At the time, the signing of Everth Cabrera seemed to be nothing more than an insurance policy.
Even more so for a team like the Orioles, who are especially crafty with the comings and goings of players on the fringe of the roster. Cabrera was signed to a team-friendly 2.4M deal that offered the O's a lot of flexibility, given the availability of a minor league option as well as an extra season of club control.
Cabrera was given the opportunity to redeem himself after an atrocious 2014 season, a PED suspension and off-the-field issues, and for the Orioles, there really wasn't a downside to adding a guy that happened to be an All-Star only two seasons ago.