Casilla avoids arbitration, signs with Orioles

UPDATE: Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun reports that Casilla got a one-year, $1.7 million deal with a $3 million club option for 2014. The O’s could buy out the option for $200,000....With Robert Andino now in Seattle, Casilla figures to be in the mix at second base next season along with Brian Roberts and Ryan Flaherty.

5 ex-Twins or 20% of Orioles 25 man roster are potential members of the 2013 club. There's even the outside possibility for the Orioles sporting an all ex-Twins infield with an off-day or injury in a particular game or two.

2012 Results--Orioles 93-69/Twins 66-96. Go figure.

Yeah, the twins clearly should have kept lew ford around all these years, and the certainly should have overpaid for alexi for 2013.

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Originally Posted by SpiritofVodkaDave

Yeah, the twins clearly should have kept lew ford around all these years, and the certainly should have overpaid for alexi for 2013.

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Is there anyone on TD advocating keeping Ford or Alexi around? I was merely invoking the Joe Garagiola clause ("Baseball is a Funny Game"), but of course some fail to appreciate the levity of this outcome.

I don't know that I want Lew here (he certainly isn't better than Revere or Willingham, and we have plenty of kids fighting for time at RF or the 4th OF spot), but I do want to see him succeed and become an important piece for the Orioles. It just makes for a good story.

I'll honestly be surprised though, if Casilla and Valencia make much an impact, or even get much playing time. They both had their shots to be everday players and couldn't keep it together.

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Originally Posted by spideyo

I don't know that I want Lew here (he certainly isn't better than Revere or Willingham, and we have plenty of kids fighting for time at RF or the 4th OF spot), but I do want to see him succeed and become an important piece for the Orioles. It just makes for a good story.

I'll honestly be surprised though, if Casilla and Valencia make much an impact, or even get much playing time. They both had their shots to be everday players and couldn't keep it together.

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Agreed on all 3 players, i just find it incredibly head-scratching that Duqette finds enough value in these 3 to make the commitments to them that he has done.

I have liked Casilla for some time and wish him the best. From the outside looking in, it seemed to me that he had matured and he did provide speed and defense. If Lexi gets to start a lot of game for the Birds and hits a little, plays a very good second base and steals a lot of bags, it would not surprise me. That doesn't mean that he should have been retained by the Twins.

Alexi can be successful on a team that only wants him to play great defense and provide some steals on a rather slow team. There is enough power on the team to get by.
Whether he will is another story