:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/28870735/20130828_jla_ae5_519.0.jpg)
The Pirates and Orioles still have interest in Mets first baseman Ike Davis, the New York Post's Joel Sherman notes. The Orioles' signing of Ubaldo Jimenez may speed the remainder of the first-base market along (though the Orioles would want to mostly play DH). Previously, the Orioles would have had to give up their No. 17 overall pick to get Kendrys Morales. As we've discussed here before, that likely would have been an issue for the Orioles, since Morales has very little surplus value over the No. 17 pick (if he has any at all).
Now that the Orioles have agreed to terms with Jimenez, their No. 17 pick isn't an issue anymore, and so, to sign Morales, they would only have to give up the No. 54 overall pick. So it wouldn't be surprising to me now if they signed him (or Nelson Cruz, I guess), because he's clearly more valuable than a second-rounder. If they were to do so, that might clear the way for the Pirates to trade for someone like Davis, since the Mets would have one fewer customer in a market that's already fairly limited.
