Phil Wood: Long-suffering O’s need to take a gamble

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Last January, Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane rolled the dice and signed free agent DH Frank Thomas to a one-year contract. Thomas was not re-signed by the then-World Champion White Sox, largely because he had been earning $8 million a year and was coming off a season in which injuries limited him to 34 games and a .219 average.

Even with the maximum allowable cut, Chicago GM Kenny Williams figured it just wasn’t worth it. Beane gambled, guaranteeing the Big Hurt only $500,000 — a pittance in this day and age — plus incentives.

The payoff? Thomas stayed healthy all year, racked up 559 plate appearances and batted .270 with 39 home runs and 114 RBI. The future Hall of Famer — an absolute mortal lock for Cooperstown — now stands just 13 home runs away from 500 for his career.

Pretty much anyone could’ve signed Thomas last winter. There were reports that the Orioles were interested, but, inasmuch as the A’s were contenders, Thomas opted for the West Coast. He’s 38 (39 next May) and his next contract may be his last, but it’s safe to assume that it won’t be another bargain basement deal.

We’re not really sure how much the Orioles are willing to gamble, but there might be another Thomas-like situation this winter worth exploring. The San Diego Padres declined their 2007 option on first baseman Ryan Klesko this week. Injuries limited Klesko to only six plate appearances in 2006, and, for $9 million, the Friars weren’t willing to go down that road again.

Klesko is 35 years old and has averaged 27 homers and 94 RBI in a career that began with the Braves in 1992. He’s left-handed all the way, is apparently healthy, and plays a position where the Orioles currently have a vacancy. An incentive-laden deal, even for a single season, might benefit both parties.

On a club where owner Peter Angelos recently referred to the contract extension Houston gave their ace Roy Oswalt as “lunacy,” it’s patently clear that the only way to attract an A-List free agent is to overpay, and then pay some more. We shouldn’t hold our breath waiting for that to happen, despite the assumption that the ballclub is flush with cash. The Alfonso Sorianos and Barry Zitos of the world certainly hope the Orioles submit offers to their agents in order to give them more financial leverage with the clubs they’re really interested in.

According to every big league scout I’ve spoken with, the Orioles have little help close in their system and they are particularly weak in position-player prospects. If their best prospects are two or more years away, it makes sense to pursue a handful of veterans who are past 30 and willing to accept a short-term agreement that offers more playing time than they might get on a better club.

Believing this team can contend for the playoffs as early as 2007 is wishful thinking, though I’m tempted to use the owner’s earlier quote here. In the absence of a winner, a few winter gambles might at least make next season more entertaining.

Phil Wood has covered baseball in the Washington/Baltimore market for more than 30 years. You can reach him at philwood@baltimoreexaminer.com.

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