masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgSAN DIEGO – Here is a video taped yesterday at the Winter Meetings with ESPN’s Keith Law.

Watch the video for the full interview, in which we talked about the Orioles’ need for an outfielder and other moves that they might make.

Law agreed with me that the Orioles should have some financial flexibility right now with the departures of Nick Markakis, Nelson Cruz and Andrew Miller. The money they might have signed Markakis with is available for use elsewhere.

“I think it gives them the…SAN DIEGO – Here is a video taped yesterday at the Winter Meetings with ESPN’s Keith Law.

Watch the video for the full interview, in which we talked about the Orioles’ need for an outfielder and other moves that they might make.

Law agreed with me that the Orioles should have some financial flexibility right now with the departures of Nick Markakis, Nelson Cruz and Andrew Miller. The money they might have signed Markakis with is available for use elsewhere.

“I think it gives them the room. The question now will be matching up that room in the budget with the interest,” Law said. “(Dan) Duquette has always been the type of general manager that says, ‘This is what I think the player is worth, and I am not going to pay more than that.’ That is a great philosophy, but it often leads to not signing free agents because the market doesn’t work that way.”

At this point, the chance that the Orioles would make a push to acquire either Atlanta’s Justin Upton or the Dodgers’ Matt Kemp via trade seems very low. However, I still asked Law what it would take to get those players. You have Upton, with just one more year on his contract, and Kemp, who is signed through 2019 but is due $107 million over the next five seasons.

“I think the price on Justin Upton right now is one significant prospect – whether it’s a (Dylan) Bundy or a Hunter Harvey – one premium guy and a secondary prospect,” he said. “I think that gets you Justin Upton.

“With Matt Kemp, it’s a larger package. It’s probably three, maybe four players. It’s going to be more depth out of your system, which to me makes Justin Upton more attractive.

“I don’t want to see the Orioles gut their system to get Kemp, who when he is healthy, is outstanding. He’s not always that player. Upton has been a consistent performer when healthy and he’s been healthy most of the time.”