Killing time before meeting with MacPhail

I asked one of the Texas baseball writers, a veteran scribe, if Kevin Millwood is a good guy. "No," he replied. "He's a great guy. Maybe my all-time favorite. Definitely in the top three." MASN's Buck Martinez mentioned yesterday that Millwood is the type who will sit down with the young pitchers and counsel them. He gave the right-hander strong reviews. Now go out there and win 18 games. Millwood wore No. 33 in Texas. Will that be a problem in Baltimore? If the trade isn't announced before 6 p.m., I wonder if president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail will discuss it. Some teams, including the Orioles, won't give confirmation until medical records have been checked and physicals, if required, have been passed. At this moment, it doesn't appear that the Orioles are interested in free-agent pitcher Justin Duchscherer. I'll naturally leave myself some wiggle room because just about everything is subject to change, but a few of you asked about him and that's the impression I'm getting. Duchscherer is a two-time All-Star who didn't pitch in 2009. He opened the season on the disabled list after undergoing arthroscopic elbow surgery in March, and also dealt with back pain. The A's announced in August that Duchscherer was being treated for clinical depression. Wonder why you're not hearing Ben Sheets' name linked to the Orioles? According to ESPN's Richard Durrett, Sheets is looking for money similar to what he made in his final year in the majors. That would be $12 million. ESPN's Buster Olney is reporting that Rich Harden, one of those low-risk, high-reward guys who supposedly is on the Orioles' radar - his agent, Adam Katz, told me this week that they kicked the tires - is on the verge of signing with a mystery team. Speculation centers on the Mariners, who keep making it rain like Pacman Jones. Former Orioles pitcher LaTroy Hawkins is here, giving me the chance to shake his hand and congratulate him on receiving a two-year, $7.5 million deal with the Brewers. I honestly didn't think he had another two-year contract in his future. Good for him.