Roch Kubatko

LaRoche off the board?

LaRoche off the board?
The Arizona Diamondbacks have reached agreement on a one-year deal with free-agent first baseman Adam LaRoche, according to this tweet from Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Does this make sense? LaRoche reportedly turned down a two-year, $17 million offer from the Giants to sign for one year with the Diamondbacks. Maybe he's banking on a big season so he can test the market again next winter. The Orioles weren't going to offer more than one year, which seemed to take them...
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Roch Kubatko

FanFest update (with an update)

FanFest update (with an update)
More than 60 current, former and future (hopefully) Orioles players and coaches will participate in FanFest on Jan. 23 at the Baltimore Convention Center. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with 10 a.m. entry for season-plan holders. Players expected to attend include MATT ALBERS, ROBERT ANDINO, GARRETT ATKINS, MICHAEL AUBREY, JOSH BELL, BRAD BERGESEN, JASON BERKEN, ALBERTO CASTILLO, BRANDON ERBE, MIKE GONZALEZ, JEREMY GUTHRIE, DAVID HERNANDEZ, RHYNE HUGHES, JIM JOHNSON, ADAM JONES, NICK...
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Roch Kubatko

Orioles scouting Delgado

Orioles scouting Delgado
It isn't much, but this will have to pass as news: The Orioles sent a representative to Puerto Rico this week to scout first baseman Carlos Delgado. I knew that was the plan, but I still wanted to get confirmation that they're monitoring Delgado, who's batting .280 with one homer and two RBIs in eight games and 25 at-bats with Gigantes de Carolina. He's walked four times and struck out four times. Delgado mostly has served as the designated hitter, but he's also played a little first...
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Roch Kubatko

Shameless plug alert

Shameless plug alert
It wouldn't be Friday without a shamless plug. I'll be joining Steve Melewski tonight for the Hot Stove Show that runs from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. on 105.7 The Fan and ESPN 1300. Outfielder Nolan Reimold will join us at the top of the hour, and hitting coach Terry Crowley will follow at 8:30 p.m. You can be sure that Reimold will provide an update on his Achilles and offer his opinion on playing first base, since that's been such a popular subject here. Crowley will head to Camden Yards next...
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Roch Kubatko

A few Oriole items

A few Oriole items
I've dug up a few nuggets that might get you through the night. • At this time, the Orioles don't plan on having a scout attend Ben Sheets' throwing session Tuesday in Louisiana. That could change, but it's not likely. Sheets didn't seem interested in signing here when the Orioles met with his agent last month at the winter meetings (which takes us back to their inability to secure his medical records). • Team officials have...
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Roch Kubatko

What logjam?

What logjam?
If you're wondering why the Orioles aren't concerned about a logjam in the outfield, I can give you two pretty good reasons. Nolan Reimold isn't certain that he'll be full-go when he reports to spring training next month. He still hasn't done any sprints since undergoing surgery on his left Achilles on Sept. 23. Felix Pie didn't play winter ball because his injured left quadriceps muscle has been slow to heal. Factor in the days that Adam Jones and Lou Montanez spent on the disabled...
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Roch Kubatko

Talking baseball...

Talking baseball...
I guess the frustration that's boiling over here hasn't reached Sarasota, because I'm told the lines are incredibly long to purchase tickets at Ed Smith Stadium. The locals say it's similar to the turnout after the Reds traded for Ken Griffey Jr. I wonder how it compares to the lines at the executive airport in Fort Lauderdale. I'm not sure why the Orioles would skip Ben Sheets' throwing session on Tuesday. Even if they're convinced that he won't sign here, I think it's still worth a...
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Roch Kubatko

Statement from Brooks

Statement from Brooks
Not many people are aware that Brooks Robinson has been dealing with a serious health issue. I'm thrilled to report that he was released from the hospital late yesterday and is doing fine. Robinson and his family wanted to keep the matter private, which I certainly understand and respect. I'm just thankful that he's home again. The following is a statement from No. 5, which I'm honored (and greatly relieved) to pass along to Oriole fans everywhere: "On December 28, 2009, I had abdominal...
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Roch Kubatko

Crow and Reimold

Crow and Reimold
Orioles hitting coach Terry Crowley, calling into Friday night's edition of the Hot Stove Show on 105.7 The Fan and ESPN 1300, heaped a lot of praise on the young talent on the roster, including right fielder Nick Markakis. "I feel like Nicky's due for an All-Star season," Crowley said. "Actually, for me, he had four All-Star seasons, but the general public has to recognize that one of these years and he'll be on an All-Star team. And Adam Jones in center - strong defensively. It's too...
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Roch Kubatko

Luke at what happened

Luke at what happened
You've seen the splits on Luke Scott. You know he was a viable candidate for first-half team MVP after batting .305 with 18 homers and 51 RBIs. You also know he fell apart in the second half, batting .208 with seven homers and 26 RBIs. He's always been a streaky hitter, but this is extreme. So what happened? "I think Luke put too much pressure on himself," hitting coach Terry Crowley said. "Luke is the guy who wants to hit .400, he wants to hit 50 home runs. Don't get me wrong, I...
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Roch Kubatko

Taking inventory

Taking inventory
I don't expect the Orioles to begin the season with Michael Aubrey at first base, but I also didn't expect the Jets to play in the AFC championship game or the snow to finally melt in my yard. If the Orioles decide to sift through their inventory, which isn't their first choice, Aubrey would have to rank as the favorite to emerge with the job. He appeared in 31 games last season after having his contract purchased on Aug. 18, batting .289 with seven doubles, four homers and 14 RBIs in 90...
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Roch Kubatko

This, that and the other

This, that and the other
I'm predicting that the Colts and Saints meet in the Super Bowl, and we'll be bombarded with stories about Peyton Manning facing his father's old team. That won't get tired. If you want Jose Offerman to be your team's next manager, keep in mind that he's liable to deck the plate umpire during the exchange of lineup cards. This isn't the first time that Offerman has gone down swinging. FOX Sports' Tracy Ringolsby gives his slam-dunk last-place finishers for 2010, and he's got the...
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Roch Kubatko

Getting Miggy with it?

Getting Miggy with it?
If I had to wager, I'd put my money on Joe Crede playing third base for the Orioles over former shortstop Miguel Tejada. Just don't refer back to my NFL picks this season. I understand that things change as the market plays out. I also assumed that Tejada would be off the board three weeks into Janauary, but he's still on it. And interest in him is limited. What does that tell you? Each time that I've asked president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail about bringing back Tejada,...
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Roch Kubatko

No arbitration for Scott

No arbitration for Scott
The Orioles have reached agreement on a one-year deal with Luke Scott on the day that arbitration-eligible players had to submit their salary figures. The Orioles tendered Scott a contract last month and figured to avoid a hearing with him. The team still needs to reach agreement with pitcher Jeremy Guthrie, who also was tendered a contract last month.
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Roch Kubatko

Matusz interviewed, and upcoming promotions (with Guthrie update)

Matusz interviewed, and upcoming promotions (with Guthrie update)
Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz, who will be in Baltimore this weekend for FanFest, was interviewed by phone earlier today on the Scott Garceau and Anita Marks Show on MASN and 105.7 The Fan. Matusz would like the Orioles to sign veteran left-hander Erik Bedard, who remains on the free-agent market and continues to draw interest. "That would be another great addition if we could end up landing him," Matusz said. "That's a guy that I could look up to, a veteran left-handed pitcher,...
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Roch Kubatko

More from Matusz

More from Matusz
Twitter strikes again. We had a young reporter tweet yesterday that the Blue Jays signed Carlos Delgado - that supposedly was the "word out of Puerto Rico" - but their general manager and Delgado's agent, David Sloane, quickly denied the report. Delgado, it seems, is still a free agent. There's no need to fact-check anymore. Just get the rumor out there and worry about the details later - like whether it's false. I saw plenty of examples at the Winter Meetings. Man, this business...
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Roch Kubatko

Spring invitees (updated)

Spring invitees (updated)
The Orioles have invited 12 non-roster players to spring training: Left-handers Chris George and Mike Hinckley; right-handers Jake Arrieta, Frank Mata, Josh Perrault, Alfredo Simon and Ross Wolf; catchers Michel Hernandez, Caleb Joseph and Chad Moeller; outfielder Jeff Salazar; and infielder Scott Moore. The Orioles will have to create room on the 40-man roster if anyone from this group makes the club. Moeller is the most likely candidate. Moore has an outside shot if the Orioles don't sign...
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Roch Kubatko

Interest remains in Takahashi

Interest remains in Takahashi
The Orioles have engaged in talks with pitcher Hisanori Takahashi and retain interest in the Japanese left-hander, but they're unsure whether he'll join former teammate Koji Uehara in the organization. President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said the club has talked to him "in general terms about what we'd offer and whether he'd be interested." Takahashi is claiming that he's received a major league offer, according to various reports, but he won't reveal the team. MacPhail...
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Roch Kubatko

Orioles this, Orioles that

Orioles this, Orioles that
I'll open the morning with a quick thought on Japanese pitcher Hisanori Takahashi: A few readers here are disturbed that the Orioles would bother pursuing Takahashi, but team officials aren't doing it with the same intensity that marked their negotiations with Koji Uehara and Kenshin Kawakami. They're obviously intrigued by him. He's a lefty with an assortment of pitches, including a screwball. He has experience as a starter and reliever. And he's friends with Uehara, which might make...
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Roch Kubatko

Where's Blake Davis?

Where's Blake Davis?
Looking at the list of spring training invitees, I have to wonder what happened to infielder Blake Davis. Davis made a solid impression last spring before fracturing a bone in his foot and undergoing surgery that limited him to 55 games with Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles regard him as being ready defensively at shortstop. They just wonder how much he'll hit. I know the minor league camp in Sarasota is close to the major league facility, so the Orioles don't need to fill their roster with...
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