O's Acquire Wright Guy?

[Mario-Rijo]

I had to make a play on the words!

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2658959

Updated: Nov. 12, 2006, 3:12 PM ET
Wright move? O's acquire righty from YankeesAssociated Press


NEW YORK -- Jaret Wright was traded by the New York Yankees to the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday for right-handed reliever Chris Britton. As part of the deal, the Yankees will pay $4 million of Wright's $7 million salary next year. New York had until Sunday to opt out of Wright's contract, a move that also would have cost the Yankees a $4 million buyout.

Wright, a right-hander who turns 31 on Dec. 29, will be reunited with pitching coach Leo Mazzone. When the pair were with the Atlanta Braves in 2004, Wright went 15-8 with a 3.28 ERA.

After agreeing to a $21 million, three-year contract, Wright had a pair of disappointing seasons with the Yankees. He injured a shoulder early in the 2005 season and was 5-5 with a 6.08 ERA in 13 starts, then went 11-7 with a 4.49 ERA this year, not pitching more than 6 1/3 innings in any of his 27 starts.

New York heads into the free-agent signing season in need of starting pitching. Chien-Ming Wang is the only given, although it appears likely Mike Mussina will stay with New York. The Yankees have until Wednesday to decide on his $17 million option, which carries a $1.5 million buyout, but the sides have been working on a two-year contract in the $20 million to $25 million range.

Randy Johnson is coming off back surgery and Carl Pavano hasn't pitched in the major leagues since June 2005 because of shoulder, back, buttocks, elbow and rib injuries.

Britton, who turns 24 on Dec. 16, was taken by Baltimore on the eighth round of the 2001 amateur draft. He made his major league debut last season, going 0-1 with one save and a 3.35 ERA in 52 relief appearances with the Orioles. He also was 1-0 with a 2.81 ERA and two saves in 13 games for Bowie of the Double-A Eastern League.

[harangatang]

Where's Wayne Krivsky? I realize Wright will be back with Mazzone but he went really cheap.

[MrCinatit]

For some reason, Jaret Wright is one of those guys who has never impressed me at all.
It seemed to me he spent the first five years living off his "potential" label, then got a pretty bad contract* after his one decent year.
After that, he resorted to his previous years.

*notice I only say "pretty bad". Because he actually came cheaper than Milton.

[Sabo Fan]

Good non-move by Wayne. Wright would have simply been another in a long line of sub-par and injury-plauged pitchers this organization has aquired in recent history.

[Falls City Beer]

Good non-move by Wayne.

Celebrating non-moves. The life of a Reds' fan.

[vaticanplum]

Got a pretty entertaining text message from my Orioles-fanatic friend today. He had some choice words to say about the team's front office.

Wright actually had some terrific outings for the Yankees this season and a better year than the last overall, but yeah, still not good.

[Patrick Bateman]

Where's Wayne Krivsky? I realize Wright will be back with Mazzone but he went really cheap.

Well, a comparable offer from Krivsky would have consisted of Coffey for the "right" to pay a part of Wright's salary. And he's not exactly great. IF it was just taking on some salary, it would be a decent gamble, but we would have had to give up actual pitching talent to do so.

[George Foster]

Just spending 3 million on a #4 starter in a "contract" year may not have been that bad of a move. He is modivated to have a great year or no contract for 2008. We have other bullpen talant other than Coffey, who I think should not have been traded in this potential deal.

With our limited income, there are not going to be that many "sure things" available, unless you spend 30 million over 3 years. It would not have been that much of a risk for 1 year.

[Patrick Bateman]

Just spending 3 million on a #4 starter in a "contract" year may not have been that bad of a move. He is modivated to have a great year or no contract for 2008. We have other bullpen talant other than Coffey, who I think should not have been traded in this potential deal.

With our limited income, there are not going to be that many "sure things" available, unless you spend 30 million over 3 years. It would not have been that much of a risk for 1 year.

Wright's main problem is staying healthy. Even if he is motivated, he will likely get injured for a sizeable part of the year.

This year alone, I would take Coffey because of Wright's injury issues plus there's a good chance he just isn't particulary effective. He was decent last season, but only pitched 140 innings. In 2005 he was nothing short of putrid. And his chances of ever pitching like he did for the Braves are non-existent.

Plus in giving up a player like Coffey, you lose a reliever that's going to be very cheap the next few seasons, and he's one of our very few effective relievers. It's not like we are dealing from a position of strength. On the major league roster, the only other long term relievers on the roster that are potentially above average are Bray and Majewski. Coffey's probably the best of a dirty lot, and I sure as heck don't want to give a guy like him away for a huge 1 year question mark in a year that I don't plan on contending in.

[NJReds]

Where's Wayne Krivsky? I realize Wright will be back with Mazzone but he went really cheap.

I watched this guy a lot in NY. He can barely make it through 5 innings before the wheels come off. No thanks.

Cashman's done a pretty good job so far. He accepts Sheffield's option (puts up with his BS - "I'm not playing anywhere else" attitude) and deals him for three decent minor league arms. Then instead of just buying out Wright's contract, he pays the $4M to Baltimore and gets a live arm in return.

[RedsManRick]

Wright's the type of guy who seems much better suited to giving it 100% for 30 pitches than trying to throw 80+. He's only costing the O's 3MM. I'd stick him in the pen as a high leverage middle reliever and be done with it.

[NJReds]

Wright's the type of guy who seems much better suited to giving it 100% for 30 pitches than trying to throw 80+. He's only costing the O's 3MM. I'd stick him in the pen as a high leverage middle reliever and be done with it.

The Yankees considered putting him in the pen, but there was some thought that his arm couldn't take the wear and tear of pitching every couple days.