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Antonelli signing official (Chong Tae-Hyon not official)

November 21, 2011, 11:20am

Orioles

Antonelli signing official (Chong Tae-Hyon not official)

Infielder Matt Antonelli passed his physical today, signed a major league contract and was officially added to the Orioles' 40-man roster. The Padres made Antonelli, 26, the 17th overall selection in the 2006 First Year Player Draft. He spent 2011 with Double-A Harrisburg (four games) and Triple-A Syracuse (86), batting a combined .298/.390/.457 with eight home runs and 31 RBIs. He finished in the Top 10 of the International League in on-base percentage. Antonelli is a career .264/.373/.406...

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Orioles sign free agent infielder Matt Antonelli

November 21, 2011, 11:15am

Orioles

The Orioles today announced that they have signed free agent infielder Matt Antonelli to a major league contract. Antonelli, 26, was the Padres' first round selection (17 th overall) in the 2006 First Year Player Draft. He spent 2011 with Double-A Harrisburg (four games) and Triple-A Syracuse (86 games) in the Nationals' system, batting a combined .298/.390/.457 with eight home runs and 31 RBIs, finishing in the Top-10 of the International League in on-base percentage. Antonelli is a career...

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Deciphering interest in Street (and Chong Tae-Hyon)

November 21, 2011, 7:50am

Orioles

Deciphering interest in Street (and Chong Tae-Hyon)

The Orioles reportedly have talked to the Rockies about acquiring closer Huston Street, which leads to two not-so-bold assumptions: They're still considering the possibility of moving Jim Johnson into the rotation, and they'd prefer using Kevin Gregg in more of a set-up role. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports wrote about the Orioles' interest in Street, who was 1-4 with a 3.86 ERA, nine walks, 55 strikeouts and a 1.217 WHIP in 58 1/3 innings. That's the highest ERA and WHIP of his career....

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This, that and Luke Scott

November 20, 2011, 6:16pm

Orioles

The American League's Most Valuable Player will be announced later today. Will it be Jacoby Ellsbury, Jose Bautista, Curtis Granderson, Robinson Cano, Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander or someone else? I didn't have a vote. I picked Tampa Bay's Joe Maddon for AL Manager of the Year, so my work here is done. The Phillies acquired former Oriole Ty Wigginton from the Rockies yesterday for a PTBNL or cash. Wigginton played third base, first base, left field and right field for the Rockies...

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Luke Scott: "When they're ready, I'll be ready"

November 19, 2011, 12:57pm

Orioles

Luke Scott: "When they're ready, I'll be ready"

The Orioles must decide in the next three weeks whether to offer Luke Scott a contract for the 2012 season or let him become a free agent. Scott has no idea which direction the Orioles are leaning. And he's not pushing them. "They're still getting things squared away with the new GM," Scott said last week, referring to new executive vice president Dan Duquette. Scott's agent recently contacted the Orioles again to find out whether they planned to non-tender the veteran outfielder/DH,...

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Revisiting the 40-man moves

November 18, 2011, 6:37pm

Orioles

Now that the dust has settled from yesterday's 40-man roster activity, I wanted to chime in with a few observations. First of all, please keep in mind that the Orioles can eliminate players from the 40-man and add others from outside the organization - whether it's someone acquired via free agency, a trade or the Rule 5 draft. The only restriction is they can't add someone from within the organization, so the minor leaguers currently exposed to the Dec. 8 draft will remain that way. I...

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O's add right-hander Drake to 40-man roster

November 18, 2011, 4:13pm

Orioles

O's add right-hander Drake to 40-man roster

The Orioles today announced that they have added right-hander Oliver Drake to the 40-man roster. Drake, 24, spent the 2011 season with Class-A Fredrick (14 games), Double-A Bowie (12 games) and Triple-A Norfolk (one game), going a combined 11-8 with a 3.32 ERA (162.2IP, 60ER), striking out 129 and walking 43 in 25 starts. Selected by the Orioles in the 43rd round of the 2008 First Year Player Draft out of the Naval Academy, Drake is 26-23 with a 3.80 ERA (443.1IP, 187ER) and 357 strikeouts...

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Orioles add Antonelli

November 18, 2011, 1:12pm

Orioles

The Orioles have signed infielder Matt Antonelli, a former first-round draft pick of the San Diego Padres. Pending a physical, he is expected to be added to the 40-man roster. The 26-year-old, right-handed batter was the Padres' top pick, taken 17th overall in 2006 out of Wake Forest. He could compete for playing time at second and/or third base in Baltimore. Antonelli spent most of last year with Triple-A Syracuse in the Nationals' organization, batting .297 with eight homers, 30 RBIs and...

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Oliver Drake talks about making the 40-man roster

November 18, 2011, 1:42pm

Orioles

Oliver Drake talks about making the 40-man roster

It was late this afternoon when Oliver Drake got an important phone call. Tripp Norton, the Orioles' assistant director of player development, informed Drake that he was being added to the Orioles' 40-man roster. The 43rd-round draft pick from 2008 out of Navy went 11-8 with an ERA of 3.32, making 13 starts for Single-A Frederick, 12 at Double-A Bowie and one for Triple-A Norfolk in 2011. "I'm just really excited," Drake said by phone from his offseason home in Gardner, Mass. "It's a...

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Oliver Drake added to 40-man roster (Antonelli agrees to terms)

November 18, 2011, 12:10pm

Orioles

Oliver Drake added to 40-man roster (Antonelli agrees to terms)

The Orioles added pitcher Oliver Drake to the 40-man roster today in the only move made at the deadline. Drake, a 43rd-round pick out of the Naval Academy in 2008, was 11-8 with a 3.32 ERA in 27 games at Triple-A Norfolk, Double-A Bowie and Single-A Frederick. He walked 43 and struck out 129 in 162 2/3 innings. Most of his success came with the Keys, where he went 8-3 with a 2.14 ERA. The 40-man roster currently stands at 39. The Orioles can't add anyone else from within the organization...

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On today's agenda

November 17, 2011, 8:04pm

Orioles

I don't have much for you this morning beyond a reminder that the Orioles must set their 40-man roster later today. They currently have two openings. Once the roster is finalized, they can't add another player from within the organization. However, they can add anyone who's acquired via free agency or trade. That's eventually going to happen. I swear. I'll pass along the changes whenever the Orioles make the announcement. The Orioles have made offers to a few free agents while...

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Looking at some candidates to be added to the 40-man roster today

November 17, 2011, 6:03pm

Orioles

Looking at some candidates to be added to the 40-man roster today

Later today, the Orioles and the rest of the teams in Major League Baseball must set their 40-man rosters in advance of the Rule 5 draft set for Dec. 8 at the Winter Meetings. Any player from the organization the Orioles add to the 40-man today will be protected and will not be available to be selected by another team during that draft. It was at about this time last year that the Orioles added Zach Britton, Joe Mahoney and Matt Angle to their 40-man roster. Last year the Orioles lost Pedro...

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Still trying to reel in a catcher (updated)

November 17, 2011, 7:19am

Orioles

Still trying to reel in a catcher (updated)

I've got my power cord and I'm back at my laptop. Just long enough to provide an incremental non-update update on the backup catching situation. You can cross three names off the list, though I'd do it in pencil, just in case the Orioles are left scrambling. As of today, they haven't reached out to Ryan Doumit, Kelly Shoppach or Chris Snyder. Snyder is looking for a starting job. He won't find one in Baltimore. Shoppach is attracting plenty of suitors, according to one industry source,...

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This and that

November 16, 2011, 5:15pm

Orioles

True confession: I left the power cord to my laptop at the MASN studio in Hunt Valley last night, which means I'll have to power-write this blog entry before my computer dies. The one day that I don't have to drive to Hunt Valley ... I'll have to drive to Hunt Valley. Welcome to my world. Anyway, you know that the Orioles need a veteran starting pitcher and you know they're not going to hand out a long-term contract and spend mega-bucks on one, so how can they bulk up the rotation?...

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Orioles getting closer to adding bench help

November 16, 2011, 12:09pm

Orioles

I just had a quick phone conversation with executive vice president Dan Duquette before I'm needed in studio for "The Mid-Atlantic Sports Report" on MASN. This is frantic multi-tasking. Duquette continued to meet with clubs and agents today, and he'll remain busy through the night. He's hoping to sign a few free agents by early next week "to fill out our bench." Asked specifically about the type of reserves he's targeting, Duquette said, "Infield help and backup catcher." The GM...

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Is MLB about to limit spending on the draft?

November 15, 2011, 3:34pm

Orioles

Is MLB about to limit spending on the draft?

If Major League Baseball is looking to limit spending on draft picks in the new collective bargaining agreement, I am strongly against that. Clubs should be allowed to spend whatever amount they choose on the draft. It is one area where the so-called small market teams can spend with the big boys. They can't match the 25-man roster payrolls of the Yankees and Red Sox, but they can outspend them for draft picks. Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports published this story last night. Here is an excerpt...

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O's to honor six Hall of Famers with bronze statues inside Camden Yards

November 16, 2011, 10:00am

Orioles

O's to honor six Hall of Famers with bronze statues inside Camden Yards

Remember those rumblings about the Orioles doing something more concrete at Camden Yards to honor their six Hall of Famers? Turns out those plans are finally out in the open - and the finished products will be in bronze. A club source has confirmed the Orioles will erect bronze statues of their players enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. - Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Jim Palmer, Earl Weaver, Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken Jr. - in an area beyond the bullpen...

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Celebrities get some new-look O's swag

November 16, 2011, 10:30am

Orioles

This week's announcement of changes in the Orioles' uniforms for 2012 - most notably the return of orange jerseys and caps bearing the smiling visage of the cartoon bird - has been overwhelmingly well received. And those new-look lids are going to pop up on some A-list celebrities in short order. The club timed its announcement with a Tuesday morning delivery of the retro-style caps to about a dozen or so celebrities with ties to Baltimore and/or the Orioles. Actor Josh Charles, who spoke so...

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Duquette confirms meeting with Cuza

November 16, 2011, 5:31am

Orioles

Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette - man, we really need to shorten that title - confirmed this morning that he met last night with agent Fernando Cuza. When I brought up David Ortiz's name and the assumption that the veteran designated hitter was the focus of that meeting, Duquette paused before replying, "He represents Vladimir Guerrero, too, by the way." Duquette said the Orioles need to decide "what we're doing with him." That also could mean...

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Who rules in Rule 5 protection?

November 15, 2011, 1:14pm

Orioles

With the Winter Meetings fast approaching, the Orioles must set their 40-man roster by Friday while determining which players to leave exposed in the Rule 5 draft. The roster currently holds 38 players. I'll publish the list at the bottom of this entry. Keep in mind that once the Orioles finalize the roster, they can't add other players from within the organization before the Rule 5 draft on Dec. 8. They can, however, add players obtained from other organizations, which would necessitate...