I could attempt to cheat and wait until I get to spring training, watch a few workouts and talk to the manager before choosing my dark horse for 2011. Or I could do the honorable thing and make my decision today, without benefit of bullpen sessions and batting practice, without the opinions of the people who will construct the 25-man roster, without first having my palm read.
As if it matters.
I selected pitcher Brad Hennessey before arriving in Fort Lauderdale, blinked and missed his entire...
The Orioles reached agreement with Vladimir Guerrero on a one-year contract Friday night, but he won't undergo his physical until early next week.
No sense rushing these things.
I know Guerrero moves slowly these days, but this is ridiculous.
OK, I'm spent.
The Orioles' physicians will gather in Sarasota for spring training - the equipment has been shipped down there - so it makes sense for Guerrero to meet with them at the Ed Smith Stadium complex.
The physical could take place as...
It's another busy day for me as I try to get my life in order before spring training.
As if I can do that in one week.
I haven't succeeded over the last 25 years. Why start now?
Anyway, I'm getting my taxes done this morning and racing to the warehouse for - wait for it - a Twitter meeting. Yes, I'm going over to the dark side. And I brought extra batteries for the flashlight.
Right now, you can only find my blog entries linked on Twitter, but I'll do a lot more with it once I get to...
The Orioles issued a press release announcing that they're returning to 1090 AM WBAL Radio after a four-year absence from the station's airwaves.
It's a multi-year deal, but I'm not sure if it includes incentives.
I'm also not sure how many fans really care, but I know there was some curiosity. You'll tune in wherever you can find the games.
Just make sure to switch to AM. And I don't mean Andy MacPhail.
Orioles representative Alan Rifkin made the official announcement tonight at 6...
No matter which lineup you've chosen for the Orioles, and we kicked around a few more ideas yesterday, it's important to heed the words of second baseman Brian Roberts that he delivered to reporters at FanFest.
They reached our ears long before the Orioles reached agreement with Vladimir Guerrero, but Roberts' message still rings true.
"For us, the biggest key is still going to be our young pitchers, our young starters," Roberts said. "They're going to have to pitch well for...
You have to like a sports agency that announces when its clients sign a contract.
Welcome to the Twitter world.
CAA Baseball has tweeted that reliever David Riske agreed to a minor league deal with the Orioles that includes an invitation to spring training.
Riske appeared in 23 games with the Brewers last season, compiling a 5.01 ERA before being released in August. He already got his Tommy John surgery out of the way in 2009.
Riske is 20-20 with a 3.67 ERA in 11 seasons with the Indians,...
I found Nolan Reimold in the usual place this winter, working out with former Orioles outfielder Brady Anderson in California. He'll stay a little longer before reporting to spring training in Sarasota.
Reimold knows the addition of Vladimir Guerrero could have a direct impact on him, "but I guess the full extent of how it impacts me remains to be seen," he said earlier today in a brief phone conversation.
"There will always be good players in the major leagues and there will always be...
I have another appointment this morning that's going to occupy a chunk of my time, but I'll return later with something a little more substantial for the blog.
In the meantime, I wanted to revisit my projected Orioles lineup that I filed Friday night after the news broke about Vladimir Guerrero.
A reader suggested that Mark Reynolds should bat fifth behind Guerrero and ahead of Luke Scott. I had Scott's left-handed bat separating the two right-handers.
To review:
Brian Roberts 2B
Nick...
Exactly one week from today, I'll be standing inside the home clubhouse at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota or staking out the parking lot, jotting down the names of pitchers and catchers as they report on the mandatory date. I'll make note of any position players that show up early. And I'll wonder again whether I packed enough socks and underwear.
Where has the winter gone?
It's fair to assume that the Orioles are done shopping. They're certainly finished with the heavy lifting after...
Justin Duchscherer just proved that he can interview hurt.
Duchscherer came down with a bad cold, but he still took questions between coughs in a noon conference call.
"I don't usually sound like a 70-year-old smoker," he joked.
I guess he was a little too enthusiastic after a team physician told him to "turn and cough." It's OK to stop now.
Duchscherer, who agreed to a one-year contract late Sunday night that could pay him $4.5 million with incentives, discussed his three hip...
Good morning to everyone. Many thanks for the kind birthday wishes directed at my lovely daughter. I'm sure she'll expect more of them on the actual date (She's a Valentine's baby, and not the least bit spoiled.)
I'll pass along some Justin Duchscherer quotes later today. You remember him, right? Veteran free-agent pitcher. Sort of a big deal until last night.
Looking at some of Vladimir Guerrero's numbers, I'm just blown away by his consistency over 15 major league seasons. He's...
For my daughter's 18th birthday, I decided to get her Vladimir Guerrero.
She really wanted a car.
(If I was feeling more clever, I'd come up with a joke that ties together Guerrero and a car. Maybe later.)
Actually, my daughter turns 18 on Valentine's Day, but my family gathered tonight because I'll be in Sarasota for the big occasion. And naturally, the Orioles decided to make news as the entrees arrived.
Well, it's the least they could do after forcing us to wait until tomorrow to...
Justin Duchscherer has passed his physical examination, making his one-year contract with the Orioles official.
Duchscherer's signing takes the Orioles' 40-man roster to its limit. The right-hander is expected to be part of the team's starting rotation and will report to spring training in Sarasota, Fla., later this month.
The Orioles will make Duchscherer available to reporters via a conference call at an undetermined time. His travel plans altered the original schedule.
The important...
Since a few of you asked and I always try to please my readers - well, up to a certain point - I'm told the Orioles have had "light discussions only" regarding Oscar Salazar, who was designated for assignment by the Padres. I don't sense a lot of enthusiasm, but it's not like the idea was dismissed entirely.
You know it's a slow news day when a non-roster spring training invite for Randy Winn stirs up conversation on this blog.
You know it's a slow morning when I'm revisiting the...
The Orioles have signed and invited 16 non-roster players to their major league spring training camp.
Let's start with the pitchers: Right-handers Mitch Atkins, Ryan Drese, Armando Gabino, Wynn Pelzer, Raul Rivero and Josh Rupe, and left-handers Mark Hendrickson and Clay Rapada.
Position players include catchers Adam Donachie, Michel Hernandez and Caleb Joseph; outfielders Tyler Henson and Randy Winn; and infielders Ryan Adams, Nick Green and Brendan Harris.
Randy Winn? Did I forget about...
One of the biggest curiosities among fans and media is how spring training could change under manager Buck Showalter's guidance.
I've never spent seven weeks with him in Florida or Arizona, so I'm not qualified to say. He's built a reputation as a no-nonsense guy, but it's not like the other managers hung piñatas on the backstops and used their stopwatches for potato sack races.
Second baseman Brian Roberts was asked at FanFest whether he anticipated a different climate...
I'm running on fumes this morning. I'll check for more FanFest leftovers later before they go bad like the onion dip that I found in the back of my fridge last week (speaking of fumes).
I wanted to address a question regarding new pitcher Justin Duchscherer and the possibility that he could be the Orioles' opening day starter with a good spring.
I don't think that manager Buck Showalter has slotted his starters two months before the first game. He still needs to choose five arms. But...
I walked into the gym this afternoon and heard the question.
It could have been anywhere. Grocery store, bank, dentist's waiting room.
"Vlad?"
It's been shortened to one word.
"Vlad?"
I still don't know whether the Orioles will sign him. I still don't know whether that $8 million offer from another team actually exists. I still don't know why he wouldn't accept it if it's true.
The Orioles made their offer and aren't budging from it. They hope he accepts it. They won't come...
New bench coach Willie Randolph knows winning. It's on his resume. So how can a team like the Orioles change a losing culture?
Let's ask him.
"It takes individuals, it takes guys who are willing to commit to changing that as a group, as a team," Randolph said during a break at FanFest. "Changing a culture is not all that tough if you want to get on board and get back to where you were as an organization and as a team. So it's really not that difficult, but that's why it's so important...
Pitcher Justin Duchscherer will take his physical today. I'm still trying to find out whether his school was delayed two hours.
I promised some FanFest leftovers a few days ago and got sidetracked by Duchscherer. And if I had a nickel for every time I wrote the phrase "sidetracked by Duchscherer," I could retire today.
New bench coach Willie Randolph was asked whether he reached out to any players over the winter.
"Guys nowadays don't call you back too often," he said, laughing....