Tejada Goes Back To The Baltimore Orioles

photo credit: Keith Allison

Miguel Tejada signed a one-year deal with the Orioles to return to Baltimore. 

After getting pinched by the feds for lying about his age and being traded away from Baltimore the big man is back.

Tejada won an MVP for Baltimore in 2002 only to fade and be traded away to the Astros.  I don’t know if this move back to Baltimore is sentimental or if Tejada has one more “last wind” in him.

For someone who did so much for the Orioles it seems sentimental.  The “token” signing before the end of a guy’s career is getting very common nowadays.  Look at the Saints signing Deuce McCallister right before he hung it up at the end of the NFL season.

However, Miguel was different.  He wasn’t just a big name…he was a producer. 

He doesn’t get hurt.  He bats .289 for his career.  He has 286 HR’s.  He’s always approaching 200 hits every season.  How could you go wrong with this guy?

I think this signing is a combination of sentiment and reality.  The Orioles need SOMETHING to get them out of the quagmire they are in.

The Orioles are stuck in the AL East with the Yankees and Red Sox (and now the Rays and maybe the Blue Jays if they can get it back together.)  How is Baltimore supposed to compete if they can’t hit?

The Orioles have been in a tailspin ever since they hitched their wagon to Sidney Ponson and he flamed out faster than he flamed up.  It’s time for the Orioles to pull in more guys like Tejada and build a veteran base that can teach their call-ups from the minors.

Veterans for very little money means a GREAT education for their young guys.  If they neglect this and simply take Tejada’s deal as “one for the good old days” then they’re missing a golden opportunity.