Connolly: source says Arroyo scared off by Balfour situation (Schmuck Update)

[mdbdotcom]

I can't see that anyone would. If you wanted Arroyo, and there are many who did, this is damning.

For me, the worst part was where it said that if they'd made the offer three weeks ago they would have landed him. Sometimes, you have to make a decision and go for it. As with most things in life, you don't make a good impression by being the second party to make a good offer.

[mcgraw238]

What evidence do you have that the Orioles have used a failed physical for leverage to sign a player? The physical takes place after the negotiation process is complete.

A former GM of the club suggested exactly that in an old article. Some may not like him, some may question his motives, and some may question his credibility but it is "evidence" nevertheless. Additionally, I believe Balfour's agent would allege that this is exactly would happen in the Balfour case.

I doubt its an actual strategy but its appears to be a concern in the industry and you have to be careful of: perception = reality.

[TonySoprano]

I wonder if the countless veteran posters that ridiculed and chased off the "complainers" will accept there was validity to their concerns.

Ha-yeah right.

I feel this board is a place for 20-30 friends to "hangout" and they just chase off the others with different views.

Oh well, whatever. Everything is peachy in Oriole land. Carry on...

Such a flawed premise....I can count on one hand (or less) the number of "complainers" who are no longer here. Mention Peter Angelos to this "veteran," and you won't see me writing him Valentines. Whatever...

[crawjo]

This was obviously going to be true. There was no way that agents and players watching the Balfour situation unfold wouldn't make that an issue. I don't think it will prevent pitchers from signing here, but it will be an impediment.

The thing is, I'm still not sure how much this is a bad thing. You can lose a lot of money on the veteran pitcher market.

[Can_of_corn]

What evidence do you have that the Orioles have used a failed physical for leverage to sign a player? The physical takes place after the negotiation process is complete.

The fact that the team, after failing a player based on the results of the physical, does tend to make revised offers does provide shade in which this idea can take root.

[isestrex]

And this is why people got really upset about the Balfour thing. It's going to have an effect for quite some time, folks.

Unless Balfour's arm falls off, I agree.

[El Gordo]

Dan has real sources. I'd trust him here. His sources are not other news-people or folks in the Orioles organization.

I'm sorry. He has lost all credibility in my eyes. The next thing you know he'll be saying that the O's could afford to spend more than 83M this year. He'll be down there in the mud wallowing with the likes of Schmuck. Say it aint so Dan.

[El Gordo]

Unless Arroyo is concerned that he really would have had an issue. Hard to believe though. Other than the velocity drop we've been seeing over the last four years, he has shown no proclivity to being injured.

Neither has Balfour.

[Dipper9]

Such a flawed premise....I can count on one hand (or less) the number of "complainers" who are no longer here. Mention Peter Angelos to this "veteran," and you won't see me writing him Valentines. Whatever...

Soprano :hearts: Angelos!

Search your feelings....you know it to be true!

[MemphisOsFan]

The concern, the source said, was that if the Orioles weren't 100 percent committed to Arroyo and the deal they had offered, the club could pull back on the deal after the physical and attempt to re-negotiate an agreement.

And, this late in the offseason, especially with a 37-year-old, there'd be very little chance he could find a similar contract elsewhere if he were perceived as potentially damaged goods.

This makes good business sense from Arroyo and his agent's standpoint. They want to maximize their return on the length of a contract and how much that contract is worth. If there is somehow even a minut chance that the Orioles physical finds something, it hurts his possibility of getting the contract and dollars that he wants.

[Ommaculate]

I wonder if the countless veteran posters that ridiculed and chased off the "complainers" will accept there was validity to their concerns.

Ha-yeah right.

I feel this board is a place for 20-30 friends to "hangout" and they just chase off the others with different views.

Oh well, whatever. Everything is peachy in Oriole land. Carry on...

Why don't you bugoff then? Nats board is waiting, you already said you are a Nats fan. That is disgusting, I hate DC it's nasty and dirty, you will fit in.

[SeaBird]

What evidence do you have that the Orioles have used a failed physical for leverage to sign a player? The physical takes place after the negotiation process is complete.

And the deal is contingent on the player passing the physical after terms are agreed to. If the good doctors of Mr. Angelos "find" something wrong, well then, it's "Uhhh....Houston...we have a problem. Looks like we need to tweak and renegotiate what we previously agreed to."

[Chavez Ravine]

None of the above.

I think what most people think (that aren't the usual "stop complaining because it pains me so crowd"):

I think the Orioles medical staff is probably directed to find things to help with the negotiating process.

Let's be real here-a physical is a big "grey" area. Someone can find something, someone can't particularly with a major league pitcher that will have some normal wear and tear from throwing a baseball so hard for so long. I am no doctor, but I feel that is pretty accurate.

I think that is the problem here.

The physical as negotiating tool doesn't make any sense to me (either as a tool or that the O's would try to use it). This isn't an arbitration hearing. Dan can simply say straight up, you are a 36 year old pitcher and I don't trust your shoulder staying intact for two years, we don't want to guarantee the second year. He doesn't need a doctor to provide evidence to back him up. Plus, the player could just get their own dueling doctor to say otherwise. It makes much more sense that the doctors found something, and then the O's changed the offer based on that.

[El Gordo]

I've no reason to doubt the possibility this is true. However, all this leads me to question exactly what the disconnect is in the team physical process. Is it:

A. The Orioles staff is more thorough than other teams and they find stuff that others don't.

B. The Orioles staff is incompetent and thinks they're finding things when others wouldn't.

C. The Orioles as a team are overly sensitive about anything that looks remotely risky.

D. Somewhere in between.

E. None of the above.

F. Other.

You omitted a factor. Who fits this description? disdainful and distrustful of baseball professionals. Extremely slow and deliberate in decision making. Highly risk averse especially when it comes to medical questions. DD?

[UMDTerrapins]

I'm pretty happy to hear this. The Balfour situation stunk on its own merit. But this is a real life example to PA that there are consequences, and not just unprovable, theoretical consequences, that his actions contribute to players not wanting to play here. And it's a truth that has existed for well over a decade now. We need to overcome this stigma, and voiding a $7.5 million/year contract based on an inconclusive (or at least debatable) set of medical reports moves us in the wrong direction.

Not that it matters. PA long since exempted himself from believing anything other than all of his actions being brilliant. Old dog........