masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgSAN DIEGO – In order to mentally shorten my stay at the Winter Meetings, I traditionally view today as the finish line. The Rule 5 draft takes place Thursday morning and everyone bolts for the airport as if there’s a bag of money waiting for them at their gate. Today is the last full 24-hour period of rumor chasing, lobby roaming and suite visiting.

Skeptics hear that Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette anticipates getting a couple of players at the meetings and wonder whether he’s…SAN DIEGO – In order to mentally shorten my stay at the Winter Meetings, I traditionally view today as the finish line. The Rule 5 draft takes place Thursday morning and everyone bolts for the airport as if there’s a bag of money waiting for them at their gate. Today is the last full 24-hour period of rumor chasing, lobby roaming and suite visiting.

Skeptics hear that Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette anticipates getting a couple of players at the meetings and wonder whether he’s referring to the major and minor league phases of the Rule 5 draft. Duquette is sitting down daily with agents and other executives in his pursuit of at least one outfielder and reliever, and another catcher as insurance in case Matt Wieters isn’t ready on opening day.

A utility infielder may no longer be on the list, since Duquette wants a plus-defender at shortstop and can’t find a match.

With Duquette suggesting that a short-term contract for a free agent is the most likely route for the Orioles, it would seem that Melky Cabrera should be removed from all rumors attaching him to the club.

Duquette’s reluctance to trade a starting pitcher hinders his efforts to consummate a trade. Teams view the Orioles as having a surplus now – times have changed – and that’s the area they target.

Kevin-Gausman-ALCS-gray.jpgUbaldo Jimenez’s contract is extremely difficult to move and Kevin Gausman is about as close to untouchable as it comes in the organization.

Manager Buck Showalter wouldn’t bite yesterday when I asked whether Gausman had reached the point where he’d get the ball every five days next season. Gausman can be optioned or moved to the bullpen, but there are scouts from outside the organization who view him as the Orioles’ No. 2 starter behind Chris Tillman or No. 3 behind Tillman and Wei-Yin Chen.

Showalter won’t use Gausman’s option against him. If the right-hander earns a job in spring training, he’s going to be in the rotation. I think it would benefit both sides to turn him loose and end the back and forth.

I’ve got some leftover quotes from Showalter that I’ll post here while waiting for news to break today and deciding what to wear to the annual major league managers luncheon, where the beat writers share a table with the skipper and promise to stay off the record. I also promise not to eat off anyone’s plate.

Showalter expressed confidence in second baseman Jonathan Schoop.

“We’re real proud of Jon,” he said. “I think he got a little bogged down at the end. The first time young players play in September and October, it’s a challenge for them physically, so I think more mentally and emotionally than anything. I think he’s got a chance to only get better. I don’t think there’s anybody in the American League that turns the double play better than him. It’s what allowed us to keep running him out there, because he was a contributor and difference-maker defensively.

“I would like to see him take a little jump from what he learned this year. That’s another great thing about having J.J. (Hardy) there, so that’s another way we could get better, Jon bringing some areas of his offensive game up. He’s certainly better. He was a college junior, senior last year. I try to keep that in mind.”

de-aza-holding-up-1-sidebar.jpgOutfielder Alejandro De Aza could be given a shot as the leadoff hitter.

“He’s a great addition,” Showalter said. “It was almost like, what are we missing about this guy? I think he was a good example of not necessarily a culture change from Chicago, it was just a winning change. He went from a team that probably wasn’t going to be in the playoffs at that time to a team that looked like it had a chance to be competitive. I think Alex really benefited from it. It really energized him. Some players need that. They’re human beings. I think we all do.

“Unfortunately, you can’t trade managers to a different situation to get re-energized. You’re kind of stuck with us, but not for very long if it continues.

“We spend so much time trying to look for dents in people’s armor. I’m looking forward to getting him in the spring and getting to know him even better.”