Birds Add Another Reliever
November 27th, 2006
Danys Baez is the newest member of the Baltimore Orioles. Go ahead and order his jersey and memorize his statistics, because it’s official. He’ll be calling Camden Yards home this coming season.
The 29-year-old reliever became the third reliever to sign with the Orioles this week. Southpaw’s Jamie Walker, lured away from Detroit, and John Parrish, re-signed after missing last season with an injury, both agreed to terms with the team earlier in the week.
Baez’s signing further-fortifies, at least on paper, a bullpen that was horrific last season. A six-year veteran with a career 3.79 ERA and 111-saves to his name dating back to 2002, Baez will likely serve as a setup-man for reliable closer Chirs Ray. He also provides depth in the event that something were to happen to Ray, something the team didn’t have prior to his being introduced at Camden Yards this week.
A former Cleveland Indian, Tampa Bay Devil Ray, Atlanta Brave, and Los Angeles Dodger, Baltimore will be Baez’s fourth-stop in two years. If he pitches like he did late last season, it may end up being his last, because these Birds are as ravenous for quality relief-pitching as traditional birds are for worms.