LAS VEGAS - Today marks the last full day of the 2018 Winter Meetings, with the Rule 5 draft on Thursday morning providing the final buzzer. Executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias said the Orioles won't leave Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino with a new manager, a press conference or "introduction" coming to Baltimore at a later date. If that's the case, they're going to maintain their streak of not getting to the podium. This is why I don't bother to dress up. An...

LAS VEGAS - As the Orioles move heavily into the analytics age in baseball, they are going to be cognizant of how that information gets to their players in a manner that is helpful to them. Bombarding them with data that won't lead to a better performance doesn't accomplish much. New Orioles general manger Mike Elias knows how to get this job done. He was part of a front office that was on the cutting edge of doing this in Houston. In Baltimore, his front office and coaches will try to help...

LAS VEGAS - The Phillies came into the offseason promising to spend money to add pitching, defense and a power bat for the lineup. On Tuesday, the second day of baseball's Winter Meetings at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, the Phillies agreed to terms with outfielder Andrew McCutchen on a three-year, $50 million deal, pending a physical. But even with that kind of spending, reports are that the Phillies are could sign either Bryce Harper or Manny Machado. Phillies ownership has a target on its...

LAS VEGAS - Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias disputed reports today that he's chosen Cubs bench coach Brandon Hyde as manager - including one airing on MLB Network and shown on the television inside his suite at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino as he sat down with the local media. Elias was able to laugh at the absurdity of the situation, the intensity of breaking news spliced with some humor. "I will say very clearly it's a premature report," Elias said. "And,...

LAS VEGAS - Even before he'd settled into his suite at the Delano Las Vegas at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, Nationals general manger Mike Rizzo had swiftly and decisively checked off most of the items on his offseason to-do list. He'd bolstered the back end of his bullpen by trading with the Marlins for Kyle Barraclough and signing free agent Trevor Rosenthal to set up closer Sean Doolittle. He'd reworked his catching corps, signing free agent Kurt Suzuki for another tour in D.C. and...

LAS VEGAS - When Victor Robles hit .353 over his first seven Grapefruit League games in spring training, Nationals manager Davey Martinez didn't get carried away with thinking how his top prospect might impact the lineup in 2018. Martinez knows spring training stats can be fool's gold, and that wunderkind prospects can suddenly look line overmatched roster filler once they've faced - and struggled against - good major league pitching. After hitting his first spring training home run on March...

LAS VEGAS - Former Orioles hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh has been hired as hitting coach with the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate in Oklahoma City. Coolbaugh accepted the offer this week and signed his contract earlier today. Coolbaugh replaced Jim Presley as hitting coach prior to the 2015 season. His contract ran out on Oct. 31 and he wasn't expected to return under a new manager, who's expected to be hired later this month from a field of six candidates. I've heard that Coolbaugh also...

LAS VEGAS - Though multiple teams have approached the Nationals in recent days about Tanner Roark, general manager Mike Rizzo suggested he isn't looking to trade the veteran right-hander and would only do so if he had already bolstered his rotation with another significant acquisition. Responding to a report early this morning by Yahoo! Sports that the Nationals "have engaged in multiple discussions to trade" Roark, Rizzo admitted there have been some talks this week, but only those...

LAS VEGAS - It seems every year at the Winter Meetings we have a chance to talk with MLB Network analyst and commentator Harold Reynolds. This year was no different. I interviewed Reynolds today at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino and touched on several different baseball topics. Reynolds on the possibility of MLB limiting defensive shifts: "It is going to be a very controversial topic. The commissioner is kind of in a box right now because the offense has been down. Players have clearly not...

LAS VEGAS - Orioles shortstop prospect Cadyn Grenier lives 10 minutes from the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. He never had a reason to show up at the Winter Meetings until today. Grenier conducted a few interviews with local media and hoped to meet later with executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias. Make a full day of it. "It works out well for me that I live here, that they're coming in," he said. "And with Mike being the new GM and everything, to be able to be in the same...