Per Rosenthal: Balfour (FINALLY) to Orioles...

[atomic]

Davis will be a 160m player. Good luck with this owner on that.

Depends on the season he has this year. I doubt he has a repeat of last season.

[Guest]

The owner flushed lots of money down the toilet with Roberts and Markakis. He will spend lots of money to keep a legitimately great player. Angelos likes to keep his stars. See Adam Jones. He'll pony up for Davis. Good guy, fan favorite, stays healthy.

Boras wont let Davis take a below market deal like Jones did.

[MrOrange82]

The owner flushed lots of money down the toilet with Roberts and Markakis. He will spend lots of money to keep a legitimately great player. Angelos likes to keep his stars. See Adam Jones. He'll pony up for Davis. Good guy, fan favorite, stays healthy.

If Davis turns in a 2014 season similar to his 2013 season, he'll be too expensive for Angelos, who, despite handing out "big" contracts to keep several of "his" stars, has never handed out a $100+ million contract. And Davis would likely get much more than that on the open market.

[Guest]

Depends on the season he has this year. I doubt he has a repeat of last season.

Even if Davis hits .280 35hr 100rbi he's still gonna be a 160m player.

[TouchemAll]

Another team in the mix if we're bidding for Belfore DD better start looking for some else

Axford UUgg may as well save the $$$ and Tommy Hunter come on down.

When was the last time the O's out bid somebody on a FA?

[jamalshw]

Well, we're not going to give Balfour 3 years at his age. This is the reason the A's preferred one year of Jim Johnson at 10 mil.

I think/hope this ends with 2 year deal with a vesting option.

[jamalshw]

Another team in the mix if we're bidding for Belfore DD better start looking for some else

Axford UUgg may as well save the $$$ and Tommy Hunter come on down.

When was the last time the O's out bid somebody on a FA?

Ryan Webb.

[Aristotelian]

The owner flushed lots of money down the toilet with Roberts and Markakis.

Markakis was a solid contract until this year. First four years of the contract OBP 2009 .347 2010 .370 2011 .351 2012 .363. I think the lack of activity this year is a signal that the brass believes 2013 was an aberration and at age 30 he is still capable of .350+ OBP with some pop. I am not sure if I agree but it's not out of the question. I would not characterize Nick's contract as flushing money down the toilet.

[25 Nuggets]

I concur; overall the contract is/was reasonable. Kakes averaged 2.4 rWAR over the first four years of the contract and that's with some bad defensive scores. It hasn't really hurt the team in an economic sense and I'm looking forward to a bounce back year.

[Guest]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Acdg to industry source, <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Orioles&src=hash">#Orioles</a> are 1 of 3 teams with a 2 year deal on the table for closer Grant Balfour. 1 offer has vesting op for 3yrs</p>— Dan Connolly (@danconnollysun) <a href="

">December 12, 2013</a></blockquote>

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Yup we can kiss him goodbye

[Guest]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Dont know which team has a 2yr w an option for a 3rd for Balfour. Sense is it isnt the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Orioles&src=hash">#Orioles</a>, but dont know for sure.</p>— Dan Connolly (@danconnollysun) <a href="

">December 12, 2013</a></blockquote>

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He gone

[Guest]

Oh, we're competing with 2 other teams?

[Guest]

[mi_oriolesfan]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Acdg to industry source, <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Orioles&src=hash">#Orioles</a> are 1 of 3 teams with a 2 year deal on the table for closer Grant Balfour. 1 offer has vesting op for 3yrs</p>— Dan Connolly (@danconnollysun) <a href="

">December 12, 2013</a></blockquote>

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Yup we can kiss him goodbye

[clapdiddy]

Guess we move on. I wouldn't be that broken up about losing Balfour.