LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The Orioles are interested in signing free-agent pitcher Bartolo Colon, according to multiple industry sources. Executive vice president Dan Duquette told reporters last night that he has "a couple offers out to some pitchers." It's not known whether Colon is on the list, but the Orioles apparently have spoken to his representative. That's the buzz in the lobby at the Swan and Dolphin Resort. Not an ear-piercing, drown-out-the-Christmas-music buzz, mind you, but...

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Orioles amateur scouting director Gary Rajsich is with the front office contingent at the Winter Meetings. He is looking to fill a few positions on his scouting staff. Chris Gale, the Orioles' area scout in the Carolinas and southern Virginia, left the organization recently to take a pro scouting position with Cleveland. Bob Szymkowski, the club's area scout covering Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Minnesota, did not have his contract renewed. James...

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The Expansion Era electorate has chosen former managers Bobby Cox, Tony La Russa and Joe Torre for induction into baseball's Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. Other candidates for the honor included former players Dave Concepcion, Steve Garvey, Tommy John, Dave Parker, Dan Quisenberry and Ted Simmons, manager Billy Martin and executives Marvin Miller and George Steinbrenner. The 16-member electorate includes former Orioles executive Andy MacPhail, who later gave his...

The Nationals traded their fifth-ranked prospect, pitcher Robbie Ray, to the Detroit Tigers last week. But it is still a pretty good list of prospects, and the organization did not have to give up their best to make the deal for Doug Fister. Here is a look at the Nationals' top 10 prospects according to Baseball America following the trade of Ray. Over the next few weeks, we will count down to No. 1 with the help of Baseball America national writer Aaron Fitt. No. 10, LHP Matt...

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The hotel lobby has emptied out here at the Swan and Dolphin resort and the free agent and trade chatter has temporarily hit a lull, as a trio of elite managers were just announced as the newest members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Bobby Cox, Tony La Russa and Joe Torre have all been unanimously elected to the Hall of Fame as part of the Expansion Era ballot, voted on by 16 longtime major league players, executives and historians. Cox spent 29 years as a...

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Greetings from the Hemisphere Ballroom, which functions as the media work room for the Winter Meetings. The lobby is starting to buzz and the work room is beginning to fill up with reporters, many of whom are finally arriving after having their flights from the great white - and icy - north delayed, postponed or canceled. I won't throw the fact that the weather forecaster on the local FOX affiliate told me it was going to be "really, really warm for December" here...

When Dan Duquette talks these days, Orioles fans listen, but then they seem to voice skepticism about what he said. Right now, they are questioning the Jim Johnson trade, the payroll, the starting pitching and more. A few fans had a rather negative reaction via Twitter to one comment Duquette made last night when he said, "We've got a much stronger base to our pitching staff now than we've had the last couple of years." Fans can probably just about recite the stats which saw the...

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - When Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette talks these days Orioles fans listen, but then they seem to voice skepticism about what he said. Right now they are questioning the Jim Johnson trade, the payroll, the starting pitching and more. Several fans had a negative reaction via my Twitter account to one comment Duquette made last night when he said, "We've got a much stronger base to our pitching staff now than we've had the last couple of years." Fans...

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - While reporters, executives and other baseball people trickled into the Swan and Dolphin Resort here in the Orlando area throughout the day yesterday, the Winter Meetings officially begin today. Get pumped, people. Or don't. Either way. There might not be as much excitement about the Winter Meetings among Nationals fans as there has been in past years, largely because most of the major moves that general manager Mike Rizzo needed to make this offseason have already...

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - While the national media continues to float big names as possible fits for the Orioles, executive vice president Dan Duquette seems determined to lower expectations, even if that's not his intent. The Orioles have made offers to free agent starters, according to Duquette, but this quote clearly indicated that the Orioles aren't trying to reel in a big fish: "If we're going to be successful, we're going to have to develop additional starting pitchers to come up...