A lot of speculation came out of the Baltimore Orioles ’ camp last weekend after the club kept quiet on their plans to sign a new starter to their desperate roster.
Usually the annual FanFest is an event where the clubs offer a carrot to the fans, maybe shedding light on a trade rumor, but this year the Orioles supporters were left in the dark regarding their pitching ranks.
And, with a major hole still left to fill after the departure of Jim Johnson to Oakland, many fans betting MLB World Series believe the club must act fast and get a replacement before spring training.
Yet the lack of talk suggests executive vice president, Dan Duquette, is lining up a move – we must be patient – and he simply wants to keep it out of the headlines, away from other, richer, teams.
Indeed, this is certainly the case when considering AJ Burnett, in search for a club after leaving Pittsburgh this offseason. Duquette has already suggested he would go for the 37-year-old, and he spoke to the pitcher’s agent this winter.
Yet nothing has been decided upon and this must be a worry for fans of MLB betting as well as the regular Baltimore fans. At 37, Burnett a bit of a gamble but the righty insists he wants to play in 2014 and that should be enough to convince the Orioles management.
Last season he proved his worth with 10 wins and 11 defeats, a losing campaign but by no means disgraceful. Furthermore, what Baltimore’s incredible offence lacked in 2013 was a stable, experienced pitching roster and Burnett would certainly provide some stability within the bullpen.
He is, some might say, an obvious and cheap choice, but he’s a choice nonetheless and the Orioles cannot be too picky at this stage.