Some initial thoughts on the draft changes in the new CBA

Some initial thoughts on the draft changes in the new CBA
Fans and reporters around baseball are still learning about the changes coming in the draft through baseball's new five-year collective bargaining agreement that was announced today. Check out this story from Baseball America to read about many of the changes. It appears some front office staffers in baseball are expressing some unhappiness with the effort to put a cap on total spending on draft picks in this arrangement. Here is an excerpt from the Baseball America story: "Under the new...

Dan Klein: After the surgery, so far, so good

Dan Klein: After the surgery, so far, so good
The 2011 season was Dan Klein's first full season in the Orioles' organization. The right-hander got off to a great start and was quickly becoming one of the O's best pitching prospects. He began with Single-A Frederick and, after only one month with the Keys, was moved to Double-A Bowie. Klein was pitching very well and appeared to be on a fast track that might have taken him as far Baltimore before the season was done. But then came the shoulder pain which would derail his season and...

Quick Chong update

Quick Chong update
If you're anticipating a press conference Wednesday to announce the signing of Korean pitcher Chong Tae-Hyon, you can stop waiting for it. The holiday week is complicating the process. Though the Orioles are finalizing a deal with Chong, they still need to schedule every examination that's part of the physical and wait for the results. Good luck getting that done by Wednesday, which had been the club's original target date. It's possible that the Orioles could send out a release...

Antonelli talks about signing with the Orioles

Antonelli talks about signing with the Orioles
New Orioles infielder Matt Antonelli dropped by MASN's Hunt Valley studio this afternoon to tape an interview with me for "The Mid-Atlantic Sports Report." Then he dashed out the door and headed to the airport for his flight home to Boston. Antonelli said he grew up a Red Sox fan, but he promised that he got over it about six years ago. Antonelli passed his physical today and signed a major league deal that also gave him a spot on the 40-man roster. So why the Orioles? "I think there...

Orioles close to announcing deal with Chong Tae-Hyon

Orioles close to announcing deal with Chong Tae-Hyon
I've got one final item on the Orioles before shutting down for the night. The Orioles are on the verge of reaching an agreement with Korean pitcher Chong Tae-Hyon. This has seemed to be a foregone conclusion since earlier today, but they haven't hit any snags and the process continues to move forward. Executive vice president Dan Duquette said the Orioles are still working on "a potential agreement to acquire Chong," but it's close enough that you can expect a press conference at the...

Chorye Spoone is leaving the Orioles to join Boston

Chorye Spoone is leaving the Orioles to join Boston
After pitching seven seasons in the Orioles organization, right-hander Chorye Spoone, who was removed from the club's 40-man roster July 19, today agreed to a contract with the Boston Red Sox. Spoone's deal, which includes a spring training invitation, will become official when he passes a physical, which he said he felt certain he would do. He was in Boston today for that physical. The 26-year-old Spoone was the Orioles' eighth-round pick in the 2005 draft. His career got derailed a bit...

Antonelli signing official (Chong Tae-Hyon not official)

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...

Orioles sign free agent infielder Matt Antonelli

Orioles sign free agent infielder Matt Antonelli
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...

Deciphering interest in Street (and Chong Tae-Hyon)

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....

This, that and Luke Scott

This, that and Luke Scott
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...

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

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,...

Revisiting the 40-man moves

Revisiting the 40-man moves
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...

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

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...

Orioles add Antonelli

Orioles add Antonelli
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...

Oliver Drake talks about making the 40-man roster

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...

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

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...

On today's agenda

On today's agenda
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...

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

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...

Still trying to reel in a catcher (updated)

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,...

This and that

This and that
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?...