masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgPresident of baseball operations dropped a heavier hint that the club will sign a third baseman next week.

“We made significant progress recently,” he said.

MacPhail said “nothing is finalized,” but he’s confident a deal will get done within the next few days. Asked if it’s a third baseman, he paused before replying that it’s “fair speculation.”

Garrett Atkins has been swinging a bat for the past month. He’s eager to start working with hitting coach Terry Crowley.

“He’s…President of baseball operations dropped a heavier hint that the club will sign a third baseman next week.

“We made significant progress recently,” he said.

MacPhail said “nothing is finalized,” but he’s confident a deal will get done within the next few days. Asked if it’s a third baseman, he paused before replying that it’s “fair speculation.”

Garrett Atkins has been swinging a bat for the past month. He’s eager to start working with hitting coach Terry Crowley.

“He’s well-respected,” Atkins said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what he’s got.”

Kevin Millwood admitted that “it took a little bit” for him to get comfortable with being traded over the winter meetings because he wasn’t expecting it.

“But the more I got to thinking about it, the more I got used to it and I’m excited,” he said in his typical low-key manner.

Be sure to keep checking Steve Melewski’s blog on MASNsports.com. He’s interviewing players and officials, and he’ll be covering for me while I’m at the MASN booth from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Lou Montanez will be available to the media during that hour. I want to know if he played first base in Puerto Rico. I thought he did, but I was told earlier this week by someone close to him that it wasn’t true. Montanez had returned home by the time I started checking the boxscores.