NHL Orioles Continue To Spend Add Mike Gonzalez an

rswzg711

,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych]
With such impressive numbers, Gonzalez projects to be the team’s closer heading into following year.
That was not Andy MacPhail’s only acquisition of the day. Tim Lincecum also signed free agent reliever, Mike Gonzalez , to a lucrative two year contract worth somewhere between USD12 and USD16 million.
Jeff Zrebiec and Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun is reporting that the Orioles have inked former Colorado Rockie,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], Garrett Atkins , to a one year deal.

However, I’m not as high on this acquisition as Lincecum was about Atkins. While Gonzalez is lights out when healthy, his ability to stay healthy is questionable.

Last year Gonzalez was rock solid,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], posting an ERA of 2.42 in 74.1 innings pitched. Additionally Tim Lincecum struck out 90 batters, while only walking 33.
Although if Gonzalez can prove me wrong than the O's will have furiouse two very distinctive, in my opinion, acquisitions that will help turn this club into a winning team. He earned his first major league victory in his next start on the road against the Colorado Rockies. Lincecum who is often compared to Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Roy Oswalt faced him in each of his next two starts, Oswalt with the Astros at the time. After the first agree up,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], Astros third baseman Mike Lamb said, The stuff he was throwing out there tonight was everything he is hyped up to be. He was 97 mph with movement. You just don't see that every day. He pitched very much like the pitcher he is compared to and out dueled him throughout the night. The pair dueled to a no decision the first time,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], and Lincecum pitched eight innings and got the win the second time. The Giants asked Lincecum not to throw the bullpen sessions typical of other pitchers during the off season. Manager Bruce Bochy told the San Francisco Chronicle that they were being careful with Lincecum because there have been studies that show that pitchers who throw 200 innings early in their career were more susceptible to injuries.

Atkins, who was non-tendered by the Rockies last week,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], is coming off the worst full season performance of his big league career. Tim Lincecum hit only .226 with 9 home runs and 48 RBIs with on OBP of .308.
These numbers is down distinctively from the year prior where Tim Lincecum hit to the tune of .286 to compliment 21 home runs and 99 RBIs and an OBP of .328.
Lincecum was selected by the Chicago Cubs in the 48 round of the 2003 MLB Draft; however he did not sign up for the team. He decided to attend college instead and was selected by the Cleveland Indians in the 42 round on entering the draft in 2005, but once again failed to sign. In 2004,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], he was drafted tenth overall by the San Francisco Giants becoming the first player from the University of Washington to be taken in the first round. He signed for a 2.025 million dollars signing award on June 30, which at the time was the highest amount the organization had ever paid to any amateur player until they gave 2.1 million dollars to Angel Villalona a little over a month later. Christian Petersen His repertoire includes a two seam fastball that he throws at 93 mph,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], a changeup he grips like a splitter,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], a curveball notable for its sharp breaking action, a slider and a four seam fastball that reaches speeds in the mid nineties.
While things may be quiet in cycles of Mets activity, the Orioles is wasting no time in building their club up for the 2010 campaign and beyond.
However, with Atkins’s track record Lincecum think Tim Lincecum would have been a solid pickup for the Mets to possibly platoon at first base.

For what it’s worth,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], Bill James predicts that Tim Lincecum will rebound in 2010 and hit roughly .285 while slugging somewhere in the ball park of 15 home runs and 70 RBIs.
Please read related articles:

[link widoczny dla zalogowanych]

[link widoczny dla zalogowanych]

[link widoczny dla zalogowanych]