Jair Jurrjens agrees to deal with Orioles

[OriolesRedskins28]

Love the move and would prefer Jurrjens over Saunders.

[ofahn]

Love the move and would prefer Jurrjens over Saunders.

I'm greedy, I want them both.

[rudyrooster]

A fairly low-risk signing with the potential for big rewards. I like this move. Jurrjens obviously has some talent--we just gotta keep him healthy.

[MemOrioles]

I am very glad we signed him and was hoping the Orioles would take a flyer on a low-risk, high-reward pitcher like Jurrjens. This dude must have been hurt or something last year because his numbers are just awful. thezeroes proposed a realistic scenario in which we leave him in extended spring training and help him find his sinker. Basically, we have two pitching slots to fill. Hammel, Chen, Tillman, Gonzalez, J. Johnson, O'Day, Patton, Hunter, Ayala, and Strop are all but locks. That leaves Steve Johnson, Tsuyoshi Wada, TJ McFarland, Jake Arrieta, Brian Matusz, Jair Jurrjens, and Zach Britton fighting for two spots I would assume. I think Matusz, Arrieta, and Britton all still have potential as starters, so they should go down to AAA IMO. Say Wada and Jurrjens are still at extended spring training come Opening Day, maybe Steve Johnson takes the 5th rotation spot and McFarland serves as a long man for the first month or so.

Jair was definitely playing hurt last season. Most of it related to groin issues.
When healthy the guy is lights out. I suspect that the drop in velocity and trouble with his sinker were related to this. Being a finesse pitcher his knee and groin issues over the last several seasons have obviously had an effect. Two things to keep in mind; He is not a power pitcher so the velocity concerns aren't as crucial, and he has pitched on one of baseball's deepest starting rotations so the need to rush him back from the DL to work out the kinks wasn't as great.
Having rooted for the great Orioles staffs of the 70's and the great Braves staffs of the 90's, I can honestly say that Jurrjens first half in 2011 is one of the best starts to a season I've seen. The guy is a pitcher, not a thrower, and if he can get his mechanics straightened out, "Look out AL East!"

[ofahn]

Jair was definitely playing hurt last season. Most of it related to groin issues.
When healthy the guy is lights out. I suspect that the drop in velocity and trouble with his sinker were related to this. Being a finesse pitcher his knee and groin issues over the last several seasons have obviously had an effect. Two things to keep in mind; He is not a power pitcher so the velocity concerns aren't as crucial, and he has pitched on one of baseball's deepest starting rotations so the need to rush him back from the DL to work out the kinks wasn't as great.
Having rooted for the great Orioles staffs of the 70's and the great Braves staffs of the 90's, I can honestly say that Jurrjens first half in 2011 is one of the best starts to a season I've seen. The guy is a pitcher, not a thrower, and if he can get his mechanics straightened out, "Look out AL East!"

Nice post. Definitely worth your first Reputation Point.

[MemOrioles]

Nice post. Definitely worth your first Reputation Point.

Thanks!

[Rising O's]

The kind of signing every Oriole fan can appreciate. Maybe one that puts us back on the path of another post season run too.

[birdwatcher55]

No risk signing but I want to see what his velocity is like next month before we all get carried away

[A_K]

Chances are Jurrjens is done and won't ever be a viable starting pitcher for us or anyone else, but at one year and $1.5 million it's worth buying the long-shot chance that he'll become good again. If his velocity returns he can be good, if it doesn't he can't. Simple as that.

[ofahn]

Chances are Jurrjens is done and won't ever be a viable starting pitcher for us or anyone else, but at one year and $1.5 million it's worth buying the long-shot chance that he'll become good again. If his velocity returns he can be good, if it doesn't he can't. Simple as that.

Agreed. In fact, I would sign another reclamation project like him if the opportunity was there. The Spankees have gone to the playoffs with reclamation projects like Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon in their rotation.