At FanFest, Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette said he is confident the club will still be able to fill its, shall we say, thin starting rotation. Manager Buck Showalter reminded fans that it's only January and that analysts doubt his team every year. And keeping with that theme, when vice president of baseball operations and former Oriole Brady Anderson met with reporters, he echoed those thoughts. He feels the club still has the time and resources to add a solid pitcher or more...

Mark Trumbo led the majors with 47 home runs in 2016, drove in 108 runs and parlayed his career highs into a three-year, $37.5 million contract to remain with the Orioles. A virtual bargain given today's salaries. Trumbo followed it up with 23 home runs, 65 RBIs, an OPS that dipped from .850 to .686 and a vow to clear his head and get a fresh start. His offseason routine is, in his words, "a little bit different this year." No sense repeating anything that led to such a...

With free agency on the horizon and the bulk of fan and media attention on others who could leave Baltimore, center fielder Adam Jones confirmed this afternoon at FanFest that he hasn't been involved in any contract negotiations with the Orioles. Jones is set to earn $17 million in the final season of the six-year, $85.5 million extension he signed in May 2012. Rumors surfaced at the Winter Meetings in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., that the Orioles had approached him about a three-year offer, which...

Tim Beckham said he found out last night, through a conversation with Orioles manager Buck Showalter, that he would move from shortstop to third base and he's ready for it. No nerves, no reservations. He'll do what's needed without complaint. "It's exciting, man. It's a new position for me, so I'm ready to go over and have some fun for sure," he said during his media sesson at FanFest. "Last night, Buck mentioned it and I'm open to it, especially if it helps the team and it's a...

Right-hander Michael Kelly was a minor league free agent this winter, but now he may have a major opportunity. Signed by the Orioles to a major league contract in December on the day of the Rule draft 5, the 25-year-old right-hander is among a handful of in-house rotation candidates. Kelly had other teams showing interest in December, but signed with the Orioles because, like the rest of us, he knew the club had - and still has - just two established pitchers in its rotation. "I truly like the...

The assumption - not made by the player himself but others - is that Caleb Joseph will break camp and head north with the Orioles as their No. 1 catcher this year. If that happens, he is likely to be in a position to head up a catching tandem that could include a rookie behind him. Either Chance Sisco or Austin Wynns would be the likely backup. That would give Joseph a chance to take on something he would very much embrace - a role to mentor a young catcher. Kind of how Matt Wieters once helped...

Ending months of speculation over which position Manny Machado will play, Orioles manager Buck Showalter told the media at FanFest this morning that the three-time All-Star - absent from the event - will move to shortstop. There isn't a bigger story here, rivaled only by Machado and Jonathan Schoop staying home. Tim Beckham will play third base, where he's made five major league starts, while Machado returns to his original position. Machado didn't appear at shortstop last summer while J.J....

During an interview session with reporters at FanFest, Orioles vice president of baseball operations Brady Anderson was asked if a trade of Manny Machado is still possible or if that ship has sailed already. "There are a lot of teams throughout the league where he could change their outcome immediately," he said. "But there is quite a price to pay for a guy like Manny. You have to weigh the downside of giving up your best prospects, which we would certainly require, and then maybe only...

Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette, appearing at today's FanFest at the Baltimore Convention Center, said he's confident that he can add a couple of starting pitchers and is setting March 1 as sort of a deadline to do it. "They're going to need three or four weeks to get ready, so it would be important to get somebody signed up three or four weeks from the start of the season," Duquette said. "So if you work back from the 29th of March, I think March 1 is the date we'd be...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter confirmed today that Manny Machado will go into spring training as the starting shortstop and Tim Beckham will play third base. Showalter told the media assembled on the third floor of the Baltimore Convention Center for the annual FanFest. Showalter said the plan could change later, but this is how the players will be positioned. He indicated that Beckham preferred to stay at shortstop, but Machado wanted to move over and it's his natural position. More on that...