Offseason Rumors and Deals Around MLB

[weams]

Cheap Outfielder with a little speed. Doesn't excite me at all.

Hopes that Camden Yards might be helpful?

2012 29 SDP NL 148 470 417 62 110 26 8 9 45 24 6 41 94 .264 .335 .429 .765 115 179 2 5 5 2 2 *987

2013 30 SDP NL 151 515 481 64 129 22 8 22 53 22 6 29 118 .268 .312 .484 .796 126 233 6 2 2 1 4 *98

[CaptainRedbeard]

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The

#Indians

and

#Orioles

have both expressed an interest in free agent outfielder Will Venable, sources say.

? Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick)

December 2, 2015

Not sure what purpose he could serve, so I'm inclined to basically ignore this.

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I like Venable. He's left handed, a good defender, can play all 3 OF positions, and can hit RHP acceptably. He's similar to Lough but overall a much better player, as he's not as good defensively but can actually hold his own with the bat.

Venable's certainly not a good hitter and he's coming off a two rough seasons in a row with the bat so he won't cost much at all. He would be an cheap and effective way to fill the strong side of a platoon with Reimold/Hoes in either LF or RF, also filling the role of backup CF on the roster, leaving more money to fill remaining positions.

[xian4]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Orioles?src=hash">#Orioles</a> are in market for a lefthanded OF bat. Venable can play both corners and could back up Adam Jones in center.</p>— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) <a href="

">December 2, 2015</a></blockquote>

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[weams]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Orioles?src=hash">#Orioles</a> are in market for a lefthanded OF bat. Venable can play both corners and could back up Adam Jones in center.</p>— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) <a href="

">December 2, 2015</a></blockquote>

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A Lough DFA seems like a possibility.

[El Gordo]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Orioles?src=hash">#Orioles</a> are in market for a lefthanded OF bat. Venable can play both corners and could back up Adam Jones in center.</p>? Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) <a href="

">December 2, 2015</a></blockquote>

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So could Denard Span.

[xian4]

Add Crush to the mix and we have all our position players, depth and cover in each position.

[mdbdotcom]

Venable has a career .758 OPS outside of PETCO, including .754 (with .345 OBP) last season.

[xian4]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Vance Worley, Orioles avoid arb and settle at $2.6M via <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS">@JonHeymanCBS</a></p>— Brittany Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) <a href="

">December 2, 2015</a></blockquote>

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[CaptainRedbeard]

Fair enough. He's also 33 and can't get on base a lick. I'd be ok with a cheap ST invite kind of deal.

He's certainly getting a guaranteed contract. I expect he's holding out for 2 yrs but he's not gonna get that (at least not from us). The question is whether we get him for closer to $2-3M, which would be great, or $6-7M, which he might get but probably isn't worth.

And he's actually decent at getting on base. His problem is more a lack of power outside of an anomalous 22 HR season in 2013, but he's played his whole career in PETCO. He has a .317 career OBP and actually walks at a fair clip (8.1%). Last year, even though he hit poorly, he had a .336 OBP vs RHP. Career .256/.324/.422 hitter vs RHP, and .267/.330/.427 on the road.

I would think we'd be a more attractive option for him than CLE, given we play in a great hitter's stadium for lefties and can guarantee him a job and playing time, so we should get him unless they offer significantly more.

[clapdiddy]

Venable would be a nice 4th OF type, or maybe a platoon partner with Hoes, but we still need another outfielder.

[mdbdotcom]

He's certainly getting a guaranteed contract. I expect he's holding out for 2 yrs but he's not gonna get that (at least not from us). The question is whether we get him for closer to $2-3M, which would be great, or $6-7M, which he might get but probably isn't worth.

And he's actually decent at getting on base. His problem is more a lack of power outside of an anomalous 22 HR season in 2013, but he's played his whole career in PETCO. He has a .317 career OBP and actually walks at a fair clip (8.1%). Last year, even though he hit poorly, he had a .336 OBP vs RHP. Career .256/.324/.422 hitter vs RHP, and .267/.330/.427 on the road.

I would think we'd be a more attractive option for him than CLE, given we play in a great hitter's stadium for lefties and can guarantee him a job and playing time, so we should get him unless they offer significantly more.

Worst case scenario, he ends up being Parra but at a much more palatable price. Best case, he's a 1-1.5 WAR player for much less than the going rate.

[xian4]

By the way Adam Jones is talking, Crush has gone ...

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Vance Worley, Orioles avoid arb and settle at $2.6M via <a href="https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS">@JonHeymanCBS</a></p>— Brittany Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) <a href="

">December 2, 2015</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Especially when you're a passionate person. I'll just <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StayHungry?src=hash">#StayHungry</a> as I always do.</p>— 10 (@SimplyAJ10) <a href="

">December 2, 2015</a></blockquote>

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[xian4]

Sorry for the rubbish cut & pasting.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Especially when you're a passionate person. I'll just <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StayHungry?src=hash">#StayHungry</a> as I always do.</p>— 10 (@SimplyAJ10) <a href="

">December 2, 2015</a></blockquote>

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[xian4]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Keeping your opinions to yourself isn't the easiest thing to do. But hey. It's all part of it</p>— 10 (@SimplyAJ10) <a href="

">December 2, 2015</a></blockquote>

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[DrungoHazewood]

Fair enough. He's also 33 and can't get on base a lick. I'd be ok with a cheap ST invite kind of deal.

Career .324 OBP against righties, and half that in PETCO. Nowadays that at least average.