Orioles deal with Grant Balfour Cancelled

[Can_of_corn]

I think we all know what happened. He had a shoulder injury back in the day. Some doctor who PA hired to be overly cautious, says irregardless of how Balfour has performed, he does not like how the arm looks, and he killed the deal.

The issue is, Balfour was willing to take less money because he wanted to play here, and now his market value has been seriously hurt. Obviously other agents, and players will notice, and this will hurt our ability to sign players. The reality is, Tommy John and arm issues in general are the norm, and signing pitchers is an absolute crap shoot.

What's funny is it is position players that PA gives the big money too, and they repeatedly have issues and disappoint. Belle? Markakis? Roberts?

I think every team in baseball would have signed Markakis to that deal.

[mdbdotcom]

Absolutely. And now we'll see if other teams agree with the Orioles.

Someone will give him a shot. Some doctors might not think there's an issue.

[crawjo]

Isn't it also just as likely that the A's have had the same concerns with Balfour, which is why they never seemed to consider resigning him?

[birdcrazy]

I think every team in baseball would have signed Markakis to that deal.

Or Roberts, or Belle. That's my point is long term, expensive contracts are a crap shoot. With how often pitchers get injured and have Tommy John anymore, I think you can't be too picky. If Balfour gets the same deal somewhere else, we will know it is poor judgment on the O's.

[MDK02]

Something tells me this was more about the amount of money per year than the actual physical. The concern for injury just sounds better than.. ahhh, nevermind I don't want to pay you 15 mil over 2 years. Hope they don't regret this, most likely will though.

[Guest]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Grant Balfour is mystified by <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Orioles&src=hash">#Orioles</a> backing out of deal because of health concerns, tells me he is "100 percent fine." <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Athletics&src=hash">#Athletics</a></p>— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) <a href="

">December 20, 2013</a></blockquote>

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[Guest]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Balfour tells me his MRIs, incl R shoulder, are the exact same as they were three years ago. "I'm the All-Star pitcher I was last season."</p>— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) <a href="

">December 20, 2013</a></blockquote>

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We are a joke. Peter just sell the team

[Guest]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>More Balfour: "My shoulder is fine, everything is fine. I'm ready to come out there in the ninth inning, do what I do." <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Athletics&src=hash">#Athletics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Orioles&src=hash">#Orioles</a></p>— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) <a href="

">December 20, 2013</a></blockquote>

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[TouchemAll]

Starting to smell like PA more by the minute :rofl::slytf:

[Can_of_corn]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>More Balfour: "My shoulder is fine, everything is fine. I'm ready to come out there in the ninth inning, do what I do." <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Athletics&src=hash">#Athletics</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Orioles&src=hash">#Orioles</a></p>— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) <a href="

">December 20, 2013</a></blockquote>

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Interesting that Roch retweeted that, if he is just a shill for PA and all...

[spneca]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Balfour tells me his MRIs, incl R shoulder, are the exact same as they were three years ago. "I'm the All-Star pitcher I was last season."</p>? Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) <a href="

">December 20, 2013</a></blockquote>

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We are a joke. Peter just sell the team

Why would he say anything else? He wants to get paid still. Someone will sign him.

[Guest]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Balfour says he doesn't want to bad-mouth anyone, says of the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Orioles&src=hash">#Orioles</a>, "I guess they chose to go another route." <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Athletics&src=hash">#Athletics</a></p>— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) <a href="

">December 20, 2013</a></blockquote>

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[Finisher]

Obviously other agents, and players will notice, and this will hurt our ability to sign players.

This might be a concern if we actually signed free agents.

Will be fun if Balfour winds up with the Yankees and we have to face him in the 8th repeatedly. Could be Koji redux. At least we'll find out which team matched/bettered our offer (probably Yankees as a setup guy/Robertson insurance or Mariners).

Most players have wear and tear. You can "find something" on a lot of players, especially pitchers, to back out of a deal.

[Guest]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Balfour is taking the high road, even though the reality is that <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Orioles&src=hash">#Orioles</a> stepping away from deal after a physical will cost him a lot of $.</p>— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) <a href="

">December 20, 2013</a></blockquote>

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Best tweet so far.

[xian4]

Due diligence says $15 million guarantee is too much of a risk. Bottom line ...