NASHVILLE, Tenn. - With the 23rd pick in the Rule 5 draft, the Orioles selected left-hander Timothy McFarland from the Indians' Triple-A roster. McFarland goes by "T.J." Make him feel welcome. The Indians chose McFarland in the fourth round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft. He went 8-6 with 4.82 ERA in 17 starts with Columbus this year, and 8-2 with a 2.69 ERA in 10 starts at Double-A Akron. McFarland is 48-31 with a 3.83 ERA in five minor league seasons. He's made 107 starts among...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Nationals have had two of their players selected within the first seven picks of the Rule 5 draft. Left-hander Danny Rosenbaum was selected by the Rockies with the third pick. Rosenbaum is a 25-year-old left-hander, who went 8-10 with a 3.94 ERA at Double-A Harrisburg last season. He had a very strong first half of the year, but dropped off significantly after the All-Star break, going 1-4 with a 5.05 ERA. With his departure, the Nats now have even less pitching depth...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - I see a light at the end of the tunnel, and it's not the illuminated 500-foot Christmas tree in the middle of this monstrosity of a hotel. The Winter Meetings will officially end after the Rule 5 draft that begins at 9 a.m. Central time. There's never a buzz over these drafts. The only thing more boring is the minor league phase that follows. I expect the Orioles to make a selection, since they've indicated that they will be "active." I just don't know where they can...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The 2012 Winter Meetings are almost complete, and just as I've gotten comfortable navigating my way through the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center (which feels like it's a town in and of itself), it's time to leave. During their time in Nashville, the Nationals got a fifth starter in Dan Haren, and we might have word as early as this afternoon on whether Haren passed his physical and will officially join the Nats' starting staff. They also got a left-handed...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Major League Baseball's Rule 5 draft will be held this morning at 10 a.m. Eastern time here at the Winter Meetings and the Orioles will have the 23rd pick. Any player selected in this draft must remain on the selecting team's 25-man roster for the entire 2013 big league season or be offered back to his original club. This is the draft where the Orioles got Ryan Flaherty last December. Players are eligible for selection in the Rule 5 draft who are not on their major league...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette began tonight's media session by talking about the one-year contract that outfielder Nate McLouth agreed to this afternoon. "We've been looking to sign an outfielder for our club, and pending a physical, which is always very important to the Orioles, it looks like we're going to be able to agree to a deal with Nate McLouth," Duquette said. "He did a great job for us last year when we brought him up. He helped solidify the...

The Orioles today announced that they have signed outfielders Lew Ford, Conor Jackson and Jason Pridie, right-handers Daniel McCutchen and Adam Russell, and catchers Allan de San Miguel, Jose Gil and Chris Robinson to minor league contracts with invitations to major league spring training. The Orioles have also signed 18-year old left-hander Jan Novak from the Czech Republic. Ford, 36, is a career .268 hitter (425-1585) with 35 home runs and 176 RBI in 519 major league games with the Twins and...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Once again tonight, Dan Duquette took time to talk with me for a video interview on MASNSports.com. With today's news that the club has agreed to a one-year contract with outfielder Nate McLouth, pending a physical, and with Nolan Reimold returning, I asked Duquette if the Orioles were now set in left field. "I thought Nate did a great job for us late in the year," Duquette said. "He solidified our defense, he got on base, he stole bases, he hit and he hit with some...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette passed along a few nuggets of news during his eight-minute session with the media in his suite at the Gaylord Opryland Convention Center and Resort. Duquette confirmed that he won't attempt to sign free-agent outfielder Nick Swisher, whose representatives met with the Orioles last night. Duquette said the Orioles have enough outfielders after re-signing Nate McLouth, and he dismissed the possibility that Swisher could play first...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A number of Nationals executives have bolted town, content to take care of any lingering business in D.C. with the Winter Meetings set to wrap up tomorrow morning. One area they'll still look to tackle from back home is starting pitching depth. In addition to reaching some sort of resolution with Adam LaRoche and searching for a left-handed reliever, general manager Mike Rizzo is still on the lookout for a starter that the Nats can stash at Triple-A to provide insurance...