GaryMrMets
02-25-2002, 08:11 PM
http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/bal/news/bal_news_story.jsp?article_id=mlb_20020225_groom_n ews&team_id=bal
News
2/25/2002 5:32 pm ET
O's sign Buddy Groom to two-year deal
By Tom Singer
MLB.com
FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Baltimore manager Mike Hargrove, whose club admittedly is in transition, was discussing the importance of having bridges to the future.
"You need someone to take a lot of pressure off the young kids, so they don't have to be rushed," Hargrove said. "You have to have anchors."
Anchors away? Not this one -- left-hander Buddy Groom, whom the Orioles signed to a two-year contract extension Monday.
To Groom, earning $2.5 million this season in the option year of his prior contract, the extension is worth $6.25 million.
To the Orioles, it is invaluable.
"It was important for us to lock him up for two more years," said Syd Thrift, Vice President of Baseball Operations, "because of his great contributions as a pitcher, and because of the leadership he gives us.
"He's someone who can get the ball over the plate, throws strikes, can get someone out late in a game. He's very effective against left-handed hitters."
The 36-year-old left-hander has been effective against everyone, and in a variety of roles. He has been the Swiss Army Knife in Hargrove's bullpen in the two years since being turned away by Oakland and signing as a free agent with the Orioles.
Durability is his trademark; he and Colorado's Mike Myers are the only Major League pitchers to have appeared in 70-plus games in each of the last six seasons.
But Groom's impact goes way beyond a willingness to take the ball every day. Even he himself was taken aback to learn of his prominence in the relievers fraternity.
"We have been working on this (contract extension) for a while. My agent met with Syd around the first of the year, and he had with him some numbers that showed where I stood among other relievers.
"Even I was surprised to see where I ranked in holds, appearances and the like."
This is a camp where one of the spring's top mysteries is who will emerge as the Orioles' closer. Thrift acknowledges he is still scouring the market for an established closer and "a deal that would make sense for us." Meanwhile, the Birds ... well, groom, several young arms for the role.
But here is Groom, capital G, seldom mentioned among the other candidates. Even though he did lead the '01 Birds with 11 saves -- and Minnesota's Eddie Guardado was the only AL left-hander with more.
"I have had a chance to close, if there were some lefties coming up (in the ninth)," Groom said. "A lot of my saves have been multiple-inning saves. So it isn't that they don't look at me as a closer because I'm just a match-up lefty. They just think I can better help by being a set-up guy."
The way a closer's job has evolved, he has become not only a one-inning pitcher but a ninth-inning pitcher. How many times have you seen that fireman leave a tied game in the first extra inning?
The closer is the ultimate specialist. Truth is, Hargrove can't afford Groom to have that specialty.
"He's a veteran pitcher, and he can pitch late in games. Guys like that are very valuable," Hargrove said. "He has good enough stuff, and the experience, to close.
"But I don't know if I'd want to use him as a closer all the time."
Few do Groom's job as well as he. In 2001, he stranded 41 of 50 inherited runners and was the AL's most precise reliever, with only 1.23 walks every nine innings. That translated to a strikeouts-walks ratio of 54-to-9.
"He exemplifies what the Orioles are all about," said Thrift.
If so, the Orioles must be all about loyalty. Being left-handed makes Groom a valuable commodity any team, even those with more realistic title aspirations, would love to have.
Having already been estranged by one team made Groom anxious to keep his Baltimore roots.
"Syd and everyone here was good to me when I was a free agent. They showed a lot of interest in me, and I wanted to give something back to them. I'd like to be here for the turnaround."
Groom can't let go of his exit from Oakland. After he gave the Athletics 291 games in four years, they cold-shouldered him when he became a free agent.
"They didn't even make me an offer -- and next year, all of a sudden, they're in the playoffs," Groom said. "So now I have a chance to be here when we turn it around, and I'm happy with that.
"And I have a chance to keep playing for the best manager I've ever had. Grover is someone who cares about you as a person, who cares about your family.
"If something comes up, I know I can go up to talk to Grover, and get out of here to take care of it."
Like, say, the birth of a child?
Groom was freshly back in camp, having returned Sunday from Dallas, where wife Angela had given birth to Lexi Marie, the couple's fifth child.
Orioles Cash in
In the Birds' first of three straight intrasquad games, the (Dave) Cash Money Men were 2-0 winners in five innings over the Etch-A-Sketchers (for Andy Etchebarren). (Direct any complaints to coach Tom Trebelhorn, vice president in charge of naming intrasquad sides.)
Brook Fordyce triggered the Men's two-run third with a single, for which he was later saluted by Hargrove as "Mr. February."
Shortstop Mike Bordick, returning from shoulder surgery, made several routine plays in his familiar smooth style.
Jay Gibbons and Marty Cordova, the opposing left-fielders, both made sparkling diving catches for the drill's defensive highlights.
First baseman David Segui, trying to bounce back from a knee injury, looked fluid running the bases. Hargrove: "He said he's gonna try to steal three this season." Segui has swiped a total of three bases, in 353 games, the last three seasons.
Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
News
2/25/2002 5:32 pm ET
O's sign Buddy Groom to two-year deal
By Tom Singer
MLB.com
FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Baltimore manager Mike Hargrove, whose club admittedly is in transition, was discussing the importance of having bridges to the future.
"You need someone to take a lot of pressure off the young kids, so they don't have to be rushed," Hargrove said. "You have to have anchors."
Anchors away? Not this one -- left-hander Buddy Groom, whom the Orioles signed to a two-year contract extension Monday.
To Groom, earning $2.5 million this season in the option year of his prior contract, the extension is worth $6.25 million.
To the Orioles, it is invaluable.
"It was important for us to lock him up for two more years," said Syd Thrift, Vice President of Baseball Operations, "because of his great contributions as a pitcher, and because of the leadership he gives us.
"He's someone who can get the ball over the plate, throws strikes, can get someone out late in a game. He's very effective against left-handed hitters."
The 36-year-old left-hander has been effective against everyone, and in a variety of roles. He has been the Swiss Army Knife in Hargrove's bullpen in the two years since being turned away by Oakland and signing as a free agent with the Orioles.
Durability is his trademark; he and Colorado's Mike Myers are the only Major League pitchers to have appeared in 70-plus games in each of the last six seasons.
But Groom's impact goes way beyond a willingness to take the ball every day. Even he himself was taken aback to learn of his prominence in the relievers fraternity.
"We have been working on this (contract extension) for a while. My agent met with Syd around the first of the year, and he had with him some numbers that showed where I stood among other relievers.
"Even I was surprised to see where I ranked in holds, appearances and the like."
This is a camp where one of the spring's top mysteries is who will emerge as the Orioles' closer. Thrift acknowledges he is still scouring the market for an established closer and "a deal that would make sense for us." Meanwhile, the Birds ... well, groom, several young arms for the role.
But here is Groom, capital G, seldom mentioned among the other candidates. Even though he did lead the '01 Birds with 11 saves -- and Minnesota's Eddie Guardado was the only AL left-hander with more.
"I have had a chance to close, if there were some lefties coming up (in the ninth)," Groom said. "A lot of my saves have been multiple-inning saves. So it isn't that they don't look at me as a closer because I'm just a match-up lefty. They just think I can better help by being a set-up guy."
The way a closer's job has evolved, he has become not only a one-inning pitcher but a ninth-inning pitcher. How many times have you seen that fireman leave a tied game in the first extra inning?
The closer is the ultimate specialist. Truth is, Hargrove can't afford Groom to have that specialty.
"He's a veteran pitcher, and he can pitch late in games. Guys like that are very valuable," Hargrove said. "He has good enough stuff, and the experience, to close.
"But I don't know if I'd want to use him as a closer all the time."
Few do Groom's job as well as he. In 2001, he stranded 41 of 50 inherited runners and was the AL's most precise reliever, with only 1.23 walks every nine innings. That translated to a strikeouts-walks ratio of 54-to-9.
"He exemplifies what the Orioles are all about," said Thrift.
If so, the Orioles must be all about loyalty. Being left-handed makes Groom a valuable commodity any team, even those with more realistic title aspirations, would love to have.
Having already been estranged by one team made Groom anxious to keep his Baltimore roots.
"Syd and everyone here was good to me when I was a free agent. They showed a lot of interest in me, and I wanted to give something back to them. I'd like to be here for the turnaround."
Groom can't let go of his exit from Oakland. After he gave the Athletics 291 games in four years, they cold-shouldered him when he became a free agent.
"They didn't even make me an offer -- and next year, all of a sudden, they're in the playoffs," Groom said. "So now I have a chance to be here when we turn it around, and I'm happy with that.
"And I have a chance to keep playing for the best manager I've ever had. Grover is someone who cares about you as a person, who cares about your family.
"If something comes up, I know I can go up to talk to Grover, and get out of here to take care of it."
Like, say, the birth of a child?
Groom was freshly back in camp, having returned Sunday from Dallas, where wife Angela had given birth to Lexi Marie, the couple's fifth child.
Orioles Cash in
In the Birds' first of three straight intrasquad games, the (Dave) Cash Money Men were 2-0 winners in five innings over the Etch-A-Sketchers (for Andy Etchebarren). (Direct any complaints to coach Tom Trebelhorn, vice president in charge of naming intrasquad sides.)
Brook Fordyce triggered the Men's two-run third with a single, for which he was later saluted by Hargrove as "Mr. February."
Shortstop Mike Bordick, returning from shoulder surgery, made several routine plays in his familiar smooth style.
Jay Gibbons and Marty Cordova, the opposing left-fielders, both made sparkling diving catches for the drill's defensive highlights.
First baseman David Segui, trying to bounce back from a knee injury, looked fluid running the bases. Hargrove: "He said he's gonna try to steal three this season." Segui has swiped a total of three bases, in 353 games, the last three seasons.
Tom Singer is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.