In the spring of 1998, Rafael Palmeiro was entering the final year of his initial five-year contract with the Orioles.
Raffy ? still years away from wagging his finger on Capitol Hill ? was coming off of four outstanding seasons in a Baltimore uniform. In fact, it could be argued that he had put up the four best consecutive offensive seasons in club history.
Eager to stay with the Birds, Palmeiro and his agent attempted to secure a contract extension prior to the start of the 1998 campaign. They asked for a 5-year, $50 million deal. The Orioles said no, thank you, we?ll wait until season?s end.
You?ll recall that in the fall of 1998, after Palmeiro hit 43 home runs and knocked in 121 that season, the club finally came around and offered him what he?d asked for originally.
Too late. Palmeiro had agreed to return to the Texas Rangers (his former team), and he actually took less money to do so, at about $9 million a year.
Almost the same scenario ? albeit with different dollar amounts ? was repeated in 2000 with pitcher Mike Mussina. Ditto with B.J. Ryan in the spring of 2005. Ryan, after being declared the club?s closer, asked for a three-year, $15 million deal, but the club balked. He had a breakthrough year as a closer, and reaped the rewards from Toronto.
Given this kind of history, what, pray tell, is holding up a new deal for Melvin Mora? Mora and his agent, Lon Babby, initially asked the Orioles for three years, $30 million. The Orioles countered with three years, $24 million. Mora and Babby came back with three years, $27 million. The Orioles countered with the same offer: three years, $24 million, but they?d supply the pen. Melvin then instructed Babby to break off negotiations, and there?s where we sit on Tuesday afternoon.
It?s hard to imagine that the Orioles? management believes they?re entitled to any further discount. I mean, what?s the market for an above average, power-hitting, run-producing third baseman these days? Scott Rolen of the Cardinals makes eight figures, and his output over the past few years (excluding his injury-plagued 2005) is comparable to Mora?s. Seattle signed Adrian Beltre to a five-year, $64 million deal (worth $12.9 million this year) on the basis of one huge year with the Dodgers. Atlanta?s Chipper Jones is in his sixth year of making eight figures. Boston?s Mike Lowell has been making twice Mora?s money for several years.
Should Mora end up elsewhere next year, it?s a clear sign that the Orioles have no real intention of paying market value to keep their better players. I don?t care what they?re paying Miguel Tejada, wasn?t it Mora who talked him out of his trade demand? Isn?t Mora the only Oriole of note with year-round visibility in the area?
For a franchise struggling to reconnect with local fans, these questions require some immediate answers.
Phil Wood has covered sports in the Washington-Baltimore market for more than 30 years. Hear Phil Wood every Saturday at 11 a.m. on ESPN Radio 1300 AM.
