LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The stampede for the front desk and the airport begins momentarily. Keep your head on a swivel if you're in the lobby area or you could be wearing foot prints as a shirt logo. Cutting through the speculation that the Orioles could abstain from the Rule 5 draft this morning due to carrying outfielder Anthony Santander for 44 more days, they most definitely will make a selection in the major league phase and probably go with multiple picks in the minor league...

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The interest in Orioles third baseman Manny Machado continues to build as more teams meet with executive vice president Dan Duquette. Determining the market is an ongoing process, Duquette said this afternoon during his daily media briefing, but there's no real sense whether a trade gets done before Thursday's departures at the Winter Meetings, later in the offseason or never. "We're making good progress on that," Duquette said. "We met with a couple of teams...

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - While you were sleeping, the White Sox emerged as the most aggressive team pursuing the Orioles' Manny Machado, according to reports from The Athletic and USA Today. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal wrote that the White Sox are offering the Orioles a package that includes right-hander Lucas Giolito or right-hander Michael Kopech, but not both pitchers. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported the Orioles believe they can move Machado by the end of the week with the strength...

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Thursday morning's Rule 5 draft is the last order of business at the Winter Meetings, and while the Nationals probably won't add anyone to their 40-man roster, it's possible they could lose one or more prospects. Teams with openings on their 40-man rosters are allowed to select players who were first signed at 18 and not added to a club's 40-man roster within five seasons or players signed at 19 who have not been added to the 40-man roster after four seasons....

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The Orioles don't seem inclined to put a timetable or deadline right now on any trade discussions involving third baseman Manny Machado. They continue to talk with several teams about the three-time All-Star. If these trade talks drag on for an extended period of time, you have to wonder how much that will impact the club's planning for the 2018 season. But as of now, executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette is not inclined to put a timetable on...

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette said "more than a handful" of clubs are interested in third baseman Manny Machado and he met with a couple more today as the Winter Meetings near their conclusion. Duquette said he was able to get a clearer read on the market for Machado and the process is "moving along" while the Orioles determine whether there's a match. Though it still seems unlikely to happen, Duquette didn't refute the notion that the club could...

The Cardinals didn't get Giancarlo Stanton from the Marlins, but they have landed another Miami outfielder, Marcell Ozuna, a 27-year old All-Star with a Gold Glove. Now the question is: Does this mean the Cardinals would be pulling out of the market for Orioles third baseman Manny Machado? Apparently they would still like to swing a deal for the Baltimore slugger, who also has a Gold Glove and Platinum Glove on his resume. According to media reports, the Cardinals gave up their fifth-best...

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Wherever he starts the 2018 season, top Nationals prospect Victor Robles is going to be patrolling the outfield every day. There's no role for him as a part-time outfielder with the Nats, general manager Mike Rizzo said Wednesday at the Winter Meetings. "He won't be an extra outfielder on the big league club," Rizzo said during his daily briefing with the media. "He's going to play every day somewhere. If it's not set up for him to play every day in the big...

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Nearly three days into the Winter Meetings, the Nationals have yet to make any transactions. Then again, most teams that aren't the Marlins fall into that same category. What the Nats have done at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort to this point is meet with a lot of rival clubs and agents representing a host of players, with a particular emphasis on relief pitchers. They may not have actually acquired one yet, but the Nats believe they've positioned...

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The Orioles are receiving the anticipated level of interest in reliever Brad Brach, which is significant as he approaches his free agent season. Teams view Brach as a cheaper alternative to left-hander Zach Britton in terms of the asking price in any trade. He has closing experience in the majors and especially the minors, where he notched 119 saves, and can work in a setup role. Executive vice president Dan Duquette is willing to remove one of his bullpen pieces...