I get all the reasons the Orioles are not in attack mode in trying to field a winning baseball team, but what I have failed to understand is why some low-budget moves that can help the Orioles be more interesting and more competitive on a nightly basis were not being made.
In my print story for the November PressBox, I recommended four small moves I felt would do just that. With the signing of shortstop Jose Iglesias to a one-year, $2.5 million deal (with a club option at another $3.5 million in 2021), general manager Mike Elias has substantially improved his team’s overall defense. He also sent a small message of hope to the fans who are OK with the rebuild but want more reasons to watch the games in between now and then, with the “then” being the end of the rebuild.
Look, Iglesias playing 150 games of high-level defense will not suddenly change everything and get the Orioles on the way to being a .500 ballclub. But solidifying a team’s defense — especially its defense up the middle — can begin to help you shave off a run here and there.
