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

[Can_of_corn]

See, that's the problem. Yes, it would be nice to not have to pay a closer 7-10 M per season. Good organizations produce enough pitching prospects that they are able to develop late relievers from within. The O's were able to develop JJ from within. Maybe there's someone in the O's organization now who will eventually make a good closer, but there certainly isn't an obvious candidate right now, and the O's need a closer they can count on in 2014 if they actually want to contend.

In hindsight, maybe paying JJ $10M for one year wouldn't have been such a bad idea--they could have used the year to see if someone like Steve Johnson or Zach Britton's stuff could play up enough out of the bullpen that they could be viable closer candidates down the road.

No, in hindsight (which for some of us was foresight) maybe paying JJ 6.5M for one year was a bad idea.

Draft college kids in rounds 4-6 (or so certainly not a draft expert) on the cheap and put 'em right into the pen in the minors. See if you can't get 'em MLB ready in a season or two.

They keep wanting to make these kids into starters when most are going to flame out or be bullpen pieces down the road. There is value in producing 500K bullpen arms.

[mdbdotcom]

Just speculation on my part, but right now it wouldn't surprise me to learn that DD is ready to walk away from Balfour, but Buck is miffed about JJ and wants an established closer.

[weams]

Just speculation on my part, but right now it wouldn't surprise me to learn that DD is ready to walk away from Balfour, but Buck is miffed about JJ and wants an established closer.

Well, now you will be quoted in a NY paper and cited as a #source on twitter.

[tilgaham]

The fact that a thread about Grant Balfour has 77 pages is emblematic of this offseason. Ugh.

[weams]

The fact that a thread about Grant Balfour has 77 pages is emblematic of this offseason. Ugh.

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There are intriguing plot lines.

[LA2]

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There are intriguing plot lines.

The plot sickens--until the truth be known.

[Guest]

Jen Royle of the Boston Herald reports that the Orioles have offered Grant Balfour a three-year deal that he is mulling over.

The O's didn't want to extend their offer beyond two years. To add the third season, they lowered the average annual value of the contract, while increasing the incentives that Balfour could earn. It's clear at this point that he is their top target on the free agent market.

Related: Orioles

[Rene88]

Balfour's agent is just trolling at this point. Take the damn deal.

Lol: good for the Orioles! Not thrilled about 3 years, but they are doing what needs to be done! That is great news!

Take the deal Balfour!

Now get us a couple of starters Duquette!

[Can_of_corn]

Lol: good for the Orioles! Not thrilled about 3 years, but they are doing what needs to be done! That is great news!

Take the deal Balfour!

Now get us a couple of starters Duquette!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Orioles went 2 yrs/$6M per, then 3/$7M (incentives), but Balfour wants 3/$8M w/ vesting option. Source says "they'll be no vesting option."</p>— Jen Royle (@Jen_Royle) <a href="

">December 15, 2013</a></blockquote>

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No thanks.

[MrOrange82]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Orioles went 2 yrs/$6M per, then 3/$7M (incentives), but Balfour wants 3/$8M w/ vesting option. Source says "they'll be no vesting option."</p>— Jen Royle (@Jen_Royle) <a href="

">December 15, 2013</a></blockquote>

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No thanks.

I'd be upset with anything more than 2/6. And even that is pushing it.

[Finisher]

Glad we went the extra mile here. Who the hell is going 3/24 for Balfour? 3/21 is more than fair.

[weams]

I'd be upset with anything more than 2/6. And even that is pushing it.

It will get done.

[Number5]

I'm sorry, but if Royle is right and we have offered 3 years at $7 million each, that would be a huge overpay and a massive concession on our part. If he has said no to that, it is time to pull out of negotiations with him and move on.

[Dark Helmet]

Just sign Fernando Rodney to a 1/4m deal and move on. Its obvious the O's can't do anything else until the Closer is adressed. Though I'm not sure why this team is so worried about improving the closer, when they've showed no desire to improve the rest of the team. At this point, I don't see the offense or starting rotation being good enough for the closer to have much impact one way or the other.

[luismatos4prez]

Something doesn't add up here.

Duquette knows the value of FA relievers. He knows that Balfour isn't worth 7M/yr. So by offering it, he's conceding that sometimes you have to pay more than you should for FAs. But if he's willing to make that concession for Grant Balfour, why wasn't he willing to make it for McLouth, David Murphy, or any of the starting pitchers?

Is giving Balfour more than he's worth a concession that he's misjudged the FA market? Or is it a small part of some bigger plan he has in place to get the bat and SP that the team needs within our budget? Could he be trying to appease Buck?

On the surface, trading Jim Johnson for Ryan Webb, Grant Balfour, Jemile Weeks, that MiL catcher and a couple million left over is a good deal. I'm having trouble following Dan's overall thought process though.

I think he's a good GM. And good GMs don't overpay for relief pitching on teams that aren't serious contenders. A team with Reimold and Urrutia in the starting lineup isn't a serious contender. Hopefully I'm just not seeing the big picture here.