Orioles history: Exciting '04 winter fails to pay dividends the following season

Follow along as we explore a number of Orioles' historical off-seasons. Today, we're looking back at the winter of 2003-2004.

Following a 71-91 season in 2003, the Orioles were determined to add star power to a team in desperate need of a jolt. Fortunately for the Orioles, the 2004 free-agent class was star-studded and headlined by Montreal Expos' star Vladimir Guerrero. Below Guerrero were Miguel Tejada, Ivan Rodriguez, Rafael Palmeiro, and Javy Lopez. To Birdland's bliss, owner Peter Angelos opened the vault for GM duo Jim Beattie and Mike Flanagan to shop, and they went to work.

Although the Orioles were unable to land Guerrero (despite a valiant effort), the Orioles reeled in three of the top bats in Tejada, Lopez, and former Orioles' legend Rafael Palmeiro. The Orioles also brought back pitcher Sidney Ponson, whom they had traded months earlier amid a nasty breakup, and appeared poised to make a run in the AL East. Unfortunately, it did not happen.

The biggest fish the Orioles signed was Tejada, who agreed to a then-club record 6 year, $72 million contract on the eve of the Winter Meetings, surpassing Albert Belle's $65 million pact from 1999. And he was worth every penny. In 2004, Tejada was worth an eye-popping 7.4 bWAR, OPS'ing .894 and hitting .311 with 34 home runs and 150 RBIs. The top three of Brian Roberts, Melvin Mora, and Tejada was a dynamite start for the powerful Orioles' lineup, with Tejada an All-Star in 2004 and Tejada, Roberts, and Mora All-Stars in 2005. Despite an exciting start in Baltimore, Tejada never played in a playoff game or on a winning team, and was unceremoniously traded to the Astros in 2007 for a package including Luke Scott and Troy Patton.

The Orioles went wild in the winter of 2003-2004

The Orioles also brought back fan-favorite Rafael Palmeiro, who had shined for the O's from 1996-1998. Palmeiro hit cleanup between Tejada and catcher Javy Lopez in 2004 and 2005 and provided left-handed thump to the Orioles' powerful lineup those years. However, shortly after picking up his 3,000th hit with a double against the Mariners in 2005, Palmeiro was suspended for using a banned substance, which ultimately cratered both his career and his legacy.

The Orioles also added Lopez, the long-time Atlanta Braves All-Star catcher, to a three-year deal to replace the combination of Brook Fordyce and Geronimo Gil. Lopez started hot, hammering a solo homer on opening night against Boston's Pedro Martinez to help the Orioles to a 1-0 start in 2004.

Lopez was worth 4.5 WAR in 2004 and posted a terrific .872 OPS in 150 games batting behind Rafael Palmeiro and in front of Jay Gibbons. His production declined after, and the Orioles traded him to the Red Sox for a player to be named later. After Lopez, Ramon Hernandez kept the catching position warm until a man by the name of Matt Wieters joined the Orioles and caught from 2009-2016.

With Roberts, Mora, Tejada, Palmeiro, Lopez, and even Jay Gibbons, the Orioles' problem was not their offense; it was their pitching. Despite bringing back Sidney Ponson on a three year, $21 million contract (he had been dealt to the Giants in July 2003 and a reunion seemed unlikely at the time), the Orioles' 2004 pitching struggled mightily. Daniel Cabrera, Erik Bedard (before he learned to pitch), Erik DuBose, Matt Riley, and Ponson struggled to a 4.70 team ERA, 20th in the league. Mike DeJean, who the Orioles added as a free agent during the off-season, was similarly brutal, going 0-5 with a 6.13 ERA. The Orioles pitching - both new additions and incumbents - was simply not good enough.

The Baltimore Orioles built a loaded offense through free-agency in 2004 with Miguel Tejada, Rafael Palmeiro, and Javy Lopez

The old cliche is that the winner of the off-season does not determine the winner of the World Series. The 2003 offseason was the most exciting one in my memory, but the Orioles tried to build a team through free agency, which typically does not work. An exciting off-season is often the best off-season over the winter, but when the season starts they are all just players on the Orioles trying to win games. And for that team, an exciting offense and little pitching was not enough.

Fast forward to 2025, and we see the Orioles trying - albeit frustratingly to some (including me) - to supplement their young core. The off-season has been relatively balanced; the Orioles have added position players Tyler O'Neill and Gary Sanchez, and pitchers Tomoyuki Sugano and Charlie Morton. Unlike 2004, however, the Orioles' success in 2025 will turn on continued developments from their core, with free agency playing a different role now than it did back then. While the 2004 winter was more exciting, the 2025 off-season is more likely to produce a winner. Assuming the Orioles make the right moves.