Free-agent closer Grant Balfour has reached an agreement on a two-year contract with theBaltimore Orioles, according to multiple media reports.
Grant Balfour vs. Jim Johnson
The Orioles moved Jim Johnson to Oakland earlier this offseason, primarily as a cost move. Now that Grant Balfour (right) is in Baltimore’s picture, a 2013 comparison of the closers:
| Johnson | Balfour | |
|---|---|---|
| IP | 70 1/3 | 62 2/3 |
| ERA | 2.94 | 2.59 |
| Strikeout rate | 19.2% | 27.5% |
| Walk rate | 6.2% | 10.3% |
| Opp. BA | .273 | .206 |
| 2014 salary (approx.) | $10.5M | $7.5M |
The deal is reportedly for $14 million with an additional $500,000 in deferred money each year, according to multiple reports.
Balfour, a 35-year-old Australia native, went 1-3 with a 2.59 ERA and 38 saves last season with theOakland Athletics. Once he joins the Orioles, he will take over as closer for Jim Johnson, who was traded to Oakland for second baseman Jemile Weeks and minor league catcher David Freitas earlier this month.
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