Evening everyone. I’ve not been hearing much on the market concerning the Orioles and free agency as of yet, despite murmurs of them being interested in a number of players.
However, today, the Orioles made a trade. It saddened me as a fan to read the details a while ago, but the deal they made was prudent and hard to argue with.
From the Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles today announced that they have acquired OF TRAYVON ROBINSON from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for INF ROBERT ANDINO.
Robinson, 25, batted .215/.272/.330 (62-288) in 90 major league games over the past two seasons with Seattle. The switch-hitter appeared in 46 games (39 starts) in left field for Seattle in 2012. Robinson hit 73 home runs and stole 169 bases in 754 games over eight minor league seasons after being drafted in the 10th round of the 2005 First Year Player Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Robinson was traded to the Mariners on July 31, 2011 as part of a three-team deal that sent ERIK BEDARD to the Boston Red Sox.
Andino, 28, appeared in 360 games for the Orioles over the past four seasons, batting .239/.302/.326 (263-1100) with 16 homers and 80 RBI. In 2012 for the Orioles, Andino batted .211 (81-384) with a career-high seven home runs and 28 RBI. Andino was acquired from the Florida Marlins prior to the start of the 2009 season.
Robert Andino did whatever the team asked him to do and filled in valiantly with Brian Roberts being out. The man proved he is a major leaguer; however, when given extended playing time, Andino did get overexposed and at times showed why he is a valuable super sub.
No one will ever forget what Andino did against the Boston Red Sox in the final game of 2011, plus he was one of the few Orioles who contributed at the plate in the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees.
Andino had a role on this team, but with Brian Roberts seemingly on the road to being ready for Spring Training and the glut of second basemen in the system, he was expendable.
Anytime you can trade a bench player for a young prospect who has the tools, but has not figured things out – you have to do it.
