Orioles make a retarded trade

[Leftwich]

"Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Baltimore anymore," tweeted righty Jeremy Guthrie this morning after learning he'd been traded from the Orioles to the Rockies. The clubs reached an agreement that sends Guthrie to Colorado for pitchers Jason Hammel and Matt Lindstrom, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun first reported the near-deal, which has now been officially announced.

Guthrie's arbitration hearing against the Orioles was scheduled for this morning with a $7.25MM-$10.25MM spread, but his agent Brodie Van Wagenen of CAA Sports tweeted today he reached an agreement on a one-year deal that fits "within the Rockies' payroll structure" and is "a showing of good faith." Connolly says Guthrie settled with the Rockies at $8.2MM, which is $550K below the midpoint. With the Orioles, a hearing had "seemed possible and even likely," tweeted Van Wagenen.



Guthrie, 32, had been a regular in Baltimore's rotation since being claimed off waivers from the Indians five years ago. Last year he posted a 4.33 ERA, 5.6 K/9, 2.9 BB/9, 1.13 HR/9, and 39.6% groundball rate in 208 innings for the Orioles. His skills suggest a 200-inning, 4.50 ERA guy in the AL East. Guthrie (pictured) will be a useful addition for a Rockies rotation long on options but short on stability, assuming his proclivity to surrender home runs doesn't worsen in Coors Field. Guthrie will be eligible for free agency after the season, and I would not expect draft pick compensation.

Hammel, 29, posted a 4.76 ERA, 5.0 K/9, 3.6 BB/9, 1.11 HR/9, and 43.9% groundball rate in 170 1/3 innings last year. Acquired from the Rays three years ago, Hammel has given the Rockies 170+ innings in each season since the trade. Prior to 2011, Hammel's skills suggested a pitcher capable of a sub-4.00 ERA. In 2011, however, he was demoted to the Rockies' bullpen in August. He'll earn $4.75MM in 2012 and will be arbitration eligible for 2013.

Lindstrom, 31, posted a 3.00 ERA, 6.0 K/9, 2.3 BB/9, 0.50 HR/9, and 47.3% groundball rate in 54 innings last year for the Rockies. His strikeout rates have always seemed low for someone averaging a 96 mile-per-hour fastball. Lindstrom, who was acquired in December 2010 from the Astros, is owed $3.6MM for 2012 and has a $4MM club option for '13. Interestingly, Guthrie and Lindstrom both put their baseball careers on hold for two-year Mormon missions in their lives.

With the trade, Orioles vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette has subtracted his rotation's one sure thing in favor of Hammel, who was demoted from the Rockies' rotation last summer. He did acquire two pitchers for the price of one, as well as potential 2013 control for each. Duquette has hooked up with Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd for trades twice before, when the former was at the helm of the Red Sox.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/02/rockies-to-acquire-guthrie-for-hammel-lindstrom.html

Long story short, Orioles trade Jeremy Guthrie for Jason Hammel and Matt Lindstrom

 

[Leftwich]

good fuck Guthrie

Orioles got no value out of this trade. Both pitchers suck a mighty dick.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

When Matt Lindstrom was briefly closing for Houston, they would play blaring heavy metal music and flash lights in the stadium as he was entering the game, as the big screen alternated flashing the name LINDSTROM with scary lightning bolts.

Children would be terrified, and the adults would all be like, "who is Lindstrom? what the hell is happening here?".

 

[Rudi]

Hammel isn't that bad, is he? Maybe getting out of Coors is just what he needs :kanye:

 

[Slateman]

Orioles got no value out of this trade. Both pitchers suck a mighty dick.

Except they're not paying 8 million for a number 5

 

[moneyman255]

The Orioles gained nearly 300K in this trade. They wanted to trade Guthrie for salary cap reasons and instead they traded him and got no prospects in return and added salary.

Trade makes no sense at all.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

I've always liked Guthrie, and thought he pitched particularly well around '07, '08.

I'm not sure what kind of prospects could have been expected for a guy who will be 33 who likely peaked three years ago. I think they got the precise value he's worth.

 

[NAHSTE]

The Orioles gained nearly 300K in this trade. They wanted to trade Guthrie for salary cap reasons and instead they traded him and got no prospects in return and added salary.

Trade makes no sense at all.

:joeybats:

 

[PP]

Dan Duquette strikes again.

 

[FirstTimer]

lhoss:

 

[Goober]

Anytime a bad team trades for RP they did something wrong.

 

[Warner2BruceTD]

Anytime a bad team trades for RP they did something wrong.

They got a SP and a RP, though.

 

[ThomasTomasz]

I've always liked Guthrie, and thought he pitched particularly well around '07, '08.

I'm not sure what kind of prospects could have been expected for a guy who will be 33 who likely peaked three years ago. I think they got the precise value he's worth.

And a pitcher who has a tendency to give up the long ball.

Lets face it, Guthrie wasn't bringing much value. He's a 32 year old innings eater who doesn't have dominate stuff, and can absolutely implode at times. The Orioles likely would not have received any draft pick compensation and the value for a pitcher approaching free agency goes down drastically at the deadline.

I think that this was the best deal they could make. Hammel gives them a pitcher who is capable of closing in on 200 innings, who is under club control for a little while longer. Lindstrom is a solid reliever it seems, and could challenge Gregg to close out games, and is again under club control past this year. If these guys start out pitching well, they can always spin them at the deadline.

Lets not sit here and think that the Orioles are going to get someone on the top 50, or even top 100, prospect list for Guthrie. I'll gladly take two pitchers who can stick around for a few seasons for him.

 

[ThomasTomasz]

Isn't JJ closing? :bazookajones:

I think he has earned it, but I can't see them paying Gregg to set up (which is the problem when you go out and spend money on a closer.) I would rather them do a committee set up, which could be what happens, with a bulk of the chances going to JJ and Lindstrom.