Ken Rosenthal Acknowledging The Possibility Of The Orioles Signing Carlos Correa Is Making Me Feel Things

This has been a big story in Orioles twitter for a few weeks now and Orioles fans don't know how to react. Rumors floated out there by some blue checkmark reporters saying that the Orioles have interest in Carlos Correa and had an offer on the table in the range of 10-years and $300 million. Raul Ramos, a member of the BBWAA has been leading the charge for this one. He's reported multiple times that the Orioles not only have interest, but would do anything they could do sign Correa away from the Astros. Did the Orioles offer Correa a $300 million deal? No clue, Ramos said it happened, we just have no other real concrete evidence. I've chatted with Ramos, he seems like a nice fellow, I'm not sure why he would have any reason to lie. Do I believe the reports that the Orioles have a long-term high $ offer to Correa? I'm starting to. None of the other big reporters or Orioles reporters have said much about it, just noting that Mike Elias has said that it's "unlikely" the team would offer any multi-year deals to free agents. He didn't say "never" though. 

So last night Ken Rosenthal drops his piece in The Athletic and mentions the Orioles and Correa. This is the first time someone notable outside of Ramos has mentioned the two, so naturally you assume there is a connection there. Rosenthal wouldn't mention it if it didn't have legs....right? In the article he doesn't really say much. He says words but it doesn't really translate to anything. Rosenthal makes points as to WHY the Orioles would have interest in Correa. #1 he's really good, #2 Mike Elias was the amateur scouting director for the Astros when they drafted Carlos. That is a natural fit folks. 

Here is where Rosenthal gets tricky. He says "a source with knowledge of the Orioles thinking, might be an exception, if his price dropped to a level the club deemed appropriate."

"A source with knowledge of the Orioles thinking" doesn't sound like a source within the warehouse. It sounds like someone who maybe is close to someone in the front office letting something leak. I've heard stuff from people close to the team, but nothing in the warehouse. Apparently the offer that was out there may be a bit bigger than what was reported. Mayne the Orioles have by far the most attractive offer out there. Maybe Scott Boras is pushing Correa to take a 1-year deal so Boras doesn't have to split money with Correa's old agency. Again none of that is concrete. But to me just the fact that Rosenthal is addressing it gives this thing legs. Orioles fans were a bit skeptical when Ramos came out with his tweets and for good reason. Most of us had never heard of him before those tweets and it's natural to not fully believe something you're reading on the internet. But when Rosenthal spoke our ears perked up. 

Who's to say that Correa doesn't get the long term deal and maybe does settle for a shorter deal, 4-5 years. Maybe the Orioles do offer him a 10 year deal but essentially make it a 4-year deal by including an opt out. The opt out makes sense for him because in 4 years he'll be 31, he could move to first base or DH for any club and still probably get a huge deal. I think the longer this drags on the more likely he is going to end up back in Houston. It just makes sense that he would stay at home if the money is close, but if the Orioles have the better offer money wise, a top farm system with top prospects coming up this year, and their window opening soon....why not? But the fact that it's this late in the game and the Orioles are being mentioned by Ken Rosenthal as having interest, that is a great sign. Again, I'm not saying it means anything because he basically said nothing, but I think it's not officially something to keep eyes on. It started out as a joke between all the Orioles fans, but now I think people are starting to take it a bit more seriously. Now we play the waiting game and see what Boras and Correa decide to do.