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Orioles sign Izturis

Tuesday, December 16th, 2008

The Baltimore Orioles agreed to a $5 million, two-year contract with free agent shortstop Cesar Izturis on Tuesday. The 28-year-old Izturis batted .263 in 135 games with the St. Louis Cardinals this year. He ranked third in the NL with a .980 fielding percentage.

Izturis won the 2004 Gold Glove for the Los Angeles Dodgers and was an NL All-Star the following year. He fills the void at shortstop left by the trade in 2007 that sent Miguel Tejada to the Houston Astros. The Orioles employed six players at the position this year, including Freddie Bynum, Juan Castro and Alex Cintron. Izturis joins a team that has endured 11 straight losing seasons, but hopes to help turn that around in 2009.

A switch-hitter, Izturis batted .290 right-handed and .245 left-handed in 2008. He also led the Cardinals with 24 stolen bases. A career .260 hitter, Izturis broke into the majors with Toronto in 2001. Besides playing for Los Angeles and St. Louis, he spent time with the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Izturis gets $2.4 million next year and $2.6 million in 2010. He can earn up to $600,000 each year in performance bonuses: $50,000 each for 400 and 450 plate appearances and 100 and 110 games started, and $100,000 each for 500 plate appearances , and 120, 130 and 140 games started.

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Reds Trade Freel to Orioles for Hernandez

Tuesday, December 9th, 2008

The Cincinnati Reds plugged a hole behind the plate, acquiring Ramon Hernandez from the Baltimore Orioles for frustrated utilityman Ryan Freel and two minor leaguers Tuesday.

The rebuilding Orioles also receive infield prospects Justin Turner and Brandon Waring. As part of the deal, Baltimore will give Cincinnati cash to offset part of Hernandez’s contract. He is owed $8.5 million next year.

The 32-year-old Hernandez batted .257 with 15 home runs and 65 RBIs last season in 133 games for Baltimore, making 119 starts at catcher. He hit .285 after the All-Star break.

The Orioles are ready to bring catching prospect Matt Wieters to the majors and knew Hernandez wouldn’t want a part-time role.

The 32-year-old Freel leaves Cincinnati in frustration. He was limited to only 48 games and 26 starts in 2008 because of a torn tendon in his right hamstring that required surgery July 23. He missed the final 103 games of the season and batted .298 with 10 RBIs. A .272 career hitter, Freel is known for his hustling, all-out play. He has played all three outfield positions during his seven-year career, in addition to third base and second base.

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Orioles cut Gibbons, owe him $11.9 million

Sunday, March 30th, 2008

Jay Gibbons was released Sunday by the Baltimore Orioles, who lost patience waiting for the oft-injured outfielder to regain the form that enabled him to hit 26 home runs in 2005.

Gibbons batted .189 with no homers and four RBIs in 16 games this spring training after playing in only 84 games last season. Baltimore owes him $11.9 million for the next two seasons as part of a $21.1 million, four-year contract he agreed to in January 2006.

Gibbons is owed $5.7 million this year from the Orioles and $6.2 million for 2009.

Selected from the Toronto Blue Jays in the winter-meeting draft on Dec. 11, 2000, Gibbons hit .260 with 121 home runs and 405 RBIs in 779 games over seven seasons for the Orioles.

He batted .230 with six homers and 28 RBIs last season before surgery on his left shoulder on Aug. 14. It was the fourth time in seven seasons that injuries prevented him from appearing in 100 games.

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Sources: O’s, Astros discuss Tejada

Thursday, December 6th, 2007

The Astros have had significant discussions with the Orioles about shortstop Miguel Tejada, but the two sides are not close to a deal, according to major-league sources. The Astros apparently believed a trade was possible Wednesday night, telling at least two other clubs that they were on the verge of a major deal. It is not clear whether their focus was Tejada.

Astros officials said Thursday morning that nothing was imminent, suggesting perhaps that the talks had faded. Other sources also indicated that the discussions were not in an advanced phase.

A Houston radio station reported Thursday that the Astros were close to acquiring Tejada for shortstop Adam Everett, second baseman Chris Burke and a pitcher.

Such a return would not be nearly enough for the Orioles, according to one source. Andy MacPhail, the team’s president of baseball operations, won’t need to be “overwhelmed” for Tejada, the source said, but will need a competitive offer.

The Astros’ interest in Tejada dates to July 2006, when they tried to acquire him for Roy Oswalt, only to have the deal quashed by Orioles owner Peter Angelos.

Everett was one reason Angelos vetoed the deal; the Astros included him in their offer for Tejada, and Angelos did not want him.

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Orioles will pursue Teixeira for ’09

Tuesday, March 20th, 2007

The Baltimore Orioles can’t wait to make a play for Texas Rangers’ first baseman Mark Teixeira, who could become a free agent after the 2008 season.

But Teixeira, a native of Severna Park, Md., will have another option if he wishes to play close to home – the Washington Nationals, who open their new ballpark in ’08 and could score a public-relations coup by trumping the Orioles.

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Brian Roberts agrees to $14.3 million extension

Wednesday, March 14th, 2007

Brian Roberts agreed Wednesday to a $14.3 million, two-year contract extension with the Baltimore Orioles through 2009, and the second baseman trimmed what had been a mop top. Roberts agreed Feb. 1 to a one-year contract that pays him $4.2 million this year. The extension calls for $6.3 million in 2008 and $8 million in 2009, meaning he will make $18.5 million over three seasons.

Roberts is a .280 career hitter who set career highs in 2005 with a .314 average, 18 homers and 73 RBIs. That season was cut short by an elbow injury that required offseason surgery. He batted .286 last year with 34 doubles, 10 homers, 55 RBIs and a career-best 36 stolen bases.

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Huff, Orioles close to three-year deal

Saturday, December 30th, 2006

The Orioles are close to signing free agent Aubrey Huff to a three-year contract worth at least $18 million.

Huff, who recently turned 30, will be the Orioles’ second offensive addition of the off-season, joining free-agent outfielder Jay Payton. The Orioles plan to use Huff mostly in left field, but he also could get at-bats at first base and designated hitter. The Orioles’ outfield currently consists of Payton in left, Corey Patterson in center and Nick Markakis in right. The addition of Huff will give the team the flexibility to trade Patterson or designated hitter Jay Gibbons — or stand pat and benefit from its increased depth.

Huff batted .267 with 21 homers and 66 RBIs in 454 at-bats with the Devil Rays and Astros last season. He missed nearly a month early in the season with a left knee injury, but otherwise has been durable, averaging 158 games from 2003-05. He is one of only 10 major leaguers to produce 20 homers and 25 RBIs in each of the past five seasons. Defense is not Huff’s forte. He has spent most of his career at third base, but also has played first base, right and left. He has made only eight career appearances in left, seven starts.

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Orioles renew pursuit for LaRoche

Tuesday, December 19th, 2006

The Orioles have renewed their pursuit of Braves first baseman Adam LaRoche, this time without offering second baseman Brian Roberts.

In the latest discussions, the Braves likely are targeting Orioles closer Chris Ray, who could join closer Bob Wickman and setup man Rafael Soriano to give the team formidable late-inning relief. The Braves probably would want another player in addition to Ray — perhaps Penn. They have been reluctant to trade LaRoche for Pirates closer Mike Gonzalez without receiving another piece in return.

The Orioles don’t want to move Ray, but they would be foolish to dismiss the idea if they could add LaRoche, a left-handed hitter who could thrive at Camden Yards.

By adding three free-agent relievers — right-handers Danys Baez and Chad Bradford and lefty Jamie Walker — the Orioles have built enough bullpen depth to withstand the loss of Ray.

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Payton gives O’s needed righty-hitting outfielder

Monday, December 11th, 2006

Free agent Jay Payton agreed to a $9.5 million, two-year contract Monday with the Baltimore Orioles, who have spent much of the offseason searching for a right-handed hitting outfielder.

Payton batted .296 with 10 homers and 59 RBI in 142 games with Oakland this year. He is expected to play mostly in left field, but he’s capable of manning center and right.

Payton has a lifetime .284 batting average and has hit 105 homers in seven seasons. His 78 runs, 45 extra-base hits and 233 total bases this year were all the second-highest single-season totals of his career.

This season he started 51 games in left field, 44 games in center and 41 in right.

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Millar signs on for second season with Orioles

Sunday, December 3rd, 2006

First baseman Kevin Millar re-signed with the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday, agreeing to a one-year $2.75 million contract with an option for 2008.

The 35-year-old Millar hit .272 with 15 home runs and 64 RBI in 132 games in his first season with the Orioles. He was second on the team with a .374 on-base percentage. He reached base by hit, walk or hit by pitch in 103 of his 132 games. Millar hit .303 with nine home runs and 33 RBI from July 1 through the end of the season, including a .350 average over his final 42 games beginning August 11.

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