put this this way: What is the absolute best outcome for this trade?

Best case scenario is that Britton eats 20 cheeseburgers a day and sucks in about 20 innings as a Yankee before being sent down or outrighted. And for us, Wright regains form and pitches to a 3.80-4.00 ERA and wins 13-16 games in front of a weak offense then becomes a UFA.

Then what? It's not like it really changes the balance of power in the AL East. We're playing small ball, bunting for base hits when we're down 11-2 in the 7th inning.

Actually, the best outcome is Wright pitches very well and we can deal him at the deadline for a few solid prospects.

[DrungoHazewood]

Actually, the best outcome is Wright pitches very well and we can deal him at the deadline for a few solid prospects.

Or Wright goes 15-10, 3.75, the O's extend him early in the year at a reasonable rate, the young pitching steps it up a notch or two, and the O's add enough other pieces to get into contention.

No one said most likely, just best case...

[Frobby]

OK, let me put this this way: What is the absolute best outcome for this trade?

Best case scenario is that Britton eats 20 cheeseburgers a day and sucks in about 20 innings as a Yankee before being sent down or outrighted. And for us, Wright regains form and pitches to a 3.80-4.00 ERA and wins 13-16 games in front of a weak offense then becomes a UFA.

Then what? It's not like it really changes the balance of power in the AL East. We're playing small ball, bunting for base hits when we're down 11-2 in the 7th inning.

If this was the biggest move we made all offseason, then I would agree with you. But it's just an early move at the outset of the FA/trade season. It's more like bunitng for a base hit in the first inning. Like you, I'm not a big fan of this trade, but I think we'll need to see what else happens before leveling the small ball charge.

[Baltimoron]

Or Wright goes 15-10, 3.75, the O's extend him early in the year at a reasonable rate, the young pitching steps it up a notch or two, and the O's add enough other pieces to get into contention.

No one said most likely, just best case...

Maybe Leo can get him to improve enough so he will be a compensable free agent next year (he wouldn't have been this year) and we can get a sandwich pick who will end up being...a bullpen guy?