Closer George Sherrill, whose flat-brimmed cap and ninth-inning tightrope act made him a fan and club favorite in his two seasons in Baltimore, was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday for two minor leaguers, including the son of a former Orioles pitcher.
Furthering his desire to rebuild the Orioles' once-barren farm system, club president Andy MacPhail swapped Sherrill for switch-hitting Double-A third baseman Josh Bell, the Dodgers' eighth-ranked prospect according to Baseball America, and right-handed starter Steve Johnson, a 2005 St. Paul's graduate and the son of former Orioles right-hander and current MASN broadcaster Dave Johnson.
"These are never easy trades to make. It's with mixed emotions that we announce this," MacPhail said. "On the negative side, we had to trade a very highly valued member of our team ... who not only did an outstanding job on and off the field, he really helped facilitate what this franchise is trying to do."
Trading for Sherrill in February 2008 as part of the Erik Bedard deal with the Seattle Mariners breathed life into MacPhail's rebuilding effort. Thursday's move signifies Phase Two, converting a piece from the Bedard trade into two more prospects - both of whom likely won't be ready for the majors until 2010 at the earliest.
"There does come a time when the standings are the standings, and there does come a time when we have to try to address our needs going down the road so we can get the group of talent together for the long term. And we think that's what this trade represents," MacPhail said. "We will have to endure some short-term pain, but we're pretty confident we are going to get some long-term gain."
The price, however, was steep.
Sherrill, the Orioles' lone All-Star in 2008, saved 51 games in 1 1/2 seasons for the club, ranking him ninth on the franchise's all-time saves list. But he's 32, is making $2.75 million in 2009 and has two more years of arbitration eligibility remaining. And, as a closer on a noncontender, he was viewed as a luxury.
MacPhail wasn't optimistic that he would move another veteran by today's 4 p.m. nonwaiver trade deadline but said nothing had been ruled out.
Sherrill, who has been the subject of trade rumors for more than a year, learned the news after he had left Camden Yards following the Orioles' 7-3 win over the Kansas City Royals.
