After whirlwind week, O’s are contenders again

“Just when I think you couldn’t possibly be any dumber… you go and do something like this… and totally redeem yourself!” – Harry Dunne, Dumb & Dumber

Listen, I was right there with you…I wrote multiple articles on how disappointed I was with the Orioles this off-season. Their window of opportunity is small and through January, they had not really done anything to better the team. You could possibly say that David Lough is the same or even an upgrade over McClouth, but besides that, nothing was done, and if anything, they had gotten worse with the loss of closer Jim Johnson.

But this month has changed everything! Not only did they fill just about every hole that we all talked about all offseason, but they also did it for cheaper than any of us would have thought possible.

No, they may not have gotten a “front-line starter”, but they got a very good starting pitcher in Ubaldo Jimenez, and on a good deal… four years and $50 million.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnkefjCES-4 [/youtube]

Since they signed Jimenez, there have been reports of their strong interest in Kendrys Morales or Nelson Cruz. All along, I would have preferred Morales, but I think the Orioles got the best deal. Not only did they cut Cruz’s initial asking price in half, but they got him for just a one-year deal worth only $8 million. Plus, they gave up their 55^th pick in the draft; however, the Orioles will be able to make a qualifying offer to Cruz next offseason, and if he turns it down and signs elsewhere, the Birds will get a higher pick then they just lost!

So they filled a hole in LF, they helped their rotation, and now got a full-time DH. If Ryan Flaherty produced as he did in spurts last season, this team is stacked, offensively and defensively. Check out this mock line-up:

Markakis RF

Machado 3B

Davis 1B

Jones CF

Cruz DH

Hardy SS

Wieters C

Lough LF

Flaherty 2B

Starting Five:

Tillman

Jimenez

Chen

Gonzalez

Norris

And a strong bullpen of:

O’Day

Webb

Matusz or Johnson

Britton or Patton (suspended for first 25 games)

Yoon

Hunter – closer

With those projections, Kevin Gausman starts the season in AAA. Brian Matusz and Zach Britton are out of options, so I’m not sure what the team will do with them. Steve Johnson still has one left.

As much as I gave the Orioles grief throughout the offseason, it’s time to now also give them props. Way to go DD. His patience paid off, and the Orioles are contenders again.