It looks like another one of our targets early in the offseason has a found a home. John Garland wanted a huge deal, but instead he became a victim of the current market and the new economy. Today he signed a deal with Arizona…
Jon Garland, who won 14 games for the Los Angeles Angels last season, has agreed to a one-year deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, a source told ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick.
Garland agreed to a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2010. The deal is pending a physical, the source said. The agreement was first reported by the Arizona Republic.
Garland will make a base salary of $6.25 million in 2009, a source said. The option year will pay him $10 million. If Garland wants to return for 2010 and the Diamondbacks decide not to exercise the mutual option, he will receive a $2.5 million buyout. If Garland rejects the option and elects to go back on the free agent market, he will receive a $1 million buyout.
The Orioles need pitching and being that the market is the way it is, I wish they would have made more of an effort to sign Garland or still perhaps get another arm.
With the free agents still left on the market, the team should be aggressive and sign an arm. Granted, 99.99% of us are not privy to what the front office discusses, I’m sure most fans want another pitcher on the staff who will keep us in ball games.
Furthermore, with the way things are, perhaps the Orioles could still open up the purse and not only add a pitcher, but maybe a power bat or two. However, all things considered — the organization has had a fairly good offseason, but there’s a lot of work to do.
