masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgThe Orioles aren’t expected to announce their new deal with first baseman Chris Davis until the end of the week. As always, patience is a virtue and a requirement.
Davis must undergo a physical, which he should pass as soon as he’s done powerlifting the team doctors.
A player will come off the 40-man roster to create room for Davis. The Orioles could drop infielder Joey Terdoslavich, claimed off waivers from the Braves on Jan. 8. There’s also catcher Fernando Pena, acquired from the Royals…

The Orioles aren’t expected to announce their new deal with first baseman Chris Davis until the end of the week. As always, patience is a virtue and a requirement.

Davis must undergo a physical, which he should pass as soon as he’s done powerlifting the team doctors.

A player will come off the 40-man roster to create room for Davis. The Orioles could drop infielder Joey Terdoslavich, claimed off waivers from the Braves on Jan. 8. There’s also catcher Fernando Pena, acquired from the Royals on Dec. 2 for cash considerations.

Those are two candidates. We’ll see.

* If the season started today, you’d be freezing in the bleachers. You’d also be more likely to find the same leadoff hitter in the Orioles’ lineup.

Though manager Buck Showalter would like to lower Manny Machado, he may not have a choice unless the Orioles add another hitter who fits at the top.

Machado batted .300/.364/.512 in 111 games in the leadoff spot last season, .218/.344/.346 in 21 games in the second spot and .239/.340/.587 in 11 games in the third.

I ran Hyun Soo Kim’s name past Showalter on Thursday. Kim is a career .318/.406/.488 hitter in 10 seasons in the Korean Baseball Organization. He drew 101 walks and struck out only 63 times last season. He’s stolen only 54 bases in 93 attempts during his career.

Manny Machado rounds bases white.jpgShowalter isn’t afraid to take the unconventional route, as he did with Machado and Nick Markakis.

“What would you base it on with Kim? Just that he walked over in Korea? What’s the criteria?” Showalter replied.

“(Machado) statistically was twice as good as a leadoff hitter. Probably his worst spot in the order was the three-hole statistically, even though he profiles as that type of guy. The sky’s the limit. But like I said many times, the computer says you take your best hitter and you hit him first and he gets 40-50 more plate appearances. You’re only assured of leading off one time in a game.

“There just aren’t that many pure leadoff hitters like there used to be. They’ve kind of gone away. There’s maybe three or four in each league, the way they’re conventionally looked at. I don’t know enough about Kim other than listening and watching. Until we get into spring … I’ve got a couple other little sleeper ideas about leading off. In a perfect world, I would get Manny down, but Manny might fight you a little bit on it.

“I’ve got to tell you something: He kind of liked leading off for the most part, but the beautiful thing about him is he’ll hit anywhere if we think it’s best for the team.”

* The Orioles believe Nolan Reimold is a little better in left field than right, but he can be used at all three outfield positions.

There’s still a vacancy in right, with Kim expected to start in left. Reimold is one of the in-house candidates, along with Mark Trumbo, L.J. Hoes, Dariel Alvarez, Henry Urrutia and Rule 5 pick Joey Rickard.

If anyone thought Justin Upton would accept a one-year deal and perhaps fall into the Orioles’ laps, he agreed to terms with the Tigers last night on a reported six-year, $132.75 million contract.

FOXSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal tweeted the updated free agent commitments this offseason: Cubs, $276.25 million; Tigers, $272.25 million; Giants, $251 million; Red Sox, $230 million; Orioles, $214.8 million; Diamondbacks, $206.5 million; and Royals, $178.5 million.

* The Orioles re-signed left-handers Andy Oliver and Cody Wheeler and infielder Sharlon Schoop to minor league deals, according to the latest batch of Baseball America transactions. Schoop is the older brother of Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop.

The Orioles also signed corner infielder Aderlin Rodriguez, 24, who split last season at Double-A Binghamton and Jackson. He was in the Mets organization from 2009 until being released on July 15, 2015.

* The Orioles have serious interest in University of Maryland pitcher Mike Shawaryn. Showalter has done his homework on the All-American right-hander, who was 13-2 with a 1.71 ERA and 138 strikeouts in 17 starts and 116 innings as a sophomore.

Shawaryn was nominated for the Golden Spikes Award, given annually to the top collegiate player. He’s 24-6 with a 2.34 ERA in two seasons at Maryland after the Royals selected him in the 32nd round of the 2013 draft out of Gloucester Catholic in New Jersey.

Without naming Shawaryn, Showalter said, “Friday night pitchers in college are the best pitcher of the three. They play Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the conference. When you hear somebody say, ‘Friday night pitcher’ … At Maryland, by the way, they’ve got a pretty good one down there.”

* Showalter has been able to cross a few items off his bucket list. He’s attended an SEC football game, an Army-Navy game, the Alabama-Michigan State semifinal game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

What’s left?

“I’d like to see a World Series from the dugout,” he said.