Ugh... Boras...

So much for extending Millwood for another season if he does well.

Ray wasn't exactly a sure thing as closer even before his injury history. The number of home runs he allowed as a closer was alarming. Jorge Julio actually put up better numbers as a closer than Ray did.

Lets not get carried away and talk about extentions. He is at an age where anything longer than one year is a gamble. Just offer him arbitration at the end of the season if he does well. If he accepts you get him back for one more year at around 12-13 mil, if he declines you might get a pick or two out of it. Good first move by Andy. Lets get some offense

We are not on his least 10 least favorite teams list - I love the guy already!

This is a great acquisition by recent Oriole standards. I agrre with Ben, keep the focus on 2010 and now let's get a heavy bat to help the offense. Then we can round out the D with Feliz at 3B

Wow. I simply cannot believe Andy pulled this off. This is exactly what I wanted for Christmas - a veteran innings-eater to lead Guthrie and the cavalry next year - all at the cost of Chris Ray. Chris Ray, God love him, he has a place somewhere in major league baseball, but he'll never regain the form of his '06 season. Millwood's coming off a great season and going into a contract year. Excluding the O's (who absolutely teed-off on him in his one start against us), in 51.2 innings against the AL East in 2009 he was 5-1, 2.96. In 31 starts he had 3 complete games and went 110+ pitches deep into games 18 times. Our 2009 ace had one complete game, went as far into games only 8 times in 33 starts and was 3-10 in the AL East. If Millwood can post a 4.50 ERA, win as many games as he loses and eat 200 innings next season as our ace, this will be a success. Anything he does better, is icing on the cake. With the pressure taken off Guthrie, it'll stabilize the front of the rotation and then we'll see what magic the youngsters can cook up. Bergy and Matusz went 12-7 in 28 starts in 2009. If they improve at all and spend the entire season in the bigs, effectively doubling their starts, we could get 25 or 28 wins out of those two alone. All of these guys are qualified starters, capable of consistently going 6+ innings, which makes it a lot easier on the bullpen. Add into the mix, Tillman, Arrieta and Patton competing for the 5th spot and our starters could be .500+ for the first time in a while. The other two could be pushed to the bullpen, along with Hernandez and Berken. If Sarfate and Koji come back healthy, they could compete with Kam and JJ to for the late reliever roles. I don't know guys - I really really could not be happier with this.

Maybe I'm getting greedy, but if we could be fairly certain Bedard would be healthy by June, and had a conservative option on him for 2011, we'd have a formidable rotation set for the next 2 years. I'm telling you guys, the key to winning ball games is having a sound rotation. We would still own a young, fairly cheap team and remember, it wasn't too long ago that we were actually the biggest spenders in baseball (1998). If we had a healthy Bedard back for 2011 and the cavalry does it's job and stays healthy, losing Millwood at the end of next year won't be much of a blow and will free up some more spending room to go bonkers on next year's free agent market.

I haven't even touched on the optimism that should be brewing over having a young deep outfield in Markakis, Jones, Reimold and Pie (the latter three could all show improvements on their 2009 seasons), a dependable shortstop, an excellent second baseman and the future face of Baltimore behind home plate. If the young guys make any improvements on last year, or at least play as they did - from what we have now, we'll see more production than we got in 2009. All we've lost is Huff and Mora, who didn't do a whole lot for us anyway.

I know we still have some needs - a closer, corner infielders, and a big bat - but I need everyone to understand that we're not as bad as some say right now. If we are able to sign Bedard, which would really complete my dream for this offseason, and sign one-year deals on guys for first and third with sound defensive skills who could, collectively, knock in 150+ RBIs and wouldn't be in the way of our prospects moving up or big-name free agents next offseason, THIS will be a very successful offseason.

MAKE IT HAPPEN ANDY!!!

Millwood would be a great number 3 or 4 starter in the rotation. He is NOT an ace. We still need to pursue a number 1 pitcher. If we can get Bedard relatively cheap, then it is worth the risk.

1. Bedard
2. Bergensen
3. Millwood
4. Guthrie
5. Matusz

That looks like a pretty decent rotation. I would not go after Pedro Feliz. He is not going to improve the lineup any better then Wiggington could. If Andy is hesitant to sign a top 3B because he does not want to block Josh Bell, then save the money and let Wiggington play 3B until he is ready. I would like to see us get Glaus and Delgado to fill the corner infield positions. Both have tremendous power and could be signed on a short term deal. Imagine what Delgado will do as a lefty hitting with a short right field fence. He could easily put up over 30 HR's. Glaus will not only provide us with another big bat, but he could play DH when Bell is ready. I think Luke Scott may be used as trade bait or platooned. And if Luke is not the best man for the job, he most certainly will be one of the best players to have coming off the bench.

1. Roberts 2B
2. Markakis RF
3. Jones CF
4. Delgado 1B
5. Glaus 3B
6. Weiters C
7. Reimold LF
8. Scott DH
9. Izturis SS

Off the bench: Pie, Montanez, Wiggington, Moeller, Turner

Uh, good thing Millwood couldn't name 12 teams he wouldn't play for as the O's might have made that slightly longer short list.

I like where Christian's coming from...

Kouzmanoff or Feliz would satisfy your RBI needs at 3B, and give you some solid defense. Maybe transitioning Uggla could bring you the power bat. It seems to me that there are plenty of options (I even like Delgado if he looks healthy for 1B)

Add Bedard and a closer, maybe grab a powerful arm in the Rule 5 draft to add to the bullpen competition, and this will be one incredible offseason compared to what we're used to. (I don't know why so many people, including myself, think the Bedard signing will so easily happen, but we'll see)

This team will have established veteran presences rather than the dead weight they've been carrying for years. The direction of this team really has me excited.

MacPhail has made me a believer that good things are coming for this team.

At first when I heard Millwood being tossed about I thought it would be dumb, but looking at his numbers he might be solid, probably better than Guthrie. And now perhaps Bedard becomes more appealing since the likely hood of all Bergesen, Matusz, Tillman, Millwood and Guthrie staying healthy is unlikely.

Also doesn't Millwood have an option on his contract or was that for this upcoming season? I know it's 12 Mil which is steep but in a year he may be a solid 3-4 started for the O's so they can compete.

If the Yankees get Halladay and can't win 120 games they have issues.

This could potentially backfire. If Milwood gets hurt or has a terrible year things could be just as bad as last year. Especially if Guthrie, who is absolutely awful continues to give up HRs. They replaced everyone in the rotation except him. Yuk! When that guy is still in your rotation you know you're desperate for arms.

I think this type of deal won't hurt us as Ray's days seemed numbered and Millwood might win 10-12 games. I hate that term innings-eater but he may pitch us deeper in games than some of the others that started for us.
My question is-any idea how much of his 12 mill salary are the O's going to pay? Presumably we aren't going to pay the whole shot and if so, we can probably can a better bang for that money.

I thought they took the gun away from Andy after he robbed the Mariners last year. I think he has done it again with the Rangers.

Alex -

Millwood's option year was for this coming season.

Someone mentioned offering Millwood arbitration if he puts up a good season. If he wins 12 or 14 games and puts up an ERA under 4.50, he might be a Type A free agent and could snag the team two draft picks.

I'm liking this deal more and more by the minute.

Re: comments from Frank Rizzo.

I agree - this looks pretty good. I'm not a big Delgado guy, but Frank's his roster and lineup is not earth-shattering, but pretty darn good. Would love to see Soriano added as well.

Re: comments from Frank Rizzo.

I agree - this looks pretty good. I'm not a big Delgado guy, but Frank's roster and lineup is not earth-shattering, but pretty darn good. Would love to see Soriano added as well.

Wow Millwood isn't great but the fact that Texas is only getting Chris Ray in return makes this a decent deal. I'd take an adequate starter over a reliever whose pretty much finished. Now if Guthrie can bounce back from last year and Andy signs a guy like Rich Harden or yeah I guess even Bedard (won't be thrilled but he's got talent), this is looking like a decent rotation.

Now please add a Big Bat!!

C'mon, Chris, pass that physical!

Rizzo,

Oh my God!!! Did you actually put Bergy over MatusZ? And where is Tillman in your line-up? 5 guys off the bench, so there's going to be no relievers, right? And Glaus and Delgado? Not likely. Turner off the bench? Wow, do some research. Where's andino in your statement.

Realistic:

Bedard
Matusz
Bergy or Millwood (changable 2 & 3)
Millwood or Bergy
Guthrie

Closer-Koji
5-6 relievers (including Simon,Arrieta,Erbe, Johnson,etc...)

1. Roberts 2B
2. Markakis RF
3. Jones CF
4. Aubrey (to be replaced by Snyder) 1B
5. Delgado 3B (or at 1B)
6. Weiters C
7. Reimold LF
8. Scott DH
9. Izturis SS

Off the bench: Pie, Montanez, Wiggington, Moeller

If the trade goes through, Hernandez will either be traded for either Soriano or Kouzmanoff

woops forgot:

Tillman will be switched in with whoever is injured first.

Not a big fan of this. Granted we aren't giving away much unless Ray gets back to his form of old, but Millwood is old (35), walks a lot of batters gave up a lot of bombs despite pitching in a park that is enormous compared to Camden Yards (only 9 of his 26 HRs allowed were at home) and has had an ERA under 4 once in the last 4 years. If he throw 200 innings next year he might even give up more homers than Guthrie. I'd rather spend $9mm filling in our gaping holes at 1b and 3b. I hope I'm very wrong, of course.

Marvelous deal for the Orioles. Congratulations! Upward and onward!

All of you that love this deal for Millwood, do me a favor please. Plot his OPS against for the last 10 years on a graph and fit a line to it. Notice how it keeps trending upwards? And upwards? He projects to an 800+ OPS against next year - the mlb average is about 750. Way to go, Andy Flanagan - you shouldn't give Millwood 5m$ as a free agent, much less 9 and trade an arm. Maybe Andy Minaya.