With the usual apologies to former Baltimore Sun columnist (and current CSNBaltimore.com contributor) John Eisenberg, here is another submission of my version of ‘Fact & Opinion.’
Fact: Adam Dunn has signed a 4 year $56M dollar deal with the Chicago White Sox.
Opinion: Dunn made a lot of sense for the Orioles two seasons ago when he wound-up signing with the Nationals for 2 years and $20M. That was a bargain contract to a guy of a similar age and offensive production to Teixeira. Now he is 2 years-older, still a horrible defensive 1st-baseman, and still not looking to DH. As such, I’m fine with the O’s losing out here. (MLB.com’s Brittany Ghiroli reports the O’s were in on Dunn, The Baltimore Sun’s Dan Connolly says the O’s offered 4 years $40+) I can say that if he had been willing to DH full-time in Baltimore, I would have liked to have seen the O’s provide a similar contract to what he signed with Chicago.
Fact: Jim Bowden of Sirius XM (and the former General Manager of both the Reds, and Nationals) reported yesterday that the O’s had made a significant offer to 1st baseman Paul Konerko.
Opinion: Konerko had a monster 2010 with Chicago. (.977 OPS, .312 baa, 39 homers, 111 rbi) It appears that with the signing of Dunn, his 12 year White Sox career has come to an end. While Konerko would greatly upgrade the Oriole offense, he would not be my first choice. He is going to be far more expensive than Derek Lee would be, and it would also cost the O’s a compensatory draft-pick to sign him. I think you have to assume that Konerko’s likely production will more closely approximate his 2008 (.782 OPS) and 2009 (.842 OPS) numbers than what he did in 2010. Those are numbers Lee is likely to match. Why spend millions more on Konerko and lose a pick, to receive similar production?
That all said, if the O’s decide they would rather have Konerko, and they convince him to come to Baltimore; I think crying over the lost pick and the contract would be dumb. He would be a major boost to the Oriole lineup, and there are no perfect solutions.
Fact: Joe Christensen of The Minneapolis Star-Tribune stated today that SS JJ Hardy is proving to be to valuable to lose for nothing, and to expect Hardy to be tendered a contract by today’s deadline.
Opinion: Not shocking, but this would be disappointing. Though, even if Hardy is tendered, he could still be moved. The Twins have until December 26th to sign the Japanese SS Nishioka. If Nishioka is signed, Minnesota could go with him and Alex Casilla up the middle (arrangement to be determined). The question will be, do the the Twins want to move him?
Fact: The San Francisco Giants signed Tejada this week, after being rumored to have been in strong pursuit of Tampa’s Jason Bartlett.
Opinion: The question is what was the price Tampa was asking for in return for Bartlett? Even with the Giants out of the picture, San Diego, Pittsburgh, and Houston are other suitors for a SS. Each of those teams start with the advantage of being in the National League, and obviously not in Tampa’s own division.
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Chris Stoner founded Baltimore Sports and Life in 2009. He has appeared as a radio guest with 1090 WBAL, 105.7 The Fan, CBS 1300, Q1370, WOYK 1350, WKAV 1400, and WNST 1570. He has also been interviewed by The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Business Journal, and PressBox (TV). As Owner, his responsibilities include serving as the Managing Editor, Publicist, & Sales Director.