Printer-friendly

Contact Author

January 8, 2008

Transaction Analysis

Breaking in the New Year

by Christina Kahrl

BALTIMORE ORIOLES Team Audit | Team DT Cards | Team Articles | Team Statistics

Return to Top

Purchased CF-S Chris Roberson from the Phillies; designated OF-L Jeff Fiorentino for assignment (and subsequently lost him on waivers to the Reds).

Adding a third wheel to the competition between Jay Payton and Tike Redman for playing time in center field is all well and good, but wouldn't getting somebody good make more sense? I suppose the good news is that Payton's bat might play better in center, but Tike isn't going to hit .315 again, he's going to move back into that pool of fifth-outfield types of indistinct virtue, where you can hook the next Nook Logan on an as-needed basis. Indeed, that's exactly what the Orioles just did, and while strength in numbers might make for a better shot at rediscovering the proverbial lightning in the proverbial bottle, they're really already sort of asking for a refill in Redman's case, and there's no special reason to get worked up about Roberson's Brand X alternative, not when he's been getting slower and a bit more powerless with age.