I'm set up in the media workroom again, with a clear view of the podium where team executives announce their winter trades and signings.
Still waiting for the Orioles to take the microphone.
It became more apparent during yesterday's 20-minute interview with president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail that the club's best chance to upgrade its lineup is via trade rather than a free-agent signing. I'm not saying the Orioles are out of the running for Carlos Pena, but they seem resigned...
Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail says he has more than one offer on the table for free agents. He won't go into specifics, but Adrian Beltre isn't one of them.
MacPhail has spoken to Beltre's agent, Scott Boras, but it's apparent that the third baseman still has no interest in coming to Baltimore. Boras said earlier today that Beltre won't dismiss teams based on geographical preference, but he didn't champion the Orioles as a serious contender for his client.
It...
Reports indicate that the Red Sox couldn't reach agreement on a contract extension with first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, so their deal with the Padres could be dead.
What does this mean for the Orioles?
If they had any ideas about making a run at third baseman Adrian Beltre, and I have no indications that they're willing to hand over a five-year contract, they better do so in a hurry. You know the Red Sox will go hard after Beltre if they can't resuscitate the Gonzalez talks.
SI.com's Jon...
I'm minutes away from heading to the airport for my Southwest flight to Orlando and the start of Hell Week, also known as Major League Baseball's winter meetings.
I'll be way past my feet in tweets, so I'll need to watch my step. Reporters will try frantically to get their links posted first on mlbtraderumors, whether the news is accurate or not. The truth can come out later.
I don't know what some of these scouts look like, so I'll spend a lot of time asking, "Who's that guy?" As...
Another day brings more news that a big-time slugger isn't coming to Baltimore.
Honestly, did anyone think the Orioles were going to trade for Adrian Gonzalez this winter? I love your optimism, but I never thought it would happen. I put it out of my mind a long time ago. Same with Prince Fielder.
It's a sad commentary, but I've grown more jaded as the years pass. I'm still waiting to be blown away by an aggressive move - and I'm including the Orioles in that statement.
I haven't...
Fans love to talk about a hitting coach's philosophy. Does he preach patience and working the count? Does he want his hitters to be aggressive and come to the plate in full attack mode? Does it vary depending on the situation and the hitter?
Does he prefer Ginger or Mary Ann? (Put me down for Mary Ann.)
I never got around to the last one during yesterday's phone conversation with new hitting coach Jim Presley. I figured it might make a bad first impression.
Presley said his philosophy is...
That was an extremely long reach. My apologies.
The White Sox non-tendered closer Bobby Jenks and his facial hair, making him available on the free-agent market. The Orioles will kick the tires on him at next week's winter meetings, if their leg hasn't already swung.
Jenks' save total has dropped from 41 to 40 to 30 to 29 to 27 over the past five years. The two-time All-Star was 1-3 with a 4.44 ERA, 18 walks and 61 strikeouts in 55 appearances covering 52 2/3 innings this season. He...
Is everyone refreshed after venting last night over the Adam Dunn news and, hopefully, getting a good night's sleep?
There's still plenty of time to patch the holes in your walls and apologize to the cat.
If you're waiting breathlessly for the Orioles to reveal their minor league coaching staffs, it probably won't happen until the middle of next week. A few openings might remain, but most of the names will be in place.
At least three affiliates will have a full-time extra coach, while...
The Orioles declined to offer a contract to reliever Matt Albers, allowing him to become a free agent.
Removing Albers from the 40-man roster lowers the total to 34.
Albers went 11-12 with a 4.60 ERA in 146 games with the Orioles after they acquired him from the Astros on Dec. 12, 2007.
The Orioles can re-sign Albers, but he's free to seek a deal with another organization.
As expected, the Orioles offered contracts to their other arbitration-eligible players: Jeremy Guthrie, Jim Johnson,...
For those of you who aren't attached to mlbtraderumors, it appears that the White Sox have reached agreement with free-agent first baseman Adam Dunn on a four-year, $56 million contract. Multiple reporters are tweeting it.
Sounds like a nice deal for the White Sox. Nothing that sends up red flags or makes me wonder if there's a gas leak at U.S. Cellular Field.
According to this tweet, some Chicago players believe Paul Konerko will re-sign with the White Sox.
You'd have to assume that...
I've been awake since 5 a.m. May as well fire up the blog again and go back to bed later, where I'll do a little more tossing and turning. That'll be my cardio workout for the day.
I'm still waiting for the Orioles to announce their minor league coaching staffs, but manager Gary Kendall is definitely moving up from short-season Single-A Aberdeen to Double-A Bowie, where he'll be joined by pitching coach Kennie Steenstra and new hitting coach Denny Hocking. Gary Allenson is back at...
Longtime Orioles umpire attendant Ernie Tyler is being transferred to a rehabilitation facility and continues to progress well after undergoing surgery to remove a benign brain tumor.
Tyler's son, Jimmy, passed along the news to an Orioles official.
Ernie had been hospitalized at the University of Maryland Medical Center since Oct. 2 and underwent the surgery four days later. Continue to hold a good thought for him.
A member of the Orioles' Hall of Fame, Tyler worked 3,819 consecutive home...
Well, here's your latest rumor:
The Orioles have made a "significant" offer to free-agent first baseman Paul Konerko, according to a tweet from former executive Jim Bowden.
This wouldn't be a huge surprise, since the Orioles chased Konerko in the winter of 2005 and watched him take less money to re-sign with the Chicago White Sox. They need a first baseman with power. He's a first baseman with power.
He's also been viewed as a guy who would rather go someplace else, as he's shown in...
It's with great joy that I can finally proclaim, without fear of contradiction or late signing, that the ship has sailed on Miguel Tejada.
Nothing against Tejada, but I wasn't ready for another reunion. How can I miss him if he doesn't leave?
He's gone, having reportedly agreed to a one-year, $6.5 million deal with the Giants last night.
I didn't think the Orioles would re-sign him to play third base, but at least that temptation has been removed.
And all that fuss over Ryan Theriot...
Once again, I find myself promoting the MLB Network's Prime 9 program that airs tonight at 8 p.m., but only because of another Orioles connection.
The top 9 third basemen in baseball history will be featured, and yes, Brooks Robinson is included. As if he could possibly be omitted.
I don't know where he's ranked, but he'll be joined by Mike Schmidt, George Brett and Alex Rodriguez, among others. Rodriguez also made the Top 9 for all-time shortstops (I believe Cal Ripken ranked...
Is Gary Allenson disappointed that he's not part of manager Buck Showalter's coaching staff?
"That's an understatement," he says.
Allenson was bypassed for the job of third base coach and catching instructor, losing out to former Pirates manager John Russell. He accepted the offer to return to Triple-A Norfolk as manager, assuring that he'll remain in the organization for one more season.
Allenson contacted new Pirates manager Clint Hurdle about the possibility of joining his staff,...
The 2011 Hall of Fame ballot has been released, and former Orioles first baseman Rafael Palmeiro is on it.
Working in his favor: Palmeiro, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Eddie Murray are the only players in baseball history with 3,000 hits and 500 home runs. Aaron, Mays and Murray are in the Hall of Fame.
Working against him: That failed test for performance-enhancing drugs in 2005.
Palmeiro could have been a first-ballot inductee, but not anymore. He might not make it at all.
Your...
The Orioles might announce their minor league coaching staffs this week.
See, I just copied a past entry and inserted the words "minor league." No heavy lifting.
It appears that they're waiting to hire a manager at short-season Single-A Aberdeen, with Gary Kendall moving up to Double-A Bowie. Former Baysox manager Brad Komminsk will serve as hitting coach at Triple-A Norfolk, where Gary Allenson will manage again after replacing Juan Samuel as the Orioles' third base coach.
Got all...
Who bats leadoff if Brian Roberts is injured again?
It's a question that keeps popping up here, and I've been responding that the Orioles could turn to whichever player is acquired as a backup. Felix Pie also would be an option if his anger management classes let out early enough.
It's impossible to know for sure in late November, but the Orioles need to find a utility infielder with lots of experience at second base.
Robert Andino will compete for a utility job, and he made a pretty...
Video of Felix Pie's meltdown in a Dominican Winter League game is surfacing all over the place, so I may as well join the party and post it here, in case you've missed it.
Pie was called out at first base on a pickoff and had to be restrained by an Estrellas coach as he attempted to jump into the umpire's chest and take up residence.
As tantrum's go, this one is an instant classic.
A rumor spread that Pie had attacked the umpire, which isn't quite true. He never made contact. But boy,...
