masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgRight-hander Vance Worley was valuable for the 2016 Orioles. He could pitch as a starter or a reliever. He could pitch multiple innings out of the bullpen. He could get out both left- and right-handed batters. He could sit idle for days, then come into a game and be effective.
But will the Orioles even make Worley a contract offer for the 2017 season? He is arbitration-eligible and MLBTradeRumors.com projects he would earn $3.3 million in arbitration. The Orioles could non-tender Worley and…

Right-hander Vance Worley was valuable for the 2016 Orioles. He could pitch as a starter or a reliever. He could pitch multiple innings out of the bullpen. He could get out both left- and right-handed batters. He could sit idle for days, then come into a game and be effective.

But will the Orioles even make Worley a contract offer for the 2017 season? He is arbitration-eligible and MLBTradeRumors.com projects he would earn $3.3 million in arbitration. The Orioles could non-tender Worley and make him a free agent. They could then sign him for less or look elsewhere for a pitcher that could be a swingman-type to both start or pitch out of the bullpen.

Worley-Throws-White-Sidebar.jpgWorley went 2-2 with a 3.53 ERA over 35 games with four as a starter in 2016. In 86 2/3 innings, he walked 35, fanned 56 and had a WHIP of 1.373. Lefty batters hit .264 and right-handed batters .259 off him. Of his 31 games in relief, 21 were multi-inning efforts. He pitched to an ERA of 2.38 in home games and an ERA of 1.47 from the seventh inning on.

But is $3.3 million just too much for a pitcher in that role? The Orioles have Tyler Wilson, not yet eligible for arbitration, who could serve in that role and take out a much smaller bite of the payroll.

Worley is not in line for big dollars compared to so many others in the game, but has the arbitration process perhaps priced him off the Orioles roster?

Cespedes and Jay off the board: On the same day that the New York Mets agreed to re-sign Yoenis Cespedes for four years and $110 million, outfielder Jon Jay agreed to join the Chicago Cubs on a one-year deal for $8 million.

While Cespedes to the Orioles was not going to happen and we knew that, some fans saw Jay as a good fit for a corner outfield spot and as a leadoff hitter for the Birds.

The 31-year-old Jay hit .291/.339/.389 for San Diego last year over 374 plate appearances with 26 doubles, a triple, two homers and 26 RBIs. He is a career .287/.352/.384 batter over seven seasons.

What is not known is whether the uncertain collective bargaining agreement negotiations had anything to do with either agreement yesterday. But it sure seems like Jay could have waited and done better later in the winter.

Signing Jay is leading most to figure that outfielder Dexter Fowler will now almost certainly leave the Cubs. The Blue Jays are said to have a lot of interest in Fowler. While Fowler seems a great fit for the Orioles, there is that matter of the dollars involved and loss of a draft pick.

How would Fowler to Toronto be seen by fans of the Orioles?