They didn't get me this time.

The Orioles announce a late trade or signing every offseason that catches me napping. Or sleeping, to be exact.

I still haven't gotten over the James McCann deal in December 2022. I woke up to multiple missed calls and texts.

Anyway, they tried to sneak Taylor Ward past me last night and it didn't work. I was awake - barely. And this was a real shocker because the Orioles dealt Grayson Rodriguez in a one-for-one. 

They couldn't wait any longer for Rodriguez to reach his vast potential. The injuries kept piling up, making him the right-handed version of DL Hall, chosen in the first round one year earlier. Rodriguez hasn't pitched since July 31, 2024. Lat/teres, elbow, triceps, shoulder. The hits just kept coming.

“Obviously, you can’t ever figure baseball out, and if you say you’ve figured it out, it will humble you really quick," Rodriguez said in June. "Not being able to go out there and pitch every five days really just kills me.”

That was a rare interview from Rodriguez. He wasn't around much this year, or he'd politely say "not today, sorry" when the media approached his locker. Many months passed since his comments about feeling "sluggish" during a March start against the Twins in Fort Myers. The beat crew will be staking him out when the Angels are in town Aug. 4-6.

Maybe Rodriguez turns into a star and Ward is one-and-done with free agency a year away. The Orioles are going for it, like they did with the Corbin Burnes trade that cost them Hall, and aren't worried about 2027 and beyond. Besides, they're hoping to add an impactful starter who fits somewhere in the first few spots in the rotation. 

They couldn't count on Rodriguez. One of their mistakes last offseason was thinking that they could.

Meanwhile, the success rate has got to be pretty low on guessing which players will be protected in the Rule 5 draft.

Not many people anticipated relievers Logan Gillaspie in 2021 and Kade Strowd last November, and I don’t think outfielder Reed Trimble was a popular assumption yesterday.

Reliever Cameron Foster received some mention among the eligibles because the Orioles traded for him at the deadline while sending left-hander Gregory Soto to the Mets. Trimble was the 65^th overall selection in the 2021 draft, the competitive balance round, and underwent surgery that December to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.

Trimble, a switch-hitter, was considered one of the better power-speed combination players coming out of Southern Mississippi. He was the team’s third selection after outfielder Colton Cowser and infielder Connor Norby, signing underslot at $800,000. MLB Pipeline ranked him 21^st among prospects in the organization.

Some injuries have slowed Trimble, including a hamstring strain, but not enough to prevent him from stealing 61 bases in 61 attempts.

A .352 on-base percentage and .855 OPS in 53 games with Double-A Chesapeake this summer warranted an Aug. 31 promotion to Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles want Trimble for outfield depth, especially in center field, and perhaps sensed some interest from other organizations.

Foster will compete for a bullpen spot next spring, though he’s probably more likely to return to Norfolk after appearing in only 15 Triple-A games. Teams are more inclined to attempt to stash Rule 5 relievers, as the Orioles have done in the past with Tyler Wells and Mac Sceroler in 2021, Nestor Cortes and Pedro Araujo in 2018 and T.J. McFarland in 2013.

Foster’s main pitch is a four-seam fastball that averages 95.3 mph, and he’s also got a cutter, curveball, slider and, on very rare occasions, a sinker. 

He’s got size at 6 feet 5 and 230 pounds, and he’s also got some occasional issues with command, walking eight batters in 16 innings with Norfolk and 33 in 71 2/3 innings with Double-A Binghamton in 2024. But Foster has surrendered only 17 home runs in 199 1/3 innings.

Among the eligible players left unprotected yesterday were pitchers Cameron Weston, Trace Bright, Alex Pham, Juan Nuñez, Ryan Long, Justin Armbruester and Keagan Gillies, outfielder Jud Fabian, infielders Max Wagner, Carter Young and Frederick Bencosme, and catchers Creed Willems and Silas Ardoin.

I’ve heard that some scouts are doing their homework on Willems, who also plays first base, and I’m sure that’s true of some other players in this group. The Padres chose Nuñez last December, fresh out of A ball, and returned him to the Orioles.

Makeup is always one of the qualities that scouts check on, and I blush at the constant fawning over my mailbag. Here are some leftovers:

Will MLB ever get a salary cap?
The players association is vehemently opposed to it. It doesn’t attempt to hide its disdain. Knowing this, it’s hard to imagine a time when baseball will have a salary cap. Maybe with new union leadership? There would have to be one heck of a compromise and I just can’t envision it.

So, is it fair to say we don’t have a true center fielder on staff? I thought Colton Cowser was a legit center fielder, but I guess not.
We’re gonna get stuck on the word “true.” Cowser can play center field. He’d do fine in the middle. But he’s viewed as a better left fielder and you know how tricky that territory can be at Camden Yards. The Orioles loved how Austin Hays played left. They've preferred Cowser in left, but Taylor Ward has been hunkered down there over the past few seasons. Maybe this is a sign that Cowser stays in center but also will move to the corners. The Orioles love versatility. And it wasn't imperative that the Orioles find a full-time center fielder like Cedric Mullins.

Who's the Orioles’ player rep? Last I paid attention to these things it was Mike Mussina.
You’re behind. I’m surprised you didn’t mention Brooks Robinson. I remember when it was Chris Davis, John Means and Trey Mancini. Dean Kremer was the union rep in 2025. The job grows in importance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement expiring in December 2026.

Any info from "anonymous" sources on the potential movement of Mounty? What's the feeling on the return they may get or what they may ask for in return? Eighty-three days until players report for spring training. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours, Roch.
Thanks. Same to you and yours. No new info from sources on Ryan Mountcastle but he hasn’t been untouchable in the past and certainly isn’t right now. There’s a lot of speculation about the Orioles trading or non-tendering him. They aren’t getting a No. 1 starter or a huge middle-of-the-order bat, but they could deepen their farm system. The drop in home runs, past injuries and pending free agency after the 20206 season impact his value, but there are clubs that still like him as a power-hitting first baseman with a solid defensive reputation. A change-of-scenery guy.

Is it safe to now admit last offseason was a failure?
Signing Charlie Morton and Gary Sánchez didn’t work out. Tyler O’Neill hasn’t worked out so far, but he’s got two years left on his deal. Tomoyuki Sugano was fine for the back end of the rotation. Andrew Kittredge is back after his trade to the Cubs netted the organization a young shortstop prospect. Dylan Carlson was cast into free agency after struggling at the plate. Kyle Gibson lasted only four starts after signing in March. This isn’t the kind of offseason that can be repeated. They know it.

Is it true Jackson Holliday is playing incognito in winter ball to work on his defense? This was suggested earlier in the season and he seemed receptive to it.
When did Holliday seem receptive to playing winter ball? That wasn’t my impression when I mentioned it to him. Anyway, no. He can work on his defense, offense and everything else at home. And he just attended Gunnar Henderson’s wedding, which has nothing to do with your question. But congrats to Gunnar and his wife.

Who do you see as the "ace" apparent for our rotation? Trevor Rogers? Kyle Bradish? A mercenary to be hired?
I think Bradish is the Opening Day starter if the Orioles don’t add a top-of-the-rotation arm, but he could wind up in a spring competition with Rogers. Wouldn’t that be interesting? Mike Elias might grab a No. 1 starter over the winter and leave Bradish as the likely 2 and Rogers as 3. Both scenarios are possible. Today, I see Bradish. Let’s revisit it in January or February.   

Have you heard truth to the rumor that Mike Elias is in on Kyle Tucker (who I believe we will sign!) and is it possible that he is in on Alex Bregman, as both were scouted and chosen by him in Houston?
The only “rumor” I’ve heard is that some executives think the Orioles are a team to keep an eye on because they’re open to pursuing a premium bat. That’s a long way from being serious bidders for Tucker, who could reel in a $400 million contract. I don’t see where Bregman, a third baseman, fits with the Orioles. Tucker was the right guy if the Orioles wanted to blow away their previous record contract of seven years, $161 million to Chris Davis. Taylor Ward is a pending free agent who won't break the bank. He won't even chip it.

Which Oriole has the snazziest wardrobe?
It’s a tie between Eric Davis and Lenny Webster. I can’t give a fair evaluation of the current players because I don’t see their best duds.

Which closer do you prefer between Robert Suarez, Raisel Iglesias and Ryan Helsley if you could pick one?
Suarez, and not just because of the brother angle with Albert, though they’d be fun to cover together. Suarez is one of the top closers on the market. Is it weird that Pete Fairbanks intrigues me? He’d be good for the clubhouse and he could be the primary closer or a setup guy who’s second in line.

Is Ramón Urías coming home to OPACY?
Urías was a non-tender candidate with one more year of arbitration eligibility and the Astros designated him for assignment yesterday while setting their 40-man roster. That’s the first step. He hit .223/.267/.372 in 35 games with the Astros. The Orioles could use a player exactly like him in a utility role. They brought back reliever Andrew Kittredge, so Elias isn’t anti-reunion. I can’t say that he’s coming home, but I will say that it makes some sense.

What one food item would you add to Camden Yards for the 2026 season?
A spiral ham. The person at the end of the row takes a slice and passes it down. How about stuffed mushroom caps? Stay with me here. The caps are replicas of an Orioles hat.

Will the Orioles trade Adley Rutschman?
Are we still talking about this? I don’t think there’s any chance that Rutschman is traded. Everything Elias says points to Rutschman being the starter, with Samuel Basallo backing up and playing some first base. The Orioles would be selling low with Rutschman struggling at the plate pretty much since the 2024 All-Star break. They firmly believe that he will bust out next year. They like his work behind the plate. They appreciate that he’s one of the more popular players in the clubhouse. So he stays.

With the press box moving, will it still be named after Jim Henneman and will there still be spaces to recognize Jim and also Monica Barlow?
In the Orioles’ announcement in January 2024, they stated that the press box at Camden Yards will forever be known as the Jim Henneman Press Box. So, relocation doesn’t change the name. The team kept the plaques from the previous press box, including ones for Henny and Monica, and anticipate incorporating them into the new press box.

Did you hear about what happened when scientists combined the DNA of a cheetah and a crab?
Go on …

Things went sideways real fast.
This is a good place to stop.