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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