The Baltimore Orioles are usually one of Major League Baseball’s quieter teams during the offseason. The team’s front-office has been reluctant to shell-out cash in recent memory, particularly when it comes to paying for pitching. That all changed this past offseason though, as the Birds went on a pitching-focused shopping-spree.

Below is a list of the team’s top three offseason-additions…
 

3. Jamie Walker

The former Detroit Tigers middle-reliever is one of a handful of bullpen-arms added by the Orioles this past winter. He however is the most talented, and judging by his work in the last several seasons, should be relied upon to put up the best numbers of any of the relievers added. Now 35, Walker is coming off of a 2006-season that saw him work 56-games and 48-innings, en-route to pitching to a 2.81 ERA. The left-handed hurler hasn’t had an ERA over 3.71 since 1998. It’s probably been that long since the Orioles had a non-closing reliever have an ERA under that same number.  

2. Jarrett Wright

The hope is that the 31-year-old, 10-year veteran is going to have a renaissance-season under his former pitching-coach Leo Mazzone. Wright’s career ERA (5.07) is less than impressive, but he is coming off an 11-win season. His mission is to fill the void left by one-time Baltimore-ace Rodrigo Lopez, who was traded this offseaon to the Colorado Rockies. No pitcher in baseball lost more games than Lopez did last season, so it isn’t like Wright’s mission is impossible.

1. Aubrey Huff and Jay Payton

These two guys will split time as the team’s co left-fielders. Payton will get the majority of his work against southpaw’s while Huff will see lots of action against righty-hurlers. Both of the new outfielders, Payton who came from Oakland and Huff who last-played in Houston, are going to be expected to make immediate impacts. Payton is a defensive stud who played in all-three outfield spots last season. Huff is a career .285 hitter who has hit at-least 21-homers for five-straight seasons.