My mailbag is getting thick around the waist again. So am I, which prevents me from judging it too harshly.

Rather than let it balloon and risk a rupture, I’ve decided to empty it this morning in the latest sequel to the beloved original in August 2008.

Harder to keep the weight off as we age.

I didn’t burn many calories editing your questions. I might have attached a first name. I might have removed a comma or parentheses. Please don’t contact your lawyer.  

Also, my mailbag plays sweet music and yours has Creed on a loop.

Two moves made by the Orioles in the offseason put players on the 40-man roster who are out of minor league options.

Left-hander Tucker Davidson, who signed a one-year contract last week, cleared outright waivers yesterday and was assigned to Triple-A Norfolk. Outfielder Sam Hilliard will try to avoid the waiver wire as the Orioles create more space for future transactions. He also can’t be sent down without going through the process.

The Orioles depend on flexibility that allows for a roster churn, the shuffling done especially to freshen the bullpen. But there are numerous relievers who have run out of options.

The list includes left-handers Danny Coulombe, Cionel Pérez and Cole Irvin, and right-handers Jacob Webb and Mike Baumann.

Irvin made 12 starts and 12 relief appearances, and the Orioles haven’t said whether he’s viewed in one role next summer. Baumann was told late in camp that he’d be used strictly in relief and in fewer innings, and there’s no reason to deviate from that plan moving forward.

Guiding a team to 101 wins and the best record in the American League couldn’t be ignored by voters in the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

Brandon Hyde was named AL Manager of the Year, with the news coming tonight on MLB Network. He was the only manager to appear on every ballot.

Hyde, a runner-up last year to the Indians’ Terry Francona, received 27 first-place votes and three second. The Rangers’ Bruce Bochy garnered the other three first-place votes and finished with 61 points.

The Rays’ Kevin Cash had 52, followed by the Twins’ Rocco Baldelli (eight), the Astros’ Dusty Baker (four) and the Blue Jays’ John Schneider (one).

Joe Maddon, a three-time recipient and close friend of Hyde’s, made the announcement. Hyde was on Maddon’s coaching staff when the Cubs won the World Series in 2016.

Brandon Hyde is respected by his peers, who twice have voted him The Sporting News’ Manager of the Year in the American League. For shocking the industry with an 83-win season in 2022 and by leading the Orioles to 101, a division title and the best record in the league in 2023.

That’s two ways to do it. Be the manager of a team that wasn’t expected to do anything or surprises again by taking the AL East and the top seed in the playoffs.

The BBWAA gave the award to Cleveland’s Terry Francona last year, and supporters pointed to the Guardians’ having the youngest roster and winning their division, while the Orioles missed the playoffs. I didn’t agree with it. The Orioles went from 110 losses to 79 and competed in a much tougher division. They contended until the final week.

Hyde is viewed as the favorite tonight. Analysts on MLB Network revealed the finalists last week and noted the lack of drama surrounding the winners, as if the first-place finishers were obvious.

Is that the case with AL manager?

Gunnar Henderson needs to build a wing onto his trophy case. The kind that also can't be clipped.

Henderson will be named American League Rookie of the Year tonight in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. The first Oriole since closer Gregg Olson in 1989 and the seventh overall.

I believe in miracles, but there isn’t one that can deny Henderson of the honor.

Henderson already won The Sporting News and Major League Baseball Players Association Players Choice Award as the league's top rookie. His competition tonight is the Red Sox’s Tristan Casas and the Guardians’ Tanner Bibee.

I can’t reveal my ballot until tonight’s announcement, but yeah, those three sound right to me.

Some facts are informative, some are random. Some are just fun, which is why they have their own name.

Here are a few facts that fit in any category, with some extra notes and thoughts attached.

Fact: Heston Kjerstad became the sixth rookie in Orioles history to hit two or more home runs in his first five career games. Kjerstad joined Chance Sisco (two in 2017), Trey Mancini (three in 2016), Manny Machado (three in 2012), Andrés Mora (two in 1976) and Curt Belfary (three in 1965).

Follow: Sisco and Mora are proof that early power doesn’t always lead to staying power.

Sisco was the organization’s No. 1 prospect in 2017, but he hit .199 with a .658 OPS in parts of five seasons with the Orioles covering only 191 games and played independent ball this summer. Mora was hyped in the ‘70s and elected in 2003 to the Mexican Professional Baseball Hall of Fame, but he hit .223/.256/.383 in 235 major league games.

Back on the East Coast after a few days at the General Manager meetings in Arizona, Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias is ready to begin the work on making additions to his pitching staff, both in the rotation and bullpen.

During a phone interview Friday with MASNSports.com, Elias made it clear that a late-inning reliever is at or near the top of his wish list. Right-hander Felix Bautista, who posted a 1.48 ERA and 33 saves with a 16.2 K rate, is expected to miss the entire 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery Oct. 9.

It leaves a big hole in the back end of the Baltimore bullpen.

“It is a top priority,” said Elias. “I’m characterizing it as a back-end reliever. I think if that guy has closer experience, that’s great. It would be nice. I am worried about Bautista’s absence and I don’t believe we felt that fully in September of 2023. We are going to try like hell to bring in some help from the outside for the back of our bullpen.”

And that help could come via free agency or a trade.

The Orioles handled some contract business this afternoon, reaching agreement with left-hander Tucker Davidson on a deal for the 2024 season.

Davidson already was in the organization after they claimed him on waivers from the Royals back on Oct. 25. He’s part of 40-man roster that holds 38 players.

Today’s signing sets Davidson’s salary as a pre-arbitration eligible player. These transactions usually happen in January but can be done earlier.

Davidson, who turns 28 in March, used to be a notable prospect in the Braves system after his selection in the 19^th round of the 2016 draft out of Midland College in Texas. He was traded to the Angels on Aug. 2, 2022 and had his contract purchased by the Royals a year later.

Davidson has appeared in 55 major league games over parts of four seasons, making 17 starts, and gone 3-10 with a 5.98 ERA and 1.616 WHIP over 125 innings. He’s registered a 3.06 ERA and 1.287 WHIP in 110 games in the minors and averaged 9.1 strikeouts per nine innings.

Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias returned from the general manager’s meetings in Arizona yesterday afternoon, the schedule disrupted by a virus that reportedly felled about 10 percent of baseball executives.

Elias came home without making any roster moves. He wasn’t expected to introduce a new player to the organization.

That's going to happen later in the offseason.

We know that the Orioles want pitching for their rotation and bullpen. We knew it before Elias told media there. They could attempt to improve depth in other areas. Infuse a veteran influence again, as they do each winter.

Here’s what the Orioles won’t do:

With just two Silver Slugger winners since the 2014 season, the Orioles doubled that total tonight as Adley Rutschman won the Silver Slugger Award for catchers in the American League and Gunnar Henderson was the winner in the utility player category.

It’s the most Silver Slugger wins for the Orioles since Adam Jones, Chris Davis and J.J. Hardy won in 2013. It's the sixth time in team history the club had two or more winners.

Anthony Santander was an outfield finalist, but the winners were Kyle Tucker of Houston, Seattle's Julio Rodriguez and Luis Robert Jr. of the Chicago White Sox.

Rutschman, 25, hit .277/.374/.435/.809 this season with 31 doubles, one triple, 20 homers and 80 RBIs. Among the AL leaders he finished tied for third in walks, fifth in OBP and eighth in batting average. He joins Mickey Tettleton in 1989 as the only O’s to win a Silver Slugger for catcher.

"It's pretty cool," Rutschman said on the MLB Network telecast. "It's more a testament to my teammates and coaches that this has come to fruition, and it's a lot of hard work to get here. It means a lot and I'm very thankful."

Winning more games attracts more attention, and the Orioles are finding out during awards season.

The recognition is spreading like cold germs.

The team will learn tonight whether Silver Sluggers are coming to catcher Adley Rutschman, outfielder Anthony Santander and infielder Gunnar Henderson, who’s nominated in the utility category. The winners will be revealed at 6 p.m. on MLB Network.

Rutschman and Santander were finalists last year but didn’t get the hardware. The Blue Jays’ Alejandro Kirk was the recipient among AL catchers, and the Yankees’ Aaron Judge, the Mariners’ Julio Rodríguez and the Angels’ Mike Trout were chosen as outfielders.

The other catchers tonight are the Royals' Salvador Pérez and the Mariners' Cal Raleigh. The outfielders with Santander are Judge, Rodríguez, the Rays' Randy Arozarena, the Rangers' Adolis García, the White Sox's Luis Robert Jr. and the Astros' Kyle Tucker.

I recently spent about an hour taping a “Wall to Wall Baseball” show with Baltimore broadcasting legend Tom Davis that’s going to air throughout the month of November on MASN.

This is more than just a shameless plug. It’s a chance to go over a few questions that he asked, though I don’t recall whether they were on the air or during breaks. We like to chat.

The falling leaves and 40-degree temperature signaled the end of the baseball season. So did Game 5 of the World Series. But we aren’t done reviewing everything that the Orioles accomplished, and wondering what’s next.  

Does Gunnar Henderson become an everyday player at one position?

I don’t think so.

A team that won 101 games and posted the best record in the American League isn’t primed for a roster overhaul. Heavy tinkering, if such a thing exists, also seems unlikely based on results, returnees and talent funneling through the pipeline.

What are these Orioles going to do between now and Opening Day?

I’ve heard some people in the industry and some friends of mine insist that changes should be minimal or non-existent because, as the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But the Orioles aren’t perfect. They didn’t get a third champagne and beer celebration.

The holes aren’t crater-size, but any chance to upgrade must be done.

Kyle Gibson, Adam Frazier and James McCann didn't qualify as blockbuster transactions, but they were improvements over Jordan Lyles, Rougned Odor and Robinson Chirinos. That's the point.

Major League Baseball’s general managers meetings are held this week, a three-day event beginning Tuesday in Scottsdale, Ariz. An appetizer for the Winter Meetings in December that are a buffet of activity.

The GM gathering isn’t the same media extravaganza and typically focuses on off-the-field matters, including any rules changes and medical issues. The Athletic's Jim Bowden said the postseason format, including the five-day break for the first- and second-seeded teams, will be evaluated. But executives can lay the groundwork for future trades and obtain a clearer read on the market.

Deals aren’t normally consummated, but the Braves sent veteran starter Jake Odorizzi to the Rangers last year for left-hander Kolby Allard. Texas won the World Series without Odorizzi, who underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in April.

The Orioles didn’t do anything significant last November, their only outside addition being outfielder Daz Cameron on a waiver claim from the Tigers. He didn’t play for them this year.

Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias wants pitching because nobody can get enough of it, and the Orioles might find an upgrade for the rotation. If they won’t spend huge amounts in free agency, perhaps they can take on a bigger contract via trade.

Austin Hays didn’t commit an error this season. He also didn’t receive a Gold Glove.

The Guardians’ Steven Kwan won his second award in left field, with the announcement made tonight on ESPN. Catcher Adley Rutschman and first baseman Ryan Mountcastle also were finalists, but they lost to Rangers teammates Jonah Heim and Nathaniel Lowe, respectively.

The Orioles drafted Heim in the fourth round in 2013 and traded him to the Rays three years later for Steve Pearce.

The Blue Jays’ Daulton Varsho also was a finalist in left, but Kwan is a back-to-back recipient. Hays was trying to become the first Orioles outfielder to win since Adam Jones and Nick Markakis in 2014.

Hays also failed to become the first left fielder since Rawlings began awarding Gold Gloves for each outfield position in 2011.

The World Series lasted only five games, setting the official offseason into motion faster than usual.

A relatively quiet one for the Orioles is on the verge of getting louder. They won’t sit on the Tucker Davidson and Sam Hilliard waiver claims as their signature moves.

Perhaps Davidson and Hilliard will become a couple of those unexpected happenings that I’ve recounted since the Orioles lost to the eventual-champion Rangers in the Division Series.

To review:

Austin Voth wasn’t impactful. Dillon Tate wasn’t able to pitch. Mike Baumann wasn’t big only in size. Yennier Cano was an All-Star. Danny Coulombe was cool under pressure. Adam Frazier hit for power and stopped.

The leftover Halloween candy should be the good stuff if you were smart and used the proper strategy. Hand out the filler first from those big variety bags – Whoppers, Sweet Tarts, Dum Dums – and withhold the fun-size Snickers until you run out.

We could debate what’s “fun” about a smaller version, but I’m here to share extras from this week’s mailbag.

Always a sweet treat.

An important reminder: My mailbag turns sugar into muscle and yours turns it into Type 2 diabetes.

Did any Orioles make the Arizona Fall League Fall Stars Game?
We found out yesterday that left-hander Trey McGough was chosen. The Orioles selected him from the Pirates organization in the Triple-A phase of the Rule 5 draft. He pitched at Mount St. Mary's University and was recovering from Tommy John surgery when the Orioles got him at the Winter Meetings. McGough allowed three earned runs and struck out 12 batters in nine innings with the Mesa Solar Sox. The game airs Sunday night on MLB Network.

The Orioles filled their 40-man roster last week by claiming left-hander Tucker Davidson off waivers from the Royals. The start of the tinkering and retooling.

They made another move Wednesday, claiming outfielder Sam Hilliard off waivers from the Braves and designating reliever Joey Krehbiel for assignment.

Davidson and Hilliard, who are out of minor league options, could stay on the 40-man heading into spring training, where they'd compete for a bullpen and bench role, respectively, or the Orioles might attempt to pass one or both through waivers and offer a camp invitation - a maneuver they've executed countless times in the past. The duo could stay in the organization or move on from it.

We're only in the third day of November. Lots of other changes are forthcoming.

Here’s the current 40-man roster:

Gunnar Henderson is due to receive another award.

It’s been an entire week.

Henderson, the Red Sox’s Triston Casas and the Rangers’ Josh Jung are finalists for Major League Baseball Players Association’s Outstanding Rookie in the American League.

Winners will be announced tonight during the 6 p.m. edition of SportsCenter on ESPN, reducing the odds that the program will drag out like the Oscars. Or any of the shows on MLB Network.

Cut out the song and dance numbers and get to the nominees.

The Orioles added to their outfield depth this afternoon by claiming Sam Hilliard off waivers from the Braves.

Reliever Joey Krehbiel was designated for assignment to make room for Hilliard on the 40-man roster.

Hilliard, 29, was the Rockies’ 15^th-round pick in the 2015 draft out of Wichita State University. He spent parts of four seasons with Colorado and appeared in 40 games with the Braves this summer, batting .236/.295/.431 in 78 plate appearances for the National League East champions.

The Braves acquired Hilliard from the Rockies on Nov. 6, 2022 for minor league pitcher Dylan Spain. He broke camp with them this spring but didn't play after July 18.

Hilliard, who bats from the left side, is a career .215/.294/.424 hitter in 254 major league games, and he’s stolen 19 bases in 20 attempts. He appeared in a career-high 81 games with the Rockies in 2021 and had seven doubles, two triples, 14 home runs and 34 RBIs in 238 plate appearances.