Orioles don't sell - trade minor league pitcher for infielder Tim Beckham instead - BaltimoreBaseball.com
Dan Connolly

Orioles don’t sell — trade minor league pitcher for infielder Tim Beckham instead

The non-waiver trade deadline is over and it appears the Orioles – at 50-54 and 5 ½ games behind the Kansas City Royals for the second Wild Card prior to tonight’s contest between the two – were, indeed, buyers.

Relievers Zach Britton and Brad Brach, and every other Oriole of note, stayed at Camden Yards on Monday afternoon.

The only July 31 trade the Orioles made was acquiring infielder Tim Beckham from the Tampa Bay Rays for 18-year-old right-hander Tobias Myers, a former sixth-round pick last year who was 2-2 with a 3.94 ERA at Short-A Aberdeen.

The Trade was first reported by the Tampa Bay Times.

Beckham, 27, was the first overall pick in the 2008 draft, but has never lived up to those expectations. This season, he hit .259 with 12 homers and 36 RBIs in 87 games while starting 69 at shortstop and 17 at second base. He has struck out 110 times in 345 plate appearances this year.

The trade gives the Orioles someone who can play both middle infield spots now, and is a candidate to be the club’s everyday shortstop next year, assuming pending free agent J.J. Hardy’s option is not picked up. Beckham could be under club control through the 2020 season.

The real story of the deadline, however, is that the Orioles weren’t sellers; on Friday they traded a minor league pitcher and seldom used outfielder Hyun Soo Kim for right-hander Jeremy Hellickson, who will make his Orioles’ debut on Wednesday against the Royals.

So instead of dealing away a Britton or Brach, they added to what they hope can be a pennant push.

Yes, it seems like a stretch to add to this team – but Dan Duquette was true to his word. He’s not giving up on this season.

RAVENS NEWS from BaltimoreSports.com

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