O's Sign Uehara

[ForceEight]

BALTIMORE -- Finally, the Orioles' starting rotation is beginning to come into focus. The Baltimore Sun reported Tuesday that the Orioles have reached an agreement on a two-year contract with Japanese free agent Koji Uehara, a deal that apparently hinges on some specific contractual language and a physical examination to be conducted later in the week.

 

The Orioles were not immediately able to confirm the report, but their pursuit of Uehara and fellow countryman Kenshin Kawakami has been well-documented. Baltimore's effort to sign Uehara may have been aided substantially by a preexisting relationship with agent Mark Pieper, who also represents second baseman Brian Roberts and former staff ace Erik Bedard.

 

Baltimore came into the offseason with just one rotation slot filled, and that's the one belonging to Jeremy Guthrie, who started for the Orioles on Opening Day of last season. Baltimore has also signed versatile veteran Mark Hendrickson this winter, a move that is designed to give the Orioles an experienced starter who can also relieve if the situation calls for it.

http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/arti...sp&c_id=bal

[83eh01]

Hopefully he proves all the doubters wrong and puts up similar numbers to Guthrie.

[dc.]

Could go many ways...

 

He could come in and blow everyone away. He knows how to throw strikes... has good pitches... etc... it could happen.

 

He could come in and struggle mightily with the change to MLB, but find his way next year.

 

He could throw Josh Towers kind of strikes... the kind that land in the bleachers.

 

His game could completely fail at the MLB level.

 

Who knows. I'd rather have a complete unknown than some of the remaining 'knowns'

 

 

Let's go get Kawakami too!