Tigers#1
11-16-2006, 04:35 PM
Report: Walker agrees to three-year deal
Reliever to be an Oriole pending physical, club announcement
By Spencer Fordin / MLB.com
Left-hander Jamie Walker was 0-1 with a 2.81 ERA and 37 strikeouts for Detroit last season. (Getty Images)
MLB Headlines
BALTIMORE -- The Orioles reportedly have agreed to terms with left-handed reliever Jamie Walker on a lucrative three-year contract. The Baltimore Sun and New York's Daily News have reported that Walker will be an Oriole, pending a physical and an announcement by the club.
Walker, who's thought by many to be the premier southpaw specialist on the market, will reportedly receive a contract worth $11.5 million spread over three seasons. That would more than triple his most recent salary. Walker, who had never been eligible for free agency before, made $1.25 million last year in his highest-paid season.
The veteran has been extremely effective in recent seasons, and he hasn't notched an ERA over the league average since 1998. Walker has mostly been used to face just a few batters and only worked in 12 games last year where he recorded more than three outs. Still, for his career, Walker has held lefties to a .229 batting average.
Walker only pitched five times in last year's postseason, and he gave up two home runs. The 35-year-old allowed eight homers in just 48 innings last year, which may be a cause for concern. Three of those shots came in one late-season game against Kansas City, a September outing that moved his ERA up significantly (from 2.17 to 2.83).
Baltimore cycled through several different southpaw relievers last season, and only rookie Kurt Birkins seemed to gain any traction. The bullpen was an extreme weakness for the Orioles, and it's an area of intense interest this offseason. In fact, the Sun reported that the O's have already made offers to three other relievers.
The three relievers in question are all ex-closers: Justin Speier, Danys Baez and Mike Stanton. Baltimore only has one reliever, closer Chris Ray, who is expected to serve in the same role next season. Veterans LaTroy Hawkins and Todd Williams may come back, but the Orioles are expected to basically start from scratch with the relief staff.
Spencer Fordin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
Reliever to be an Oriole pending physical, club announcement
By Spencer Fordin / MLB.com
Left-hander Jamie Walker was 0-1 with a 2.81 ERA and 37 strikeouts for Detroit last season. (Getty Images)
MLB Headlines
BALTIMORE -- The Orioles reportedly have agreed to terms with left-handed reliever Jamie Walker on a lucrative three-year contract. The Baltimore Sun and New York's Daily News have reported that Walker will be an Oriole, pending a physical and an announcement by the club.
Walker, who's thought by many to be the premier southpaw specialist on the market, will reportedly receive a contract worth $11.5 million spread over three seasons. That would more than triple his most recent salary. Walker, who had never been eligible for free agency before, made $1.25 million last year in his highest-paid season.
The veteran has been extremely effective in recent seasons, and he hasn't notched an ERA over the league average since 1998. Walker has mostly been used to face just a few batters and only worked in 12 games last year where he recorded more than three outs. Still, for his career, Walker has held lefties to a .229 batting average.
Walker only pitched five times in last year's postseason, and he gave up two home runs. The 35-year-old allowed eight homers in just 48 innings last year, which may be a cause for concern. Three of those shots came in one late-season game against Kansas City, a September outing that moved his ERA up significantly (from 2.17 to 2.83).
Baltimore cycled through several different southpaw relievers last season, and only rookie Kurt Birkins seemed to gain any traction. The bullpen was an extreme weakness for the Orioles, and it's an area of intense interest this offseason. In fact, the Sun reported that the O's have already made offers to three other relievers.
The three relievers in question are all ex-closers: Justin Speier, Danys Baez and Mike Stanton. Baltimore only has one reliever, closer Chris Ray, who is expected to serve in the same role next season. Veterans LaTroy Hawkins and Todd Williams may come back, but the Orioles are expected to basically start from scratch with the relief staff.
Spencer Fordin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.