Orioles close in on Jeromy Burnitz, Jeff Conine

[riverside sluggers]

Report: O's close in on Burnitz

Slugger would play left, add power to middle of order

By Spencer Fordin / MLB.com

 

BALTIMORE -- A few days before the calendar changes, the Orioles have reportedly patched one of their remaining holes. The Baltimore Sun reported Tuesday night that the O's are close to signing Jeromy Burnitz to a two-year contract, a deal that would address the team's shortage of starting outfielders and power bats in one fell swoop. Burnitz, a veteran of 13 seasons, has played for four teams in the last three years. He's spent nearly all of his career in the National League, with 80 games as a Cleveland Indian and 176 as a Milwaukee Brewer -- before the club switched leagues -- the full extent of his American League experience. That was eight years ago, but the left-handed hitter put together a late-career renaissance in the last two seasons.

 

Burnitz, a classic two-outcome slugger, hit 24 home runs last year and 37 the year before -- but the larger total came as a member of the Colorado Rockies. He also struck out 233 times over that span and has whiffed (1,302) nearly twice as much as he's walked (717) over the course of his career. Burnitz will turn 37 two weeks after the season starts. Baltimore has talked openly about improving its outfield this winter, and it subtracted Eric Byrnes from the equation last week. Byrnes -- who had arrived last year in a deal for Larry Bigbie -- was eligible for arbitration and subsequently became a free agent when the Orioles declined to offer him a contract.

 

The O's are also reportedly close to signing Jeff Conine, a much-reported deal that hasn't been finalized as of yet. If finalized, that would give Baltimore another experienced hitter in the middle of the lineup. Conine would likely play first base, filling the spot vacated by Rafael Palmeiro's departure as a free agent.

 

The Orioles are also looking for help in center field and on the pitcher's mound. Right fielder Jay Gibbons is the only sure thing in the current outfield picture, and prospects Nick Markakis and Val Majewski may get a long look in Spring Training. Luis Matos, the incumbent in center field, may wind up moving to a reserve role next season.

 

The deal is reportedly worth 2 years/$12 million. Another free agent being paid way more than he's worth this offseason.

[yeszir]

It seems like our entire division is imprving around us and we`re left picking our noses.

[26 to 6]

It seems like our entire division is imprving around us and we`re left picking our noses.

Do you guys flick the boogers after you pick them??

 

 

 

 

.....Baltimore has a lot of good young players in their system, which they showed us last year in September, and theyre not taking them into account at all. They had the 2Bman, Bernie Castro. and for some reason he was a Free Agent (6 years I guess, didnt think he was that old) and signed with Washington. I think he was a guy that they should have made sure they held onto, if Tejada was traded Robers or Castro could have played SS. They have that big ugy, Walter Young (looks like Mo Vaughn..in his later days ) for first base, so idk why they are getting Connine to be the everyday guy, Burnitz could be a good signing for them, but if I was Baltimore I would prefer to give a young guy a chance.

[jsinger121]

the deal is official pending a physical. it is worth between 10-12 million over 2 years.

[Cityofchampions33]

The Orioles must have THE most STUPID front office I have ever seen.

[Beckett95]

Interesting Article that will be in the NY Times tommorow about how the O's lost Burnitz

Seven years ago, the Baltimore Orioles were responsible for initiating the presigning physical examination that all free agents must have before their contracts can become official. Yesterday, the Orioles lost a free agent, outfielder Jeromy Burnitz, because of the way they enforce the baseballwide policy.

 

Last week, Burnitz agreed to a two-year, $12 million contract with the Orioles. But today he is scheduled to take a physical for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who have guaranteed him $6.7 million for one year and have added a mutual option for a second year that would make the deal worth $12 million for two years.

 

Burnitz's agent, Howard Simon, said he and his client changed direction because of the language about the physical that the Orioles included in the letter of agreement they sent to Simon. The language, Simon said, left too much room for the Orioles to take a lot of time before completing the contract and then possibly reject Burnitz.

 

In 1998, the Orioles reached agreement with Xavier Hernandez, a free-agent pitcher, but a subsequent physical disclosed an arm injury, and Peter Angelos, the Orioles' owner, killed the deal. Hernandez filed a grievance and eventually reached a settlement with the Orioles.

 

That case prompted baseball officials to direct all clubs to have players take physicals before making agreements official.

 

Burnitz, who will turn 37 two weeks into next season, is healthy - he played 160 games for the Chicago Cubs last season - but his agent said he was uncomfortable with the Orioles' position in the letter of agreement.

 

The letter, Simon said, talked of a full review of Burnitz's health record, a physical for the Orioles and a physical for the insurance policy the Orioles would take out on him.

 

When all of those steps had been taken, the letter went on, and the Orioles received all of the data they needed, they would decide if Burnitz's physical condition was acceptable to them.

 

"Who knows how many weeks or months it could take?" Simon said.

 

Simon said he was concerned that the Orioles could change their mind on Burnitz, and by that time, the other teams most interested in him - the Pirates and the Houston Astros - could have signed other players.

 

The letter of the agreement with the Pirates, Simon added, stated simply that the contract was contingent on Burnitz's passing a physical examination that he would take no later than Jan. 6.

 

"That's more typical of what teams do," Simon said.

 

Jim Duquette, the Orioles executive who negotiated the Burnitz deal, did not return a telephone call seeking comment.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/04/sports/baseball/04burnitz.html

[26 to 6]

Pretty interesting. Im surprised Jimmy Duquette let it get to this, he always seemd like a pretty good baseball guy, pretty smart guy, etc.. when he was with the Mets.

[Manny Goes Boom]

I don't blame Burnitz and his agent. That sounded fishy the way the wording of the letter was.