Source: O's working on Fernando Rodney...

[scOtt]

Ya'll realize if we spend 5m or more on Rodney there won't be many marbles left right?

This move just screams of desperation and looks reactionary to say the least. Got to keep the charade going though, they are trying. They really are.

Wha? 5 mill puts us at about 88. That leaves 12.

[clapdiddy]

I don't want Rodney. If he was just used as a bullpen arm in general, then I would be good with it, but I know Buck will pencil him into the closer role. Ugh.

I would rather give Stinson or Steve Johnson a bullpen spot.

Me too!

[Nigel Tufnel]

One of his recent tweets was complaining about the tip he got as a server.

Yeah, he's like 19 years old - he's still in college.

[baltfan]

Didn't Rodney pitch in the WBC last year? Isn't there a long history of pitchers having good years and then pitching in the WBC and having a bad year? Question is what is the rebound rate after that.

At least it is something to grasp onto if Rodney does sign with the Orioles.

[Os84]

I am ok with Rodney if we also sign a respectable SP (Burnett, Jimenez, Arroyo, etc.).

[canonfaz]

Didn't Rodney pitch in the WBC last year? Isn't there a long history of pitchers having good years and then pitching in the WBC and having a bad year? Question is what is the rebound rate after that.

At least it is something to grasp onto if Rodney does sign with the Orioles.

Well, that's something at least

[Austin]

So how many weeks does this deal linger in purgatory, before we learn he failed his physical?

[gold21030]

I'm guessing the other "significant" addition he is talking about is a starter. Probably Arroyo, or Santana. Hopefully Arroyo.

[ShaneDawg85]

I just don't understand how anybody could prefer him over Johnson. If Johnson drove you mad, Rodney will drive you nuts. Yes I know 2012 was an amazing season for Rodney, but so it was the same for Johnson and that didn't buy him much love one year later. He'd been worth 1.4 WAR his entire career prior to 2012. Even for a reliever that just isn't inspiring. Even before 2012, JJ had been worth 6.4 WAR. Bottom line, as a set up guy he could be tolerable, but expensive. As a closer, I just don't see the reason to go with Rodney at this point over Hunter. Their best chance was Balfour and that blew up in the face. Rodney is not a good consolation prize, at all.

[Chavez Ravine]

The A's - Ray's - O's love triangle of ageing "proven" closers should be fun to watch. Maybe MLB TV can turn it into a telenovela?

[Il BuonO]

I gotta say, this just isn't true. If you're cited by MLBTR and Rosenthal, then you have to be legit. What other standards for legitness are we looking for?

Is legitness anything like legitimacy?

[brooks1083]

I will really miss watching the O's during save situations for the duration of his contract.

Call me what you will but I approve this message. This would really be the exclamation point of this off season for me.

[Slade-OH]

I am ok with Rodney if we also sign a respectable SP (Burnett, Jimenez, Arroyo, etc.).

Same, I want Burnett. And I'd like to believe that the Monkton resident wants us too.

[Going Underground]

Too legit to quit. Red Lobster of course. I see the O's getting a starting pitcher. Before Fanfest.

[fearthenoodle]

You could absolutely argue that Rodney is a better fit than Balfour or Johnson.

In the case of Johnson, it's as simple as Rodney should not cost as much as the $10MM JJ got. It should be much closer to the $12MM that Balfour received.

With Balfour, both pitchers have big K numbers. Both have had BB problems (4.4/9 career for Rodney and 3.9/9 career for Balfour). The big difference? Balfour is a FB pitcher (career 35% GB rate) and Rodney is a GB pitcher (career 50% GB rate) which profiles better at OPACY.

A lot of the Rodney hate stems from the arrow-shooting and the fact that he had a couple truly awful years in the middle of his career.