NASHVILLE, Tenn. - During his group sitdown with reporters yesterday afternoon, Nationals manager Davey Johnson was asked if he feels there will be a lot of competition for spots on his bench in 2013, with guys like Corey Brown and Eury Perez now having some major league games under their belts. "Well, I'm going to act like there is," Johnson said, cracking a smile. Johnson didn't mean that as a shot at Brown, Perez or others within the organization who have worked their way up through...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - He once pitched a no-hitter against the Orioles, and he now may be joining the organization. Wilson Alvarez, who no-hit the Birds in just his second major league start while pitching for the Chicago White Sox, has talked to the club about a job in the minor leagues. Alvarez is being considered for the position of pitching coach for the Gulf Coast League Orioles in 2013. The Venezuelan went 102-92 with an ERA of 3.96 over a 14-year career with Texas, the Chicago White Sox,...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Minnesota Twins are devoting part of these Winter Meetings to gauging outside interest in first baseman Justin Morneau, and the Orioles are counted among the teams they've contacted, according to an industry source. The Twins would want - wait for it - young pitching in return for Morneau, who will make $14 million in 2013, the final year of his contract. It's possible that the Twins are just testing the waters rather than actively shopping Morneau. General manager...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter knows it's one thing to make the leap in the standings that the Orioles did last year and yet another to do it two years in a row. During his press conference here yesterday, Showalter was asked about that challenge. "It kind of falls under the thing like last year - I don't want to be stating the obvious to these guys," Showalter said. "They know. Talking to them in the offseason, if I start to go down that road at all, it's like,...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Today marks Day 3 of the baseball Winter Meetings, the last full day we'll have here in Nashville. I'm starting to get a little misty. I'll miss this place so. Sunlight, sleep and athletic activity are all overrated, anyway. Tomorrow's action consists mostly of the Rule 5 draft and some minor wrap-up stuff, leaving the next 24 hours or so as the main chance for teams to improve their rosters before heading back home. Obviously, it's possible deals get done as teams...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - This is the third and last full day of the Winter Meetings. I don't count Thursday because executives, scouts, agents and media roll out after the Rule 5 draft, which is held in the morning. I stick around until late afternoon before racing to the airport and trying to remember where I parked my car. Though the direction of negotiations can shift in a hurry, I'm still not expecting the Orioles to make a trade before returning home. They really seemed to be focused...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - While the Orioles decide on their next third base coach, one of their early candidates, Rich Dauer, has taken a job as manager with Double-A San Antonio. Dauer never heard from the Orioles and yesterday accepted an offer from San Antonio, a San Diego Padres affiliate. "We've been talking for a couple of weeks," said Dauer, who was dismissed as Rockies third base coach after the season. "Nothing seems to get done real quick. Everybody's taking their time and I was...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Earlier today I had a chance to interview Orioles manager Buck Showalter. While he is quite aware, of course, of his club's involvement in trade talks, he took some time to praise his current group of players. He also said the Orioles have around a dozen staff members here at the Winter Meetings. "We've got 12 or 13 guys there and there is a lot of great input," Showalter said. "There is a good feeling right now, a good morale. You know, if people don't value our...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The second day of the Winter Meetings is best described as quiet. Here's a summary: * Are the Red Sox a better team now that they've added Jonny Gomes, Mike Napoli and Shane Victorino? The Red Sox signed 32-year-old Victorino to play right field, alongside Jacoby Ellsbury and Jonny Gomes, who could end up DHing. Fenway Park's right field is spacious, so the Red Sox think Victorino, a centerfielder with the Phillies when they won the 2008 World Series, will do fine. Red...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - It appears that the Orioles are having their busiest day of the Winter Meetings today, though they are waiting to make their first trade or sign a free agent. Executive vice president Dan Duquette had met with about five teams and six agents by the time he sat down with reporters in his suite around 5:30 p.m. Central time. The agents included representatives for left-hander Joe Saunders and outfielder Nate McLouth, who ended the 2012 season with the Orioles. "We've had...