Who were the best one-year Orioles?

[PaulFolk]

Has nobody mentioned Mike Torrez yet? He was a 20-game winner in his one and only season with the Orioles (1975). Pitched a tidy 270.2 innings that year.

[ShaneDawg85]

Lee Smith could qualify, if you consider that he only pitched 38.1 innings all year and saved 33 games to lead the league. But when you consider that he only pitched 38.1 innings all year and was used exclusively as a closer, you're better off not considering him.

[DrungoHazewood]

Has nobody mentioned Mike Torrez yet? He was a 20-game winner in his one and only season with the Orioles (1975). Pitched a tidy 270.2 innings that year.

Torrez was one of the strangest 20-game winners in history. Only year with the Orioles. Had a K:BB ratio less than one, and walked a batter every other inning. Only struck out about 4 per nine. Had a FIP almost a run higher than his ERA, and a very low BABIP. Had the highest strand rate of his career. It was as if a 36-year-old Steve Traschel had every possible break go his way and he won 20.

[weams]

[OFFNY]

Wow. Those videos almost look like colorized 1920's vintage film compared to today's standard. Sometimes I marvel at how far technologically we have come in just my lifetime. It especially strikes me when I see 70's home movies or black and white prints from the era. Even stuff from the 80's was a huge leap.

Seeing those kids at the start of the second video reminds me of myself at that time. I remember those tight shorts and tube socks.

Reggie has always been one of my favorite players of all time. I attended his first game playing for the O's. It was game two of a double header, May 2, 1976, against his old team, the Oakland A's. I don't remember who won. I remember Reggie standing in right field talking to the A's relief pitchers between innings. Ah, what could have been if O's management just opened their wallets.

Technically that was an option, but in reality, it wasn't. I'll explain why.

As the 1976 season was winding down in August and September, there was some talk about the possibility of Reggie staying with the Orioles if Hank Peters had been willing to ante up $1 Million for 4 years, but I believe that that was just lip service from Jackson and the Orioles' front office. I remember when it was all happening, and I remember that while I was appreciating Jackson's solid season that he was having for the Orioles, I also knew in my 10 year-old heart that he was as good as gone, and that my Reggie/Orioles bragging rights historically would only last for that one season.

In fact, even if Hank Peters had matched George Steinbrenner's offer to Reggie of 5 years for $2.96 Million, I suspect that Jackson would not have stayed with the Orioles. After the 1974 season, Catfish Hunter was declared a free agent due to a violation in his contract by Athletics owner Charlie O. Finley. The following off-season ('75-'76) Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally were both declared free agents by judge Peter Seitz when they had played out their option (did not sign a new contract, but rather had their contracts renewed by the reserve clause) in the 1975 season. In the ensuing off-season ('76-'77), the floodgates of free agency (as well as numerous owners that were willing to dish out all sorts of cash that had been previously unheard of) burst wide open, with Reggie Jackson leading the way ........ I don't think that the flamboyant Jackson was willing to give up any of the spotlight that was shining on down upon him, even if it was only giving up a little bit of said spotlight by NOT jumping from one team to another as a free agent had Hank Peters been willing and able to match George Steinbrenner's offer.

Ironically, the Orioles improved drastically in 1977 in spite of losing BOTH Reggie Jackson AND Bobby Grich to free agnecy, and took the Yankees down to the final weekend of the season before being eliminated. Trading Ken Holtzman and company for Rudy May, Scott McGregor, Tippy Martinez, and Rick Dempsey wound up getting us more than we lost in the other part of the Baylor-for-Jackson trade (which was essentially Holtzman for Mike Torrez.)

[DrungoHazewood]

Technically that was an option, but in reality, it wasn't. I'll explain why.

As the 1976 season was winding down in August and September, there was some talk about the possibility of Reggie staying with the Orioles if Hank Peters had been willing to ante up $1 Million for 4 years, but I believe that that was just lip service from Jackson and the Orioles' front office. I remember when it was all happening, and I remember that while I was appreciating Jackson's solid season that he was having for the Orioles, I also knew in my 10 year-old heart that he was as good as gone, and that my Reggie/Orioles bragging rights historically would only last for that one season.

In fact, even if Hank Peters had matched George Steinbrenner's offer to Reggie of 5 years for $2.96 Million, I suspect that Jackson would not have stayed with the Orioles. After the 1974 season, Catfish Hunter was declared a free agent due to a violation in his contract by Athletics owner Charlie O. Finley. The following off-season ('75-'76) Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally were both declared free agents by judge Peter Seitz when they had played out their option (did not sign a new contract, but rather had their contracts renewed by the reserve clause) in the 1975 season. In the ensuing off-season ('76-'77), the floodgates of free agency (as well as numerous owners that were willing to dish out all sorts of cash that had been previously unheard of) burst wide open, with Reggie Jackson leading the way ........ I don't think that the flamboyant Jackson was willing to give up any of the spotlight that was shining on down upon him, even if it was only giving up a little bit of said spotlight by NOT jumping from one team to another as a free agent had Hank Peters been willing and able to match George Steinbrenner's offer.

Ironically, the Orioles improved drastically in 1977 in spite of losing BOTH Reggie Jackson AND Bobby Grich to free agnecy, and took the Yankees down to the final weekend of the season before being eliminated. Trading Ken Holtzman and company for Rudy May, Scott McGregor, Tippy Martinez, and Rick Dempsey wound up getting us more than we lost in the other part of the Baylor-for-Jackson trade (which was essentially Holtzman for Mike Torrez.)

I'm not sure the Orioles' ownership and management fully internalized that free agency wasn't a passing thing until the late 1980s or early 1990s. I think they really believed that paying baseball players some kind of market rate was so insane that it couldn't stand.

[weams]

I'm not sure the Orioles' ownership and management fully internalized that free agency wasn't a passing thing until the late 1980s or early 1990s. I think they really believed that paying baseball players some kind of market rate was so insane that it couldn't stand.

Bankrupt owners often feel that way.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Jeff Stone.

I guaranty that no other Oriole ever had higher urine levels of Marijuana Metabolite than Jeff Stone - EVER!

It is hard to be the best, but he did it.

Don't know about Jeff, But Steve Stone was a great 1 year wonder (apologies if somebody mentioned him already).

[OFFNY]

Technically that was an option, but in reality, it wasn't. I'll explain why.

As the 1976 season was winding down in August and September, there was some talk about the possibility of Reggie staying with the Orioles if Hank Peters had been willing to ante up $1 Million for 4 years, but I believe that that was just lip service from Jackson and the Orioles' front office. I remember when it was all happening, and I remember that while I was appreciating Jackson's solid season that he was having for the Orioles, I also knew in my 10 year-old heart that he was as good as gone, and that my Reggie/Orioles bragging rights historically would only last for that one season.

In fact, even if Hank Peters had matched George Steinbrenner's offer to Reggie of 5 years for $2.96 Million, I suspect that Jackson would not have stayed with the Orioles. After the 1974 season, Catfish Hunter was declared a free agent due to a violation in his contract by Athletics owner Charlie O. Finley. The following off-season ('75-'76) Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally were both declared free agents by judge Peter Seitz when they had played out their option (did not sign a new contract, but rather had their contracts renewed by the reserve clause) in the 1975 season. In the ensuing off-season ('76-'77), the floodgates of free agency (as well as numerous owners that were willing to dish out all sorts of cash that had been previously unheard of) burst wide open, with Reggie Jackson leading the way ........ I don't think that the flamboyant Jackson was willing to give up any of the spotlight that was shining on down upon him, even if it was only giving up a little bit of said spotlight by NOT jumping from one team to another as a free agent had Hank Peters been willing and able to match George Steinbrenner's offer.

Ironically, the Orioles improved drastically in 1977 in spite of losing BOTH Reggie Jackson AND Bobby Grich to free agnecy, and took the Yankees down to the final weekend of the season before being eliminated. Trading Ken Holtzman and company for Rudy May, Scott McGregor, Tippy Martinez, and Rick Dempsey wound up getting us more than we lost in the other part of the Baylor-for-Jackson trade (which was essentially Holtzman for Mike Torrez.)

I'm not sure the Orioles' ownership and management fully internalized that free agency wasn't a passing thing until the late 1980s or early 1990s. I think they really believed that paying baseball players some kind of market rate was so insane that it couldn't stand.

Yeah, some teams (the Angels, the Padres, the Expos, the Yankees, etc.) jumped on the free agent board immediately, and some (like the Orioles) didn't.

One of the first big-money free agents that I remember the Orioles signing was Fred Lynn, in December of 1984.

[Johnny]

Sorry, but this thread got me to thinking about one-year busts... I think I can field a team that prooves shadows can sign contracts.

C Matt Nokes

1b Joe Carter

2b Harrold Reynolds

3b Chris Sabo

SS Ozzie Guillen

Lf Tim Raines

Cf Andy Van Slyke

Rf Dwight Evans

[Capn Vivi]

Sorry, but this thread got me to thinking about one-year busts... I think I can field a team that prooves shadows can sign contracts.

C Matt Nokes

1b Joe Carter

2b Harrold Reynolds

3b Chris Sabo

SS Ozzie Guillen

Lf Tim Raines

Cf Andy Van Slyke

Rf Dwight Evans

Looks like there's still room to DH Garrett Atkins in that line up.

[tom_o'malley]

Phil Bradley (1989) was key to that club. Had 11 triples!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DrungoHazewood]

Sorry, but this thread got me to thinking about one-year busts... I think I can field a team that prooves shadows can sign contracts.

C Matt Nokes

1b Joe Carter

2b Harrold Reynolds

3b Chris Sabo

SS Ozzie Guillen

Lf Tim Raines

Cf Andy Van Slyke

Rf Dwight Evans

Those O's teams from the mid-80s through the mid-90s acquired a washed-up name (or three) almost every year. You could add Terry Kennedy, Ernie Whitt, Jamie Quirk, Rick Burleson, Ray Knight, Lee Lacy, Juan Beniquez, Ron Kittle, Keith Moreland, Luis DeLeon, Mike Pagliarulo, Kevin Bass, Fernando, Craig Lefferts, Mike Morgan, Sid Fernandez, and Dickie Noles.

[Frobby]

Has nobody mentioned Mike Torrez yet? He was a 20-game winner in his one and only season with the Orioles (1975). Pitched a tidy 270.2 innings that year.

Great call. I had forgotten he only pitched one year for us.

[Sanfran327]

I was wondering this morning, but didn't want to start a new thread just about this: Is 2014 Nelson Cruz the biggest bargain FA contract ever? Can't count rookie/pre-arb deals, because that's obvious. But for an $8M FA to put up what he did seems crazy. Anyone else come to mind?