The Orioles found themselves in a bit of controversy last month when they backed out of a two-year, $15 million deal with free agent reliever Grant Balfour. Balfour had a four-year-long streak with at least 55 innings pitched and a sub-2.60 ERA, but the O’s claimed they were concerned over his wrist and knee (which required surgery last February) -- not his surgically-repaired right shoulder.
Add another name to the “concern” pile. The Orioles signed outfielder Tyler Colvin last week, but ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick reports that the Orioles have an issue with the results of Colvin’s physical.
More, from Crasnick:One source says Colvin has been hitting, throwing & working out 5 days a week in Arizona and hasn’t had any problems. #orioles
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) January 22, 2014
The Yankees may have spent nearly half a billion dollars on free agents, but the Orioles take the cake for having the most interesting off-season thus far.
Colvin has battled injuries over the last two years. He suffered a collapsed lung in 2012 and was hampered by back problems late last season. It is believable that the Orioles would see something awry in his physical, but they’re almost to the point where they’re the boy crying wolf. The O’s will likely offer clarification on the situation in the coming days.
