Orioles Quietly Improving Roster

[Ken Rosenthal]

BALTIMORE, M.D. - When the Orioles sent Robinson Cano and his $30-million contract to Texas earlier this winter, many questioned whether it was the start of a potential fire sale after Baltimore missed the postseason for the second straight season in 2015.

But that was hardly the case, as two weeks later, the Orioles have arguably their deepest roster in the team’s five-plus years in the Base Knock Dynasty Baseball League.

The team announced a one-year, $7.5-million contract with starting pitcher Chris Young on Wednesday night, but it was hardly the first move that’s been made in Baltimore over the last few weeks.

In addition to retaining restricted free agents Miguel Montero and Yunel Escobar, the Orioles have also added the likes of Jered Weaver, Adam LaRoche, Sam Dyson, Antonio Bastardo and Oliver Perez on free-agent contracts. Buy-low candidates like Ichiro Suzuki, Chad Billingsley, Burke Badenhop, Casey Janssen and Tim Stauffer could all play a role on the club as well, and trade acquisition Henderson Alvarez figures to play a significant role in the team’s starting rotation for the next several seasons.

The Orioles don’t seem finished, as reports have said the team is still on the hunt for a shortstop, a top-flight starting pitcher and a second baseman. Outfield, catcher and the bullpen are also areas the team could look to upgrade at for the right price, though a source within the organization says General Manager Michael Natelli “is calling teams in Base Knock, Korea, Japan and Cuba” doing everything in his power to find a running mate atop the rotation for Sonny Gray.

With offseason acquisitions Mason Williams, Christian Walker, Zach Bird and Andrew Faulkner in the fold, Natelli now has some trade chips to work with, and has shown a willingness in the past to also part with draft picks to acquire the right players. With that being said, it wouldn’t be surprising to see more players making their way to Baltimore before spring rolls around.

- Ken Rosenthal