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MLB Trade Deadline 2017: 5 teams that emerge losers

By Joshua Sadlock

BALTIMORE, MD - APRIL 30: General manger of the Baltimore Orioles on the field before a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox at Oriole Park at Camden yards on April 30, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - APRIL 30: General manger of the Baltimore Orioles on the field before a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox at Oriole Park at Camden yards on April 30, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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ARLINGTON, TX – JULY 29: Zach Britton #53 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches against the Texas Rangers during the ninth inning at Globe Life Park in Arlington on July 29, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. The Orioles won 4-0. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX – JULY 29: Zach Britton #53 of the Baltimore Orioles pitches against the Texas Rangers during the ninth inning at Globe Life Park in Arlington on July 29, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. The Orioles won 4-0. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images) /

1. Baltimore Orioles

Good things rarely happen when the owner of a team is heavily involved with personnel decisions. That’s a never ending problem for the Orioles, as Peter Angelos remains the final decision maker in Baltimore. Angelos is not a traditional baseball man, and refuses to yield more power to Dan Duquette and his front office.

It was surprising enough when it was made widely known that the Orioles were planning to shop All-Star relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton. They probably came closest to dealing Britton, as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros were engaged in talks right up until the deadline hit. Without any public knowledge of what the Orioles were seeking for Britton, it’s hard to say what kept them from trading him. The Dodgers were one of the first teams involved when Britton became available, but in the end elected to go with Yu Darvish and two cheaper relievers. Hard to blame the Dodgers there.

Not trading Britton and Brach is understandable, especially if the Orioles were not blown away by the offers they were getting for both. What is inexcusable is holding onto players like Seth Smith and Welington Castillo, veteran hitters having good years and free agents at the end of the year. For the Orioles, getting stuck with Castillo’s $6-million player option for next year would be a nightmare.

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So, to sum things up — the Orioles did not trade any of their most valuable trade chips, they acquired mediocre starter Jeremy Hellickson, traded for malcontent Tim Beckham and also gave international bonus money to the New York Yankees. The Orioles are getting dangerously close to the end of their window to contend, the Yankees and Boston Red Sox are both getting better and the owner still refuses to spend on Latin American amateurs. It’s hard to envision a much bleaker situation for a franchise.

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