O’s could sell Britton insurance

THE before-and-after picture for Zach Britton is stark.

From Sept. 2, 2015, to April 13, 2017, Britton appeared in 87 games covering 85 2/3 innings, allowing six earned runs and holding hitters to a .171 average and a .456 OPS.

On April 14, Britton was used for the second straight day, gave up one run on three hits in an inning versus Toronto and went on the disabled list two days later with a forearm strain. He returned less than two weeks later, pitched twice and landed back on the DL with a reoccurrence of the forearm strain. He was lost for two months, returning July 5.

In Britton’s past 12 appearances (including April 14), covering 12 innings, he has allowed seven earned runs while hitters have a .360 average and .818 OPS against him. And he has yet to pitch on consecutive days.

That is why interested teams are so hesitant to trade for the available Orioles closer — they wonder if he is damaged goods. Conversely, Baltimore does not want to trade Britton at a low point and not get a sizeable return. However, if they hold on to him, they risk not getting anything to address one of the game’s weakest systems.

Can there be a compromise?

Officially, the answer is no. But, yes.

On official paperwork to the Commissioner’s Office when a player to be named is part of the agreement, all that appears is that term — player to be named — and an agreed upon cash alternative in case the sides decide not to ultimately exchange players.

But there also are private agreements between clubs in which they send in the official paperwork, yet make a side agreement on the level of return contingent on a physical outcome. So, for example, the Orioles could send Britton to a team and they could agree to two lists of players to be named, and Baltimore would receive the superior one if Britton, say, didn’t need left arm surgery by a prescribed date, likely the end of the World Series. All players to be named must be finalized within six months of the transaction.

The White Sox’s everything-must-go approach persisted Thursday when they traded lefty reliever Dan Jennings to the Rays for first base prospect Casey Gillaspie in time for Jennings to join Tampa Bay for its four-game series against the Yankees.