Immediately after the Doug Fister trade was completed last winter, there were many people who doubted the return that Detroit got from the Nationals for a guy viewed by many as one of the more underrated right-handers in baseball. But Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski steadfastly said that he liked the three players that his side got in the trade - infielder Steve Lombardozzi, left-handed reliever Ian Krol and left-handed pitching prospect Robbie Ray - and that he viewed these players as...

If it was exciting for pitchers Tyler Wilson and Mike Wright when they were recently added to the Orioles' 40-man roster maybe it was doubly so for pitcher Oliver Drake. The 27-year-old right-hander was recently added to the 40-man, as well - and for the second time. Three years after Drake made it the first time in November 2011, he did it again. This time may have been even more satisfying since it followed shoulder surgery. There was no guarantee Drake would return to pitch at a high...

The Orioles lost three of their free agents this week after teams reached agreements with Nelson Cruz on Monday, Nick Markakis on Wednesday and Andrew Miller on Friday. Anyone nervous about Sunday or is it safe to go outside? The Orioles never were going to re-sign Miller and they weren't expected to retain Cruz unless he settled for three years. If fans are reeling, it's probably because they didn't anticipate being hit with the news in the same week. I figured that the Orioles would go...

The Orioles never were involved in serious talks to keep left-hander Andrew Miller, refusing to get in a bidding war with 22 other teams. Miller will have plenty of opportunities to make them regret the decision. Miller is staying in the American League East after agreeing to a four-year, $36 million deal with the Yankees, who just confirmed it on Twitter. Early speculation had Miller landing a deal in the $40-$48 million range. He settled for less, but still is going to be paid handsomely in...

Outfielder Nick Markakis was a fan favorite in Baltimore, but the Orioles did the right thing by not trying to outbid the Atlanta Braves' $44 million contract. It's better to have payroll flexibility than an $11 million outfielder hitting .280 with 12 home runs. The Orioles are going to benefit in the long run from not having Markakis. So what do to next? Prospect Dariel Alvarez needs more time in the minors. A trade for the Braves' Justin Upton or Evan Gattis is possible. Upton is...

Nationals right fielder Jayson Werth was found guilty this afternoon of reckless driving and has been sentenced to 10 days in prison with 170 days suspended. According to multiple media reports from the Fairfax County Courthouse, Werth's attorney has said he will appeal the conviction. The 35-year-old Werth will also lose his driver's license as a result of the verdict. Werth was cited on July 6 by a Virginia state trooper for driving his two-door Porsche at 105 mph in a posted 55 mph zone on...

Nick Markakis has moved on from the Orioles, but there's another chapter to add before the book closes on his tenure in Baltimore. Markakis is expected to formally sign his four-year, $44 million contract with the Braves this weekend after agreeing to terms on Wednesday. However, he's likely to undergo surgery to repair a herniated disc in his cervical spine, according to multiple sources. FOXSports.com is reporting that Markakis is leaning toward having the surgery. I've been told that...

There has been a lot of offseason buzz regarding right-hander Reynaldo Lopez. A lot of people had not heard much of the Dominican hurler, but he made a big splash at the end of the season with low Single-A Hagerstown. Lopez went 5-1 with a 0.63 ERA in his final 10 starts, nine of them with the Suns. He is the No. 4 Nationals prospect, according to Baseball Prospectus. No. 4: right-hander Reynaldo Lopez Chris Mellen, the co-director of the Baseball Prospectus prospect team, believes Lopez is a...

Two days from now, I'll be hopping a plane to San Diego, ready for a few days of chaos at the hub of the baseball world - the annual Winter Meetings. Team executives, agents, scouts, trainers, anyone involved in the inner workings of Major League Baseball will be there, making this the most anticipated four days in the offseason. TV networks will have massive sets erected in the hallways, ready to go live with breaking news, radio shows will be going on nonstop as rumors are discussed and...

Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette joked about bringing extra security to last night's Babe Ruth Museum benefit at Dempsey's Brew Pub, where he served as the guest speaker and took questions from the audience. Duquette turned and pointed to a long table against one of the walls, where his wife Amy, their children and the kids' friends were eating dinner. I saw what he did there. "I brought half the neighborhood here tonight," he said. As the event ended, fans stood and...