The Orioles found a left-handed hitting outfielder today, signing former first-round pick Chris Parmelee to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. The club also announced that it signed right-hander Dane De La Rosa to a minor league deal, and it confirmed the Steve Johnson signing that was reported a few days ago. They also receive invitations to spring training. Parmelee has been on the Orioles' radar for more than a month. He declined an outright assignment to...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter compared the Blue Jays' interest in executive vice president Dan Duquette to teams pursuing free agents on the roster during his call-in segment this morning on 105.7 The Fan. Showalter didn't go into any detail regarding the Blue Jays' attempts to make Duquette their president and CEO. A report out of Toronto yesterday stated that negotiations have ended and Toronto will move in another direction. I've been told that the Orioles aren't aware of the Blue...

WOODBRIDGE, Va. - Top Nationals pitching prospect Lucas Giolito attended the Potomac Nationals Hot Stove Banquet at the Old Hickory Golf Club, accepting the top player award on behalf of P-Nats infielder Tony Renda, who was out of town due to his engagement party. Giolito said last season was the perfect learning experience at low Single-A Hagerstown, and he is very likely to start this season with the P-Nats less than a half-mile away at Pfitzner Stadium. "Getting that first year out of the...

Seemingly every year, there's at least one non-roster invitee who makes a major impression in spring training, and ends up surprising people and cracking the opening day roster. Sometimes, it's a veteran who had been signed to a minor league deal with an invitation to big league spring training. Guys like Chad Tracy, who are looking to find their way back into the fold in the majors after an injury, time in Triple-A or a year playing abroad. Other times, it's an under-the-radar minor...

Ernie Banks, the Hall of Fame shortstop who played his entire 19-year career with the Chicago Cubs, was known for his 512 home runs, two National League MVPs and a never-ending sunny disposition on life, even though he never came close to playing in a World Series. Banks, 83, who died Friday night, also had a curiosity that was as legendary as Wrigley Field. He loved asking people questions because he said he enjoyed learning. And he understood that the magic of baseball was in the thrill of...

Another lazy and uneventful Sunday? Not this one. The Orioles settled on a 2015 contract with infielder Ryan Flaherty and the Blue Jays may have decided again that they were done negotiating to acquire executive vice president Dan Duquette. I'll pause to let you catch your breath. The Orioles have settled with six of their 11 arbitration-eligible players. In case you missed it last night, here are the remaining five and the figures that were exchanged: * Alejandro De Aza submitted $5.65...

The Orioles are down to five arbitration-eligible players without contracts for 2015. Infielder Ryan Flaherty has settled tonight at $1.075 million to avoid a potential hearing next month. His contract includes an additional $25,000 for 400 plate appearances. Flaherty, 28, submitted $1.5 million and the Orioles countered at $900,000. He made $513,000 last season while batting .221/.288/.356 with 15 doubles, one triple, seven home runs and 32 RBIs in 102 games and 312 plate appearances. "Glad...

This whole situation involving Dan Duquette has to be a bit deflating to some Orioles fans. Oh, wait. Wrong sport. My bad. At this point, I can't tell if fans are tired of this story, which has pretty much turned into a mini-series, or whether they can't talk about it enough? The latest report Sunday indicated Toronto brass was ending any negotiations about a trade for Duquette. Is this really over now? We can talk about it daily, although the people directly involved are not saying anything....

Has the story of the Blue Jays pursuing Dan Duquette for the position of president and CEO finally reached its conclusion? Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca, reported today that the Blue Jays have ended negotiations to acquire Duquette due to the Orioles' insistence on receiving three top prospects. I'm told that the Orioles have no knowledge of the Blue Jays' current intentions regarding Duquette. One person close to the situation said there were no real negotiations because the Orioles rejected...

The Nationals don't currently have a need, per se, for another reliever. Tyler Clippard has departed, going to Oakland in the trade that brought Yunel Escobar to D.C., but the Nationals could look to fill Clippard's eighth-inning role in 2015 with some combination of Aaron Barrett/Matt Thornton/Blake Treinen. All three posted strong numbers in 2014 and all three are highly thought of within the organization. But if the Nats are indeed looking to add another reliever from the free agent...