After four weeks of negotiations, the Orioles reached an agreement Tuesday on a two-year, $10 million deal with veteran reliever Kevin Gregg, a move that further solidifies the back end of their bullpen and likely marks their last significant addition in a busy offseason.
Gregg's deal, which is pending a physical, also includes a club option for 2013 that will vest if the reliever finishes a certain number of games during the 2012 season. Gregg saved 37 games with the Toronto Blue Jays this past season and has recorded 121saves over the past four years.
The Orioles, whose Opening Day bullpen will likely have five pitchers who have made double-digit saves in at least one major league season, haven't guaranteed the closer spot to Gregg. However, the nature of his contract, along with comments from the pitcher, suggests that he'll be in line for plenty of save opportunities.
Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail, who declined to comment on Gregg because the deal is not yet official, has said in the past that manager Buck Showalter will decide who gets the ball in save situations, though Gregg left little doubt Tuesday about what he wants to do.
"I want to close," Gregg said in a phone interview. "I've talked to Andy and I have talked to Buck about it, and I told them what I wanted. I had 37 saves in this division last year. I have shown I can do it. I have averaged 30 saves in the last four years. I love doing it, but we'll see when the season begins. … There is definitely opportunity there. It's what led me this way, closing. That's important to me. It's also important being on a team that is young and has the potential to win."
Gregg, a 32-year-old right-hander, is the third free-agent reliever to agree to terms with the club this offseason, joining Koji Uehara, who re-signed last month, and Jeremy Accardo, Gregg's teammate at times last season with Toronto.
"It was one of the areas that we said we wanted to upgrade," Showalter said. "Especially if we're going to go with a young rotation, there's nothing more disheartening as a team than struggling late in the game. We're starting to shape up the way that we had hoped. We'll shake it out in Sarasota [during spring training] and see what presents itself."
Uehara, brought back on a one-year, $3million deal with a vesting option for 2012, converted 13 of 15 save opportunities in 2010 and is also expected to get opportunities to close from Showalter, who will have several options.
Accardo, who signed on to a one-year, $1.08 million pact, saved 30 games for the Blue Jays in 2007. The rest of the Orioles' Opening Day bullpen is expected to include Michael Gonzalez, who signed a two-year, $12 million deal with the club before last season and saved 24 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2006; Jim Johnson, who saved 10 games in 2009; and Jason Berken, one of the Orioles' best relievers last season before hurting his shoulder.
"It looks good," Johnson said when asked about the state of the bullpen. "But we know who we are playing and we know what we need to do. You don't want to get too high, but I definitely like the moves that we are making, for sure."
Barring injuries -- and several projected members of the bullpen have dealt with their share of them over the past couple of seasons -- there is one bullpen spot remaining for a group that includes Rick VandenHurk, Rule 5 pick Adrian Rosario and left-handers Troy Patton and Pedro Viola. The Orioles also could sign another left-handed reliever, such as Will Ohman or Mark Hendrickson, to a small one-year deal or even a minor league contract.
Alfredo Simon, who saved 17 games this past year, would have been one of the front-runners for the final bullpen spot, but his availability for the 2011 season is firmly in doubt as police suspect he was involved in a shooting that left one man dead and another injured in the Dominican Republic over the weekend. Charges have not been filed.
The Orioles initially made a two-year, $8million offer to Gregg during the winter meetings in early December, but the negotiations intensified in recent days after the club learned of Simon's legal troubles.
Gregg has saved 23 or more games each of the past four seasons with three clubs. He closed for the Florida Marlins in 2007 and 2008 and for the Chicago Cubs in 2009. He set a career high with 37 saves (in 43chances) in his lone season with the Blue Jays last year. In his career, he has saved 122 games in 150 opportunities.
Gregg's weakness last season was control. He walked 30 batters while allowing 52 hits and striking out 58 in 59 innings -- recording a less-than-stellar 1.39 WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched). However, he is considered a bulldog with no fear and a desire to take the baseball in any situation. He also relishes competing in the American League East.
"It's definitely a tough situation, but if you follow the moves [this offseason], the Yankees haven't made any moves. Boston, obviously, has made itself stronger. Toronto has done a couple of small things, and Tampa [Bay] hasn't really made any moves and their payroll is going down," Gregg said. "I think there is definitely an opportunity … to make an impact and get Baltimore back to where it needs to be in competing for a title."
After adding infielders Mark Reynolds, Brendan Harris and Derrek Lee -- whose physical is today -- and re-signing Cesar Izturis to go along with the Orioles' bullpen overhaul, MacPhail is likely done with his offseason work, aside from perhaps adding a left-handed reliever or a veteran starting pitcher either in a trade or signing.
"They brought in some real good players, point-blank," center fielder Adam Jones said after learning of the Gregg agreement. "There's nothing else you can say about that. We look good right now. I'm excited."