masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgSAN DIEGO – We’ve reached the finish line of the 2014 Winter Meetings at the Manchester Grand Hyatt.

The Rule 5 draft will be held at 9 a.m. PST, followed by a frantic race to the airport. It’s a mad, mad, mad, mad baseball world.

The Orioles apparently will head home with a selection in the major league phase of the Rule 5 draft and possibly a pick in the Triple-A phase. Last year, they took Michael Almanzar and Julio Borbon. The earth didn’t shake.

The only real excitement generated by…SAN DIEGO – We’ve reached the finish line of the 2014 Winter Meetings at the Manchester Grand Hyatt.

The Rule 5 draft will be held at 9 a.m. PST, followed by a frantic race to the airport. It’s a mad, mad, mad, mad baseball world.

The Orioles apparently will head home with a selection in the major league phase of the Rule 5 draft and possibly a pick in the Triple-A phase. Last year, they took Michael Almanzar and Julio Borbon. The earth didn’t shake.

duquette-showalter-talking-sidebar.jpgThe only real excitement generated by the Orioles occurred on Sunday with news that the Blue Jays wanted to interview executive vice president Dan Duquette for the position of president/CEO, which we later found out will continue to be filled by Paul Beeston in 2015.

Duquette never dumped cold water on speculation that he wanted the job and he never came out and confirmed it. He just repeated that he was focused on building the best Orioles team possible to maintain its competitive status.

For many fans, it wasn’t enough. Neither are two picks in the Rule 5 draft.

I’ll provide another reminder that the Orioles don’t usually make big waves at these meetings. You’re only going to set yourself up for disappointment if you brought a flotation device.

All indications point to the Orioles avoiding free agent outfielder Melky Cabrera unless he falls into their laps like Nelson Cruz. Duquette keeps reminding reporters how he prefers shorter-term deals. Cabrera is seeking at least four years.

Forget trading for Matt Kemp. Justin Upton also seems like a long shot at this stage of the offseason. Duquette is more likely to sign free agents, as he keeps saying, though he came close to pulling off a deal yesterday for pitching.

It’s easy to envision Duquette letting the market play out and waiting for the price to come down for Michael Morse and others on that level. As time passes, perhaps the Orioles develop more than just “limited” interest in Nori Aoki.

The Orioles continue to make a push to re-sign Delmon Young. Keep an eye on free agent left-hander Craig Breslow as a possible addition to the bullpen. The Orioles are feeling more confident that Nick Hundley will return, though he’s still seeking a job with more playing time.

At least one name will surface over the winter that hadn’t been linked to the Orioles.

The Orioles talked to the Phillies about left-hander Antonio Bastardo at these meetings, but he was dealt to the Pirates yesterday for minor league pitcher Joely Rodriguez.

As for today’s Rule 5 draft, the Orioles could lose at least one player from a group of candidates that includes shortstop-turned-reliever Mychal Givens, catcher Brian Ward, pitcher Parker Bridwell, outfielder Glynn Davis and Garabez Rosa, who pretty much plays everywhere.