MLB offseason play has been excruciatingly sluggish. Sufficient to prompt inquiries about whether expedited action is necessary, but that’s a different tale for another day. Finally, on Thursday night, the Orioles acquired Corbin Burnes from the Brewers in a major transaction that is sure to rock the baseball world.
The Orioles have transformed from a youthful, potentially overachieving club with many of bright players to a serious contender for the World Series, and they might not be done yet.
It was revealed a few days ago that veteran Orioles owner Peter Angelos will be selling the organization for $1.725 billion. One thing that made Angelos well-known was his low price. This obviously represents a change in leadership, and going forward, I anticipate the Orioles to be aggressive in their quest for a World Series. It’s not about the Orioles, but Baltimore deserves it anyway. This is about what they forfeited for Burnes and if the Braves ought to have thought about doing the same.
At the age of 24, Hall made 18 appearances for the Orioles last season as a reliever, with an excellent 3.00 FIP, 3.26 ERA, and 10.7 K/9. He’s ready for the big leagues and should be able to fit in into the Brewers lineup. Another player who is ready for the major leagues is Ortiz, who if he hadn’t been stopped by Baltimore’s better players would have likely already seen a lot of action. In the lower leagues, he has demonstrated his excellent contact hitting and strong defensive play. Depending on what the Brewers decide to do with Willy Adames, who is also a free agent at the conclusion of the season, he probably will assume the starting position at shortstop sooner rather than later.
This move makes a ton of sense for the Orioles. They have an absurdly strong farming system and a plenty of players available for trade. Burnes could be well-positioned to wrap out his career at his new home, Baltimore needed to add another front-line starter, especially with new ownership.
For the Braves, a move like this wouldn’t have made nearly as much sense. They might have sent something like Vaughn Grissom and AJ Smith-Shawver to Milwaukee as part of an even more alluring deal. But Burnes and the Braves were never going to agree on a long-term contract. The future of their rotation would have looked quite dismal if they had traded one of their best pitching prospects for a one-year rental.
Rather of trading Vaughn Grissom for Chris Sale for two years, the Braves received him. Additionally, the Red Sox are paying for about half of Sale’s compensation. It was without a doubt the superior choice of the two. Sale is certain to stay in Atlanta for two years, has upside comparable to Burnes, and they didn’t have to give up
Are the Orioles making me jealous? Naturally. The Braves made the proper decision considering their circumstances, and these two clubs may play several times for all the marbles in the near future. They have a wonderful future ahead of them that should thrill the entire community.
