Roch Kubatko

Suggestions for replacing Buck

April 02, 2010, 2:21pm

Buck Martinez's departure from MASN has left an empty seat in the broadcast booth for about half the games on the Orioles' 2010 schedule, and the network could choose to go in a few directions. Former pitcher/pitching coach/team executive Mike Flanagan is one possibility. The network also could promote from within and expand the role of Dave Johnson, who's part of 105.7 The Fan's pre- and post-game shows and the Wall-to-Wall Baseball program that airs Saturday mornings on MASN. According...

Brian's song

April 02, 2010, 2:20pm

OK, let's get the important stuff out of the way. Brian Matusz confirmed that he'll wear No. 17 next season if the Orioles follow through on his request. "I asked for Aubrey Huff's number last year when he got traded," Matusz told me last night after we decided to stop playing phone tag. "I said, 'Would you mind if I took over 17?' And he said, 'No, I'm done.' I asked when I knew he was leaving. "I know I'm still a rookie next year and shouldn't be asking for my own number, but...

Three's company

April 02, 2010, 2:20pm

The much-anticipated, overly tweeted, three-way deal that would shift Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee to new teams appears to be a reality. Once the medical records are reviewed and physicals are taken, we should get the official announcement. You may celebrate Halladay's departure from the American League. He was a royal pain to the Orioles, going 20-4 with a 2.89 ERA in his career. Let the NL East worry about him now that he's heading to the Phillies. Cliff Lee, also a free agent after the...

Confirmation on Capps

April 02, 2010, 2:18pm

The Orioles have expressed interest in free-agent closer Matt Capps, who was non-tendered by the Pirates over the weekend. Agent Paul Kinzer expects to talk to president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail later today or tomorrow. The amount of interest hasn't been determined. Maybe they're just kicking the tires. Or perhaps Capps will be given serious consideration. It's difficult to know at this early stage of negotiations. Kinzer estimated that "nine or 10" teams have contacted...

Stop, Luke and listen - Part II

April 02, 2010, 2:17pm

Orioles outfielder/designated hitter Luke Scott - or maybe it should be the other way around, and I don't mean Scott Luke - labeled the Kevin Millwood acquisition at the Winter Meetings as being a "great trade, if you ask me." I did. Scott also posed his own question. Then he answered it. "Does it fix our problems? No." He's a virtual one-man interview. "We need more than just one starter," he said. "We need a dominant No. 1 if we want to compete in the AL East." He also...

Stop, Luke and listen

April 02, 2010, 2:17pm

The Orioles will be announcing a new field coach at Triple-A Norfolk. Dallas Williams isn't returning in 2010. Luke Scott was tendered a contract yesterday, as expected, and he'll likely reach an agreement with the Orioles in January. That's how it played out last winter. He's not guaranteed a roster spot, however. Scott knows he's a trade chip for the Orioles, though president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail isn't concerned about a logjam in the outfield. During the Winter...

No closer to a decision on a closer

April 02, 2010, 2:16pm

Since the Orioles don't appear to be in any hurry to sign a closer, we can debate the merits of another one that hit the market yesterday, right-hander Matt Capps, who was non-tendered by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Capps has accumulated 66 saves over the past three seasons on bad teams. His ERA was 2.08 and 3.02 in the two previous seasons before jumping to 5.80 in 2009. He also served up 10 home runs, matching his combined totals in '07 and '08, and he allowed 73 hits in 54 1/3...

Brian Bass non-tendered

April 02, 2010, 2:15pm

The Orioles have tendered contracts to their last two arbitration-eligible players, pitcher Jeremy Guthrie and outfielder/designated hitter Luke Scott. Guthrie and Scott can agree to terms or counter with their own proposals. If the two sides can't get a deal done, they'll go to arbitration later this winter. Neither negotiation figures to reach that point. The Orioles have non-tendered reliever Brian Bass, making him a free agent. Bass went 5-3 with a 4.90 ERA in 48 games. "It didn't...

Two down

April 02, 2010, 2:15pm

President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail just confirmed that relievers Matt Albers and Cla Meredith have agreed to terms, leaving Jeremy Guthrie and Luke Scott as the only arbitration-eligible Orioles without contract offers before the midnight deadline. Shouldn't be much drama there. MacPhail could still choose to non-tender a few players who aren't eligible for arbitration. There's been some speculation in the past about Brian Bass and Dennis Sarfate. We'll know for sure later...

The Atkins diet

April 02, 2010, 2:14pm

MLB.com is reporting that the Colorado Rockies thinned their roster (see what I did there?) by non-tendering third baseman Garrett Atkins, a move that had been anticipated for months Atkins, who made $7.05 million this season, was offered a multi-year deal two years ago. He should have taken it. Now he's a free agent and anyone can sign him. The Orioles have some interest and didn't engage in serious trade talks with the Rockies because they anticipated that he would hit the open...

A little housekeeping

April 02, 2010, 2:14pm

Before we move on from the winter meetings, let's take a look back. Try not to get misty. DECEMBER 7 Atlanta Braves - Designated OF Ryan Church for assignment. Colorado Rockies - Released OF Matt Murton. Detroit Tigers - Acquired a player to be named later for LHP Clay Rapada. Milwaukee Brewers - Signed C Gregg Zaun to a one-year contract. Claimed INF Luis Cruz off waivers from the Pirates. Minnesota Twins - Designated RHP Boof Bonser for assignment. New York Yankees - Acquired a player to be...

A Marquis pitcher on the market

April 02, 2010, 2:13pm

President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail told reporters before leaving Indianapolis that he'd still like to add another pitcher despite the trade for Kevin Millwood. The Orioles, he reminded us, are in the pitching business. A recently published report includes the Orioles among the teams interested in veteran right-hander Jason Marquis, but they're more likely to sign a pitcher who's coming off injury to an incentive-ladened deal. Marquis' agents are Sam and Seth Levinson, who...

Leaving Indy

April 02, 2010, 2:13pm

I arrived at my gate at 5:30 a.m. for the flight home. Time once again to question why I didn't go to medical school. The guy working security kept struggling to pronounce my first name as he studied my drivers license. I finally assisted him after wondering why it mattered. I'll naturally be away from the laptop for a large chunk of the morning, but I'll get to your comments as soon as possible. In the meantime, I'm pretty much out of Orioles news at the moment. Agent Adam Katz told me...

Getting to third base

April 02, 2010, 2:12pm

As I walked through the lobby of the Westin around noon today, I saw president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail and other team personnel gathering for the drive to the airport and their trip back to Baltimore. I was tempted to ask whether MASNsports.com could shoot video of him going through security, but I figured he needed a break from us. MacPhail believes in letting the market play out at certain positions if Player A isn't deemed significantly better than Player Z. Pedro Feliz,...

And so it ends (almost)...

April 02, 2010, 2:11pm

It feels like I just got here. The 2009 Winter Meetings are drawing to a close. That 5 p.m. Southwest flight back to Baltimore will be packed. Unfortunately, I'm not on it. Roch and ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick recap the 2009 Winter Meetings Maybe it's just paranoia, or bad planning, but I'm staying here in case something breaks late. It's not expected, but I'm always reminded of the meetings a few years ago when shortstop Miguel Tejada, interviewed in the Dominican, "suggested" that a...

MacPhail talks about the Rule 5

April 02, 2010, 2:11pm

Seventeen players were selected in the major league phase of the Rule 5 draft. Most Orioles fans only care about one. Pitcher Steve Johnson, acquired with third baseman Josh Bell from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the George Sherrill trade, was selected by the San Francisco Giants with the 23rd pick in the first round. "We knew it was a possibility," said Andy MacPhail, president of baseball operations. "The kid is clearly a prospect. I don't think there's any question about that. The...

More minor picks

April 02, 2010, 2:09pm

The Orioles lost another player in the Triple-A phase of the draft. The San Francisco Giants selected pitcher Jake Stevens from Double-A Bowie's roster. Keep in mind that these players don't have to stay on the major league roster. That's what distinguishes the minor league phase from the major league phase. Stevens will be placed on the Giants' Triple-A roster. The Orioles declined to take a player in the Double-A phase of the draft.

More on Johnson

April 02, 2010, 2:09pm

The Orioles gambled that Steve Johnson, the son of former Orioles pitcher and current 105.7 broadcaster Dave Johnson, would slip through the Rule 5 draft because he isn't a power arm. Wrong. To me, it wasn't necessary to protect infielder Pedro Florimon. He's a definite prospect, but it's hard to imagine a team trying to stash him on it's 25-man roster all season. Keep in mind that Johnson could easily end up back in the organization. That's a common occurrance. And Johnson is looking...

More Rule 5

April 02, 2010, 2:07pm

The San Francisco Giants used the 23rd pick to take pitcher Steve Johnson from the Orioles. More on that later. This won't be well-received in Baltimore.

Rule 5 results

April 02, 2010, 2:06pm

The Orioles used the third pick in the major league phase of the Rule 5 draft to select left-hander Benjamin Snyder from the San Francisco Giants' system, who will be flipped to the Texas Rangers as the PTBNL in the Kevin Millwood trade. That's why you were advised not to get too attached to him. More to come.