Mark Zinno: Was Trading Jim Johnson The Right Move?
The Orioles traded closer Jim Johnson to the Athletics, but was it the right move? Time will tell, but early returns are favorable but mostly from the fan base. However, Britt Ghiroli of mlb.com joined Zinno on "Last Call" to discuss the trade.
Britt Ghiroli joins Zinno
Ghiroli, like Zinno, was not a fan of the deal. Both agreed that GM Dan Duquette did not get enough in return in the deal and he should have waited for more of a market to develop. The back end of the Orioles bullpen is now unsecure and they don't know who the closer will be.
The hardest part of the deal is that the money the Orioles saved may not be spent to get another high-dollar free agent in return. The Birds still have holes at second base, left field and designated hitter. In that scenario, the $10 million the Orioles saved from Jim Johnson won't stretch very far.
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