For Vlad and the Orioles, Second Time is the Charm

After missing out on one of the crown jewels of the 2003 free agent market, the Orioles finally got their man, inking Vladimir Guerrero to a one year $8 million contract. Both parties, a bit older, a bit wiser, were finally able to come to terms after what seemed like months of negotiations.

This move capped off what in my opinion was a great offseason by the Orioles front office. Every real need that they had after the 2010 season ended was filled. They found a number one starter in Duchscherer to provide a veteran presence along with Jeremy Guthrie. Derrek Lee was signed to handle first base, who plays well on both sides of the ball. Trades were made for the whole left side of the infield; bringing in both J.J. Hardy for shortstop and Mark Reynolds for 3B. If anything, the new players are definite upgrades from Garrett Atkins, Miguel Tejada, and Cesar Izturis.

Back to Vlad, the O's finally have that thumper in the middle of the order to protect Markakis. With this signing, Luke Scott gets pushed back to LF. Up and down the lineup, there are players capable of hitting the longball. My one negative with the Vlad signing is Luke Scott. I think Felix Pie deserves a chance to play everyday. He has made strides when the opportunity presents itself. The argument against that is the power of Luke Scott's bat in the lineup. If anything, we will see how it shakes out.

As pitchers and catchers start reporting to spring training, one thing is for sure. One Orioles fan (and I hope many others), are excited to see where this upcoming season goes.