Source: Orioles Close To Signing Kevin Gregg To Two Year Deal

[MikeAD]

That money could be better used elsewhere IMO.

Theres guys ranging from Crain to Jenks that I'd rather sign. Also this is a very poor contract.

[webbrick2010]

we're over our annual waste money on mediocre bullpen pitchers ritual ... oops guess not.

The final cost for the Reynolds trade is going up.

DH Not really replaced at great cost by Gregg

Kam Mikilio

Ty Wiggington not resigned.

[SilentJames]

This is really the key point in all this. I don't care at all if they spend 2/$12 mm on a Grade B reliever, so long as it doesn't stop us from going after Lee or Laroche now or a bigger name next offseason.

What I do care about, is actually getting some decent results for our money, for once. Is that so much to ask?

This. So long as we sign a first-baseman by Christmas I don't really care about this money.

[flashjordnk]

An ERA in the 3.7-4 range, for a reliever, isn't that good.

You can get that production for 1 million bucks or less.

He isn't elite.

He does get a lot of K's but that's the only good thing you can say about him.

Just stupid...At least we didn't lose a pick but this is actually a dumber signing than Gonzo..if you just look at the signing in a vacuum and take out the draft pick part of it.

Gonzo is/was a better pitcher than Gregg.

Agreed I think Gonzo was a better pitcher. I am curious what kind of influence Buck has in all of this. But the O's need relief pitchers. So I can't hate on a move to bring some in.

And then bring in the 1 mill guys too. Find the ones that stick and dump the rest. Stability is something this team never seems to have and if Gregg can help bring it I support him.

Not to derail this thread, but really interesting read on how replacement level players just aren't actually that easy to find. We always talk about replacement level players but in actuality

In the major leagues in 2010, 24.5 percent of all innings were thrown by pitchers who ended the season with a negative WAR.

link

I'd pay for some consistency.

[SoBo]

JJ, Koji and Gonzalez are not exactly ironmen, so I don't see the issue with bringing in a guy that has a history of success as a closer as a back up option.

[MrOrange82]

How do good relievers usually wind up in re: WAR? Superficially, I don't look at it as a good thing that he hasn't been worth more than 0.9 above replacement level since 2004. And 22 blown saves over the last 3 years. Wonderful.

[Sports Guy]

The Orioles had four relief pitchers that had an ERA under 4.00 last year. Will Ohman was one of them. Jason Berken was another and noone knows how healthy he is.

So how else do you want to upgrade your bullpen? Resign Matt Albers? What other option do you have for our bullpen?

There are tons of options out there...Every year, relievers are picked up off of the scrap heap and have big years.

Reclamation projects like Delcarmen make sense..Guys with great K and BB numbers like Peralta make sense.

There are always guys available that with good scouting and proper analysis, you can get cheap.

[SilentJames]

we're over our annual waste money on mediocre bullpen pitchers ritual ... oops guess not.

The final cost for the Reynolds trade is going up.

DH Not really replaced at great cost by Gregg

Kam Mikilio

Ty Wiggington not resigned.

Really, REALLY? I mean I love DH and all, but Gregg is at least DH stuff. Moreover, what exactly has Kam Mickolio done for this organization?

[Arthur_Bryant]

The past four years he has had an ERA under 4.00 in 3 years and an ERA+ of 119 or more in 3 years. How exactly is he below average?

An ERA series of 3.41, 4.72 and 3.51 is nothing too impressive for a back end reliever. Likewise an ERA+ ranging between 95 and 128. That is comparing him to starters, mop-up guys... everybody. Back end pitchers are supposed to be better in short appearances--way better. Check out the ERA+ of the really good late-inning guys. The numbers you cite basically define mediocrity in a late-inning pitcher.

Only the fact that he is a Type B keeps this from being a truly awful signing.

And they sure better get a quality solution at 1B/DH if they have this kind of money to throw around on mediocrity in the pen.

[Brendan25]

There are tons of options out there...Every year, relievers are picked up off of the scrap heap and have big years.

Reclamation projects like Delcarmen make sense..Guys with great K and BB numbers like Peralta make sense.

There are always guys available that with good scouting and proper analysis, you can get cheap.

I completely agree. Will Ohman was one of them. Noone expected him to be as dominant as he was to start the year last year. But there are also scrap players that get picked up and play like Garrett Atkins.

Is Gregg as good as Rafael Soriano? No, but he is CONSISTANTLY a reliever that has an ERA around 3.50 - 4.00. I'll pay for that.

[waroriole]

How do good relievers usually wind up in re: WAR? Superficially, I don't look at it as a good thing that he hasn't been worth more than 0.9 above replacement level since 2004. And 22 blown saves over the last 3 years. Wonderful.

Not very high. Rivera has been over 2.6 WAR only three times in his career. IMO, WAR doesn't do a good job in accounting for their value, but I don't really have much to back it up except pointing you to Rivera's worth.

[Sports Guy]

we're over our annual waste money on mediocre bullpen pitchers ritual ... oops guess not.

The final cost for the Reynolds trade is going up.

DH Not really replaced at great cost by Gregg

Kam Mikilio

Ty Wiggington not resigned.

Kam isn't good and Wiggy is terrible.

Acting like these 2 matter is a joke and shows an idiotic agenda with very little validity behind it.

You must be a real drag at parties..Bet you are at the top of the invite lists!

[waroriole]

Really, REALLY? I mean I love DH and all, but Gregg is at least DH stuff. Moreover, what exactly has Kam Mickolio done for this organization?

You're wasting your time. If we hadn't signed Gregg, he would complain about that.

[SrMeowMeow]

There are tons of options out there...Every year, relievers are picked up off of the scrap heap and have big years.

Reclamation projects like Delcarmen make sense..Guys with great K and BB numbers like Peralta make sense.

There are always guys available that with good scouting and proper analysis, you can get cheap.

Okay, I don't 100% agree. Every year, many of the best relievers are signed off the scrap heap, but this is more an artifact of reliever seasons being small sample sizes by definition than because reliever true talent is specifically more valuable than starter true talent. If you want consistent production, you have to pay for quality, if you can identify it. If you roll the dice on cheap acquisitions, sometimes you get what you need and sometimes you get a guy who's cut in Spring Training.

[NCRaven]

If this deal gets done, I have to say that I like our bullpen more with Gregg than without, whether he sets up or closes. It also gives us more options in the late innings with Koji, Gregg, Gonzalez and Johnson some experience closing. VandenHurk looked solid in a long role, but Berken remains a real question mark due to the shoulder labrum issue - at least over a full season. At this point, another lefty would be nice, whether it's Patton or someone from outside the organization, and then call it a day. Let Pelzer and Rosario compete with the rest and you at least have the makings of a competent pen.