The Baltimore Orioles finally made a splash this offseason, agreeing to a four-year contract with former Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez for a reported $50 million, including some deferred salary. The deal is pending a physical, which is no formality with Baltimore. The Indians will receive a compensation pick for Jimenez signing in Baltimore, while the Orioles lose their first round pick, the 17th overall selection.
The 30-year old Jimenez had a fine season for Cleveland in 2013 after a disastrous 2012, pitching to a 3.30 ERA in 182 2/3 innings, striking out 194 and walking 80. Jimenez started off the year terribly in April, notching an unsightly 7.13 ERA in 24 innings before calming down the rest of the way and helping the Indians to one of the AL's two Wild Card berths. Down the stretch, he was fantastic for Cleveland, throwing 41 1/3 innings in September while striking out 51, walking seven, and posting a 1.09 ERA.
Assuming Jimenez passes his physical, the contract is not without risks for Baltimore. While Jimenez has made six straight seasons of 30+ starts, his fastball velocity has steadily declined since 2010, when it topped out at 96.1 mph. This season, Jimenez's fastball only averaged 91.7 mph. He's also posted the two lowest ground ball rates of his career in his last two seasons, perhaps indicating that he could be in for a rude awakening in a more homer-friendly park like Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Jimenez's signing comes hot on the heels of Baltimore signing Korean import Suk-Min Yoon for three years and $5.75 million. Yoon's role with the Orioles is currently unknown, but he's expected to be a member of their bullpen, joining fellow offseason signees Ryan Webb and Edgmer Escalona. Pending Jimenez passing the physical, he will slot into a rotation that already features Chris Tillman, Wei-Yin Chen, Bud Norris, and Miguel Gonzalez, possibly making former fourth overall pick Kevin Gausman the odd man out in April. Baltimore's offseason took longer to form than those by the division rival Red Sox, Yankees, and Rays, but they needed to do something to keep pace, which they failed to do in 2013 after winning the AL Wild Card in 2012.
This signing also puts Ervin Santana, the last free agent pitching domino remaining, in a strange spot. Jimenez is clearly a superior pitcher to Santana, meaning that the former Royal might end up lucky to get three years and $30 million. Toronto is seemingly the last major suitor left for Santana, and I don't think that his homer-prone nature would be a good fit for Rogers Centre. We'll see what happens, but Toronto needs a boost in their rotation and Santana is the best option left for them.
