Hall of Famer Robbie Alomar joined his brother, Sandy, in Cleveland (5 years, $40 million). On Dec. 4, Palmeiro took a 5-year, $45 million offer from his former Texas Rangers team to go “home” to the Lone Star state. Two of the Orioles best players were suddenly gone and the biggest malcontent in the sport was coming to Baltimore.
On Dec. 7, the Orioles added three big free agents to the fold signing aging first baseman Will Clark (2 years, $11 million), outfielder B.J. Surhoff (4 years, $17 million) and second basement Delino DeShields (3 years, $12.25 million). The Orioles looked to be reloading for 1999, ready to compete in the AL East.
The difference in the quality of their play vs. the previous talent would become apparent very quickly the following season.
Wren had already added relief pitcher Mike Timlin in November for 4 years and $16 million, a deal that Angelos despised because he didn’t like Timlin’s medical records. Wren also traded maligned relief pitcher Armando Benitez in a three-way deal that netted catcher Charles Johnson to fill a major hole on the team on same day that Angelos brought in Belle.
After the team lost a race with the Arizona Diamondbacks for starting pitcher Todd Stottlemyer, the Orioles retained Scott Erickson with a 5-year, $32 million deal to stay in Baltimore.
The final acquisition of the offseason for the Orioles was merely a footnote in the history of the franchise but became quite symbolic of all of the troubles the franchise would have with injuries, doctors, free agents, agents of free agents and contracts over the next two decades.
On Dec. 14, Wren signed veteran relief pitcher Xavier Hernandez to a 2-year, $2.75 contract and added him to the 40-man roster. When Hernandez appeared in Baltimore the next day, his physical revealed a torn rotator cuff. But, the deal had already been signed by Wren, without a clause to protect the club. Angelos voided the contract during Christmas week and Hernandez later filed a union grievance and negotiated a $1.75 million settlement. He never threw a pitch for the Orioles or any other club and walked away with a barrel of Angelos’ money. Angelos seethed at Wren and berated him about the incompetence of the signing and the lack of legal and financial protection for the club.
Angelos would never allow another baseball player to come to Baltimore without a thorough physical and every contract was pending the results of reports from the Orioles-appointed medical staff.
(Author note: This is Chapter 7 of my book “The Peter Principles,” which I was working to finish in March 2014 when my wife was diagnosed with leukemia the first time. I will be releasing the entire book for free online this summer – chapter by chapter. These are the true chronicles of the history of Peter G. Angelos and his ownership of the Baltimore Orioles. If you enjoy the journey, please share the links with a friend who loves the team.)
