Balfour speaks...

[mcgraw238]

Glad I got a chance to rip PA just a little bit on the air... as if he or anyone else cares. But they're really not holding much back with what they're saying about the organization. That someone literally just wanted to pull out of the deal, and this was their way out.

Wish I could have heard you...It must have been somewhat therapeutic. This offseason is really testing my sanity. For some reason I thought once we turned the corner and started winning that the franchise would act professional.

[Sanfran327]

Wish I could have heard you...It must have been somewhat therapeutic. This offseason is really testing my sanity. For some reason I thought once we turned the corner and started winning that the franchise would act professional.

It wasn't anything over the top. They had been ripping the organization before they took my call, so as a lead in to my question, I just told them that "I agreed 100% with their assessment of the ownership; it's terrible, and this situation is just making it worse," then asked if there was any way the two sides could re-open negotiations. They emphatically said no, and them I asked what any decent FA pitcher's motivation would be to come to Baltimore after this. They went on to say that this is another example of this behavior in Baltimore, and that they're getting closer and closer to being forced to find/develop all of their own pitching, because this will definitely have an effect on their ability to sign FA talent.

[ledzepp8]

To me, "offering" implies that they're working on a deal. They were not. The deal was done. 2 years, $14 Mil.; $500k deferred each year. The only thing left was the physical. Personally, I think this was just the O's being cheap. Balfour is 36, but they guaranteed him 2 years because he's the best of what's available on the market (by a pretty decent margin). Whether it was Angelos (get's my vote) or Duquette, someone clearly saw this as an opportunity to possibly get out from guaranteeing $7.5 Mil. to a relief pitcher in his age 37 year.

If they were too cheap to pay him that much over 2 years then why did they pursue him, negotiate, and agree to the deal in the first place? Or are you saying they agreed to the 2 year deal, with the intention of purposefully "finding" something in the physical that they could use to try and strong arm Balfour into agreeing to only 1 guaranteed year?

That seems to be quite the conspiracy theory. Where do I get my tinfoil hat?

[ledzepp8]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Kremchek's final comment "you just can't go strictly on MRI"s on a 37 year old pitcher?We (Cinci) have signed pitchers with worse conditions</p>? Jim Duquette (@Jim_Duquette) <a href="

">December 22, 2013</a></blockquote>

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

This isn't a great argument. The fact that there are other teams willing to take on risk that the Orioles (or potential other teams) aren't willing to take on doesn't invalidate the Orioles position that it is too risky to guarantee a 2nd year.

[TonySoprano]

If they were too cheap to pay him that much over 2 years then why did they pursue him, negotiate, and agree to the deal in the first place? Or are you saying they agreed to the 2 year deal, with the intention of purposefully "finding" something in the physical that they could use to try and strong arm Balfour into agreeing to only 1 guaranteed year?

That seems to be quite the conspiracy theory. Where do I get my tinfoil hat?

The so-called 'tin foil hat" argument would be Duquette negotiated the deal in good faith, but then his boss had other ideas and wanted to reduce the value and risk of the contract. Now if you're Balfour's agent at this point, do you accept a lesser deal (one year+option) or do you try to get two guaranteed years on the market?

[MDK02]

I still think balfour gets a 2 year deal somewhere. Like he said, he hasn't been hurt in 8 seasons and his MRIs look fine. I bet he gets a similar contract to what we were supposedly going to give him.

[Rene88]

I know everyone is quick to defend Angelos and site Sele, etc. but this is a joke. A complete 3-ring circus. We have no chance of getting anyone of consquence. This franchise has an actual chance to compete and we are going backwards. The most inept of organizations could have improved this club by now. I am 100% sure if we just did polls on who to sign on this board, we could do a better job (even though Headley would be playing 3B:) ha ha).

[Can_of_corn]

The so-called 'tin foil hat" argument would be Duquette negotiated the deal in good faith, but then his boss had other ideas and wanted to reduce the value and risk of the contract. Now if you're Balfour's agent at this point, do you accept a lesser deal (one year+option) or do you try to get two guaranteed years on the market?

One + Option closing vs 2 guaranteed setting up?

Hmmm

That would be an interesting situation.

[Can_of_corn]

I know everyone is quick to defend Angelos and site Sele, etc. but this is a joke. A complete 3-ring circus. We have no chance of getting anyone of consquence. This franchise has an actual chance to compete and we are going backwards. The most inept of organizations could have improved this club by now. I am 100% sure if we just did polls on who to sign on this board, we could do a better job (even though Headley would be playing 3B:) ha ha).

So you would have gone against the advice of your medical team and gave him the two years?

[TonySoprano]

Reliever Grant Balfour told MLB Network Radio's Jim Duquette and Jim Bowden today that four teams are "excited to have me on board," and he's got at least one offer on the table.

source - Roch Kubatko

[MrOrange82]

So you would have gone against the advice of your medical team and gave him the two years?

I think he would investigate getting a new medical team. Of course, that presupposes that he'd be in a position to "go against the advice of [his] medical team," which, in turn, implies that PA would be out of the picture. PA being gone would probably obviate the need for a new medical team.

[mcgraw238]

So you would have gone against the advice of your medical team and gave him the two years?

The bolded is the way the O's are spinning the story, but Balfour says they weren't given any substantive reasons for the O's pulling away which is what is fueling the PA nixed it stuff. Whatever the story, this really hurts the O's.

[baltfan]

The two doctors supporting Balfour are guys he has a relationship with. He married the assistant to Kremcheck and has a personal relationship with the Rays doctor. They are hardly unbiased.

[weams]

The two doctors supporting Balfour are guys he has a relationship with. He married the assistant to Kremcheck and has a personal relationship with the Rays doctor. They are hardly unbiased.

I don't blame him for finding a venue that would allow for him to spin his health. It sounded very scripted. It sounded like a good opening argument. I don't blame his agent for attempting this and for finding favorable expert witnesses. But make no mistake, That is what they did.

[mcgraw238]

The two doctors supporting Balfour are guys he has a relationship with. He married the assistant to Kremcheck and has a personal relationship with the Rays doctor. They are hardly unbiased.

They may have some factors implicating their bias but all that matters is whether what they say is credible. Balfour passed a physical with the A's years ago and his camp says there is no change in the images. The coming weeks, months and even years will tell the rest of the story. The O's have stumbled big this offseason, The Balfour story is just one of those stumbles.