Plethora of Similarities Between This Offseason and 2008/09

by Yardball85

I was thinking about the moves we have made this offseason, and the one big move we didn't - and realized just how similar this entire offseason has been to 2008-09.

1) Signing Gregg Zaun = Trading for Taylor Teagarden

Zaun was signed to be the starter and hold the fort down until Wieters was ready, but they are both an early-offseason acquisition of a backup catcher.

2) Signing Koji - Signing Wada, Chen

Curiously, our only two forays into the Asian market took palce during that offseason and this offseason. Remember, we signe Koji to be a starter with the chance that he would eventually wind up relieving. While Chen will probably (hopefully) be a starter throughout of his tenure hear, Wada has a very good chance of becoming a reliever.

3) Trading for Felix Pie = Signing Endy Chavez

Yes, I realize that Pie was a high upside player at the time, but he wound up being essentially what we expect Endy Chavez to be - a servicable, speedy left-handed hitting fourth outfielder.

4) Signing Ty Wigginton = Signing Wilson Betemit

As another poster shrewdly pointed out (Frobby I believe), these two players have almost identical stat lines before coming to the Orioles. Again, it will be interesting to see if Betemit winds up representing the Orioles in the All-Star game during this two year deal :P

5) Pursuing and failing to sign Mark Teixeira = Pursuing and failing to sign Prince Fielder

Granted, Teixeira was the home-town guy, and maybe we had a slightly better chance of signing him than we did of signing Fielder, but for the most part, it was a similar pursuit.

Now, hopefully we will not feel the need to go out and sign an Eaton or a Hendrickson, but overall, these two offseasons are remarkably similar, at least to this point.

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