Tejada Dealt From O's to Astros

The Baltimore Orioles traded disenchanted shortstop Miguel Tejada to the Houston Astros today for five players, the Baltimore Sun reports. Unable to change the O’s losing ways and resistant to a third base switch, the former MVP became a prime offseason target by other teams. In return, the Orioles will get outfielder Luke Scott, pitchers Matt Albers, Troy Patton, and Dennis Sarfate, and third baseman Michael Costanzo.

The move ends two years of speculation regarding Tejada, who once requested a trade out of Baltimore and has since been the subject of repeated trade rumors. The four-time All-Star’s desire to play for a winning team didn’t mesh with the Orioles’ off-season philosophy of getting younger and cheaper players. “I want to be on a team that is going to compete to win,” Tejada said. (More Baltimore Orioles stories.)