Orioles Sign Bradford, Williamson
December 2, 2006 by Geoff Young
Filed under Hot Stove
The Baltimore Orioles have signed right-handers Chad Bradford and Scott Williamson. The Bradford deal is 3 years, $10.5 million, while Williamson’s contract is 1 year at $900,000.
I understand that the Orioles need to improve their bullpen after seeing their relievers post a combined 5.25 ERA in 2006 (only Kansas City, at 5.36, was worse in the big leagues), but is committing more than $42 million to four slightly above-average guys necessarily the best way to do it?
Bradford’s deal looks brilliant in conmparison to the ones doled out to Danys Baez and Jamie Walker — Bradford happens to be the best pitcher among the lot; and Williamson, if healthy, could be a bargain in the way that, say, Rudy Seanez was for the Padres in 2005.
Still, I’m not sure if investing heavily in decent, not great, bullpen arms is the best strategy. Maybe it will work out okay. Stranger things have happened:
