Miguel Tejada to Sign with Baltimore Orioles
Miguel Tejada is set to sign a minor league deal with the Baltimore Orioles. According to Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com, Tejada and the Orioles have reached an agreement and the veteran will officially join the club Monday as long as he passes his physical.
Orioles general manager Dan Duquette told Roch Kubatko that he wants to “take a look at” Tejada before he signs the 37-year-old. Duquette said that Tejada contacted the Orioles and the team will watch the veteran infielder workout at their complex in Florida tomorrow.
If all goes well, Tejada will sign and the Orioles will send him to extended spring training to get major league ready. If Tejada does sign with Baltimore, it will mark the third separate time he’s inked a deal with the O’s.
2010 is the last time Tejada played with the Orioles, signing a one-year deal in January of that year. That season was the first time Tejada made the transition from shortstop to third base. Tejada was also with the Orioles from 2004 through 2007.
Last season for the Giants Tejada hit at a clip of .239/.270/.326 over his 322 at-bats. San Francisco had Tejada man shortstop, third base and second.
The Orioles likely view Tejada as infield insurance, specifically at third base where Mark Reynolds has struggled with the glove. It doesn’t appear that Tejada has much more to offer at the plate, but on a minor league deal the Orioles don’t have much to lose by inking the former American League MVP.
For more on the Orioles be sure to check out Birds Watcher.
You can follow Call to the Pen on Twitter at @FSCalltothePen or like us here on Facebook.