Orioles make splash, land Ubaldo Jimenez

There still are some top free agents looking for homes, and the Baltimore Orioles landed one of those top free agents who hadn't been signed yet in starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez. Jimenez gets a four-year contract, that's worth $50 million. Jimenez, 30, has been in the MLB since September 2006, when he was called up by the Colorado Rockies. He spent all of his seasons with the Rockies until July, 2011 when he was traded to the Cleveland Indians for Alex White, Joe Gardner, Matt McBride, and pitcher Drew Pomeranz.

Jimenez was an All-Star in 2010 while with the Rockies, and pitched their first no hitter in franchise history. In Baltimore, Jimenez joins a starting rotation that includes up and coming star Chris Tillman, Wei-Yin Chen, Bud Norris, and Miguel Gonzalez. That also includes top pitching prospects in the waiting Kevin Gausman, Zach Britton, Dylan Bundy, and T. J. McFarland.

After being traded to the Indians, Jimenez didn't do that well for them. He looked lost on the Indians and struggled with control. I kind of wonder if he liked it in Colorado too much, and had trouble fully adjusting to being on a new team and in a new city. But in 2013, he seemed re-find his career going 13-9 in 32 starts, 194 strikeouts, while pitching 182.2 innings, with an era of 3.30. His 2013 season was his best on since 2010, when he went 19-8 with an era of 2.88.

Jimenez has played eight seasons in the MLB over those eight seasons, his career record is: 82-75, 212 games, 211 starts, 3.92 era, 1,172 strikeouts, 1275.2 innings pitched, and a whip of 1.35.

It looks like it will be a win-win for the Orioles and Jimenez. They needed a pitcher in their rotation who can help give them innings. Jimenez may not be a CY Young candidate like he was in his early days on the Rockies, but he can still help win games. And pitch in big games if needed. He should be able to help the younger starting pitchers on the Orioles.

Now he'll just need to live up to his contract. Are the Orioles done making moves? I think we'll find out during spring training, if they are done making moves in the offseason. Since there still are two top hitters on the free agent market in Nelson Cruz and Kendry Morales.