Even after big Jimenez signing, Orioles have remained in contact with Ervin Santana.

[erb8472]

Why not just sign Cruz, Morales, and Santana?

[Aglets]

Roch just dumped some cold water on this rumor on his blog. He says the O's are not looking to add another big free agent contract to the rotation.

[Os84]

Don't know, but deferred payments are good. $10MM due down the road is worth less than it would be now. With no interest.

This is true to a degree, but if they start deferring too much, it could really hurt the team later. A little from Jimenez here, a little from Santana/Morales there, etc.

[Hank Scorpio]

Roch just dumped some cold water on this rumor on his blog. He says the O's are not looking to add another big free agent contract to the rotation.

Yeah my suspicion is that this is agent-based.

[Guest]

Roch just dumped some cold water on this rumor on his blog. He says the O's are not looking to add another big free agent contract to the rotation.

Roch has said all off-season the Orioles would never go past 3 years on a pitcher.

[Guest]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Can confirm that <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Orioles&src=hash">#Orioles</a> still hold interest in FA RHP Ervin Santana. Sides had dialogue as recently as yesterday, per industry source.</p>— Eduardo A. Encina (@EddieInTheYard) <a href="

">February 21, 2014</a></blockquote>

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

[Hank Scorpio]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Can confirm that <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Orioles&src=hash">#Orioles</a> still hold interest in FA RHP Ervin Santana. Sides had dialogue as recently as yesterday, per industry source.</p>— Eduardo A. Encina (@EddieInTheYard) <a href="

">February 21, 2014</a></blockquote>

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

Well, that's interesting.

[fearthenoodle]

This is true to a degree, but if they start deferring too much, it could really hurt the team later. A little from Jimenez here, a little from Santana/Morales there, etc.

Maybe. But with the TV deal increasing each year, and MASN, and hopefully continued success, it would have to be a whole ton of deferred money to really hurt.

[LayzieDES]

I'm pretty sure my head might explode if we also signed Santana (not even sure if it's good or bad). I honestly won't believe it til it's signed, sealed, & delivered.

[Orioles0615]

What if we signed Morales and Santana, where does that leave us with the draft picks?

[24fps]

This is true to a degree, but if they start deferring too much, it could really hurt the team later. A little from Jimenez here, a little from Santana/Morales there, etc.

A little to Bobby Bonilla, a little to Vlad Guerrero...

[LayzieDES]

What if we signed Morales and Santana, where does that leave us with the draft picks?

Would lose 55th & 91st picks. Wouldn't have one until the 4th round...somewhere around 122.

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/draft/y2014/order.jsp

[Os84]

Maybe. But with the TV deal increasing each year, and MASN, and hopefully continued success, it would have to be a whole ton of deferred money to really hurt.

That is true if you believe the Angelos family will actually put that all back into the payroll.

[jamalshw]

Was just about to post that, Birdland. We have a beat reporter face off, ladies and gentlemen.

Ed gets mostly industry sources rather than Roch's team sources, though. Let's see.

I wish there was a way to know which source is true. My guess is Orioles are keeping tabs in case price completely plummets but not heavy interest and one source leaking it was from Santana's camp to make it look like there was more competition. Meanwhile, Orioles sources want to squash that rumor so as to not disappoint fan base when it doesn't happen.

[kyleott]

As far as the $$ deferral is concerned for Jimenez, I believe its sole purpose is freeing up additional payroll in this present season. If it is $2.5 million deferred annually without interest, and he's listed as on the books for $2.5 mil in 2017 (5 seasons from now), then essentially, each number after the $11.25 for this season is unaffected, as it's subtracting and adding $2.5 million.

It's a savvy move to save space on the present payroll while we still have some expensive expiring contracts. And also makes one think that it was done with the intention of adding to the payroll.