Two years ago, the Orioles went into spring training having had an offseason not nearly as productive as this one, but managed to use baseball’s qualifying offer system to land two lingering free agents for under-market-value deals.
And now, with spring training on the horizon, the Orioles could pull off another coup by signing two of the three remaining free agents tied to draft pick compensation.
Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette’s often meticulous approach to free-agent acquisitions draws its share of criticism. But before the 2014 season, he allowed the market to play out and was able to sign right-handed starter Ubaldo Jimenez and outfielder Nelson Cruz, two players who were still lingering unsigned after declining qualifying offers.