Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
Even though the Baltimore Orioles offseason started very slowly, they have made a lot of moves of late. The Orioles signed top free agents in Ubaldo Jimenez and Nelson Cruz, and made other notable signings such as Sin Yuk Moon and Johan Santana. However, the Orioles might not be finished yet. They are in the mix to sign free agent starter Ervin Santana, and they have reportedly offered him a contract. While he is not an elite starter, Santana would be an excellent signing by the Orioles.
Santana further stabilizes the Orioles rotation, and he provides them another quality starter. Santana, who will be 31 years old this year, is coming off a strong season for the Kansas City Royals. In 2013, he posted a solid 3.24 ERA and an excellent 1.14 WHIP in 211 innings while striking out 161 batters.
Even though Santana has struggled in some previous seasons, he has been solid for most of his career. During the past six seasons , Santana has averaged 200 innings pitched and owns a respectable 3.93 ERA and 1.24 WHIP. While these numbers are not extremely impressive, they show he can provide the Orioles with a lot of quality innings.
If the Orioles can bring Santana to Baltimore on a one-year contract, it will be a solid move to finish off an already strong offseason. With Ubaldo Jimenez, Nelson Cruz and possibly Ervin Santana, they have improved their team considerably. These moves put them in a great position to contend in the AL East and have another successful season in 2014. While Santana is not a star, he could potentially be a nice piece in the Orioles’ rotation.
