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

[mdbdotcom]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>3 guesses on the sleeper team in the Balfour negotiations, competing with the O's - deal done this week, if anyone cares at this pt <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23uncle&src=hash">#uncle</a></p>— Jim Duquette (@Jim_Duquette) <a href="

">December 16, 2013</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

1. Yankees

2. Yankees

3. Yankees

[TiredofLosing20]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>3 guesses on the sleeper team in the Balfour negotiations, competing with the O's - deal done this week, if anyone cares at this pt <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23uncle&src=hash">#uncle</a></p>— Jim Duquette (@Jim_Duquette) <a href="

">December 16, 2013</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The last bastion of negotiation..

Threaten to go to Divisional Rival..

[Il BuonO]

Consider that for a moment. Those threads were about a young, locally "grown," All-Star (if not MVP) caliber first baseman in his prime.

This thread is about Grant Balfour.

Am I the only one who shuddered?

Nope, very perplexing.

[Guest]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23orioles&src=hash">#orioles</a> are determined to get closer soon. balfour is clear 1st choice, but if no deal by week's end, they may try another</p>— Jon Heyman (@JonHeymanCBS) <a href="

">December 16, 2013</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Il BuonO]

Oh good, Heyman is back spinning yarns.

[TonySoprano]

I'd have a better chance of believing it if Olney, Kurkjian or Rosenthal were reporting it. Not Royle. We have seen her in action in Baltimore:rolleyestf:

Actually, I think she left very frustrated at her lack of action in Baltimore.

know what I mean, nudge, nudge say no more

[Aristotelian]

Royle just being a little puppet for his agent, trying to get the Red Sox and anyone else who is interested to up their offer. It is what worthless reporters do in an effort to stay relevant when they have nothing much to say.

Who cares, its a juicy rumor! It may also be leverage o's aretryingnto use against kendrys. Yes, royle must be taken with a grain of salt both on ortiz and balfour, but davis/a jones/ortiz would be a monster 3-4-5 combo!

[Elbren]

Consider that for a moment. Those threads were about a young, locally "grown," All-Star (if not MVP) caliber first baseman in his prime.

This thread is about Grant Balfour.

Am I the only one who shuddered?

lol I've been wanting to say this since this thread hit 40+ pages, but I didn't want to be the "negative" one who pointed out.

[El Gordo]

Duq XM said today that Balfour doesn't want to go to the "other team" and is just nickel and diming the O'S. He's been offered 3 years with incentives and now he want's a 4th year vesting option.

[mdbdotcom]

Duq XM said today that Balfour doesn't want to go to the "other team" and is just nickel and diming the O'S. He's been offered 3 years with incentives and now he want's a 4th year vesting option.

Sounds more like an auction than a negotiation.

[Elbren]

Duq XM said today that Balfour doesn't want to go to the "other team" and is just nickel and diming the O'S. He's been offered 3 years with incentives and now he want's a 4th year vesting option.

Wow, I hope that's not true.

I was all for trading Johnson, but that would seriously depress me if they guaranteed 3 years (at similar money) and were contemplating a 4th year (even if it's only an option) for a guy that's 36.

[Finisher]

3/21 should be enough to get it done. Yankees are probably matching our offer, but I'm sure Balfour would rather close than setup. Nobody is giving him that fourth year. We'll still save at least 2-3 million a year going from Johnson to Balfour and Balfour is better than Johnson.

[weams]

3/21 should be enough to get it done. Yankees are probably matching our offer, but I'm sure Balfour would rather close than setup. Nobody is giving him that fourth year. We'll still save at least 2-3 million a year going from Johnson to Balfour and Balfour is better than Johnson.

Johnson wanted 4 years 50 million dollars or he was leaving after this season anyway.

[El Gordo]

3/21 should be enough to get it done. Yankees are probably matching our offer, but I'm sure Balfour would rather close than setup. Nobody is giving him that fourth year. We'll still save at least 2-3 million a year going from Johnson to Balfour and Balfour is better than Johnson.

The Yankees are close to their luxury tax limit and they need to sign two more SP. They aren't throwing 7 M at Balfour. They will go in house for their closer.

[luismatos4prez]

Assuming Grant/his agent stop messing around and sign the deal:

Jim Johnson (10.9M)

vs

Grant Balfour(7M)

Ryan Webb(2.25M)

Jemile Weeks(no added cost)

David Freitas(no added cost)

1.65M left over