Orioles have agreed to terms with OF Tyler Colvin

[scOtt]

I have to wonder if any of this is posturing. Since Colvin was given a Major League deal, do you think it was a "let's scoop him up now but still see if we can get something better instead" type signing. I know that's a major conspiracy theory that is 100% based on speculation, but you have to think there's some method to this crazyness.

Try to get him on a minor league deal? Very well could be. There would have to be a good reason tho. Otherwise it's bait and switch. Doesn't look to good to other players.

[markakis4pres]

Come on. Do you think Beane is going to come out and say that they don't want Balfour? The "multi-year" thing was for convenience. They are willing to sign set up guys for 2 years but not a closer? Really? They made no effort to sign him. None. Oakland didn't want Balfour.

Wait did Oakland want Balfour you didn't really make it clear?

I'm siding with Dark Helmet because you simply don't know if Beane skipped out on Balfour for health reasons. They didn't want him from the start and weren't going to pay multiple years for a closer, hence the JJ trade to have him for 1 year. Maybe Beane thought JJ gave them a better chance at closing out games. Or maybe Balfour expressed his desire to go elsewhere.

Bottom line is this has been an embarrassing offseason for the O's regardless if they were in the right. All this negativity is going to make potential FA's shy away and that is a fact, as stupid as it may sound. The Orioles FO is not respected and were a an after thought for free agents and something has to change.

[mdbdotcom]

Wait did Oakland want Balfour you didn't really make it clear?

I'm siding with Dark Helmet because you simply don't know if Beane skipped out on Balfour for health reasons. They didn't want him from the start and weren't going to pay multiple years for a closer, hence the JJ trade to have him for 1 year. Maybe Beane thought JJ gave them a better chance at closing out games. Or maybe Balfour expressed his desire to go elsewhere.

Bottom line is this has been an embarrassing offseason for the O's regardless if they were in the right. All this negativity is going to make potential FA's shy away and that is a fact, as stupid as it may sound. The Orioles FO is not respected and were a an after thought for free agents and something has to change.

The Orioles have no interest in signing premium free agents, so what's the difference?

[Number5]

Wait did Oakland want Balfour you didn't really make it clear?

I'm siding with Dark Helmet because you simply don't know if Beane skipped out on Balfour for health reasons. They didn't want him from the start and weren't going to pay multiple years for a closer, hence the JJ trade to have him for 1 year. Maybe Beane thought JJ gave them a better chance at closing out games. Or maybe Balfour expressed his desire to go elsewhere.

Bottom line is this has been an embarrassing offseason for the O's regardless if they were in the right. All this negativity is going to make potential FA's shy away and that is a fact, as stupid as it may sound. The Orioles FO is not respected and were a an after thought for free agents and something has to change.

LOL. No, I can't say that I know Beane's reason. Whatever the reason, however, it is clear that Oakland didn't want Balfour. They paid $10 million for JJ, $5.065 million for Gregorson, $$7 million for 2 years (1 1/2 actually) of O'Flaherty, and their TOTAL payroll is at $70 million. $18.5 million of their total $70 million for 2014 spent on 3 relievers and they didn't talk at all to Balfour. That is a pretty clear statement. Sure. your conspiracy theory makes for nice drama queen fodder, but actual facts - not so much.

[Nigel Tufnel]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Don't discount the fact that I passed 5 Orioles physicals. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23CareerAccomplishments&src=hash">#CareerAccomplishments</a></p>— Jeremy Guthrie (@TheRealJGuts) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealJGuts/statuses/426400057122770945">January 23, 2014</a></blockquote>

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[markakis4pres]

LOL. No, I can't say that I know Beane's reason. Whatever the reason, however, it is clear that Oakland didn't want Balfour. They paid $10 million for JJ, $5.065 million for Gregorson, $$7 million for 2 years (1 1/2 actually) of O'Flaherty, and their TOTAL payroll is at $70 million. $18.5 million of their total $70 million for 2014 spent on 3 relievers and they didn't talk at all to Balfour. That is a pretty clear statement. Sure. your conspiracy theory makes for nice drama queen fodder, but actual facts - not so much.

It's really not a conspiracy theory. I agree that the A's didn't intend to sign Balfour, but I don't believe it was for health reasons. Rays clearly had no problem with it and neither did the Mets.

[mdbdotcom]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Don't discount the fact that I passed 5 Orioles physicals. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23CareerAccomplishments&src=hash">#CareerAccomplishments</a></p>— Jeremy Guthrie (@TheRealJGuts) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealJGuts/statuses/426400057122770945">January 23, 2014</a></blockquote>

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And some people still don't understand why Buck didn't like Jeremy Guthrie.

[mdbdotcom]

It's really not a conspiracy theory. I agree that the A's didn't intend to sign Balfour, but I don't believe it was for health reasons. Rays clearly had no problem with it and neither did the Mets.

The Mets? Why would they have examined him? They didn't have an agreement with him.

[Frobby]

I dunno that was pretty funny.

I thought so.

[mdbdotcom]

I dunno that was pretty funny.

Yes, but it was also a slap.

[epic]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Don't discount the fact that I passed 5 Orioles physicals. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23CareerAccomplishments&src=hash">#CareerAccomplishments</a></p>— Jeremy Guthrie (@TheRealJGuts) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealJGuts/statuses/426400057122770945">January 23, 2014</a></blockquote>

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That's pretty funny.

I don't take that as a backhand to the O's either, especially coming from Guthrie... just him joking around.

[LA2]

And some people still don't understand why Buck didn't like Jeremy Guthrie.

If Buck gets upset over innocuous comments like that, 'tis his problem not Guts'.

[Fla_O'sfan]

32 pages on potentially signing Tyler Colvin. Has this place hit rock bottom?

[Number5]

Yes, but it was also a slap.

Why is that a slap at the Orioles? He is saying that the Orioles' physicals aren't impossible to pass - he passed 5 of them. If anything, it is a slap at Balfour.

[clapdiddy]

32 pages on potentially signing Tyler Colvin. Has this place hit rock bottom?

Unfortunately, there's not a lot of talk about Colvin any more. Well...that could be considered fortunate, but I think this thread has run it's course.