I'm minutes away from heading to the airport for my Southwest flight to Orlando and the start of Hell Week, also known as Major League Baseball's winter meetings. I'll be way past my feet in tweets, so I'll need to watch my step. Reporters will try frantically to get their links posted first on mlbtraderumors, whether the news is accurate or not. The truth can come out later. I don't know what some of these scouts look like, so I'll spend a lot of time asking, "Who's that guy?" As...

Two pitchers from the Orioles minor leagues have left their winter ball teams. Pedro Beato is no longer pitching with Licey in the Dominican and Raul Rivero has left the Lara club in Venezuela. Beato, the O's second pick in the 2006 draft, the 32nd overall, pitched in just two games in the Dominican and gave up three runs and two hits over 1 2/3 innings. Beato ended the year on Bowie's disabled list with right shoulder tendonitis, but was healthy enough to pitch in the Dominican and...

Another day brings more news that a big-time slugger isn't coming to Baltimore. Honestly, did anyone think the Orioles were going to trade for Adrian Gonzalez this winter? I love your optimism, but I never thought it would happen. I put it out of my mind a long time ago. Same with Prince Fielder. It's a sad commentary, but I've grown more jaded as the years pass. I'm still waiting to be blown away by an aggressive move - and I'm including the Orioles in that statement. I haven't...

Fans love to talk about a hitting coach's philosophy. Does he preach patience and working the count? Does he want his hitters to be aggressive and come to the plate in full attack mode? Does it vary depending on the situation and the hitter? Does he prefer Ginger or Mary Ann? (Put me down for Mary Ann.) I never got around to the last one during yesterday's phone conversation with new hitting coach Jim Presley. I figured it might make a bad first impression. Presley said his philosophy is...

With yesterday's, let's say, passionate fan reaction to the O's losing out on Adam Dunn, after they had earlier lost out on Victor Martinez, some are left wondering what the O's now will do at first base. We should remember that is just one of the areas the O's need to address. Here are some other questions/issues they have to answer. *Is Mark Reynolds their guy for third base? His age of 27 and homer total of 76 over the last two years are pluses for him and so is the fact he is signed...

Despite an uproar by Nats fans to Adam Dunn leaving for the Chicago White Sox, baseball expert Jim Callis thinks it is the right move for the Nationals in the long term. "I think it makes sense," says the executive editor of Baseball America. "Could Adam Dunn help them next year, certainly. When you are looking long term, the Nationals still aren't ready to contend. So what Adam Dunn would have done for your 2011 team would have been irrelevant." It is obvious Dunn is, and can continue...

Statement from Nationals Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo in response to first baseman Adam Dunn agreeing to terms on a multi-year contract with the Chicago White Sox: "The Washington Nationals wish Adam Dunn and his family the best of luck and good will in Chicago. Adam contributed much to the Nationals and to the Washington, D.C. community. He will be missed, but will remain an important figure in the early history of this franchise and will...

That was an extremely long reach. My apologies. The White Sox non-tendered closer Bobby Jenks and his facial hair, making him available on the free-agent market. The Orioles will kick the tires on him at next week's winter meetings, if their leg hasn't already swung. Jenks' save total has dropped from 41 to 40 to 30 to 29 to 27 over the past five years. The two-time All-Star was 1-3 with a 4.44 ERA, 18 walks and 61 strikeouts in 55 appearances covering 52 2/3 innings this season. He...

The Washington Nationals today agreed to terms, thus avoiding salary arbitration, with catcher Jesus Flores and infielder Alberto Gonzalez. The club did not tender contracts to catcher Wil Nieves and right-handed pitchers Joel Peralta and Chien-Ming Wang. Nationals Executive Vice President and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements.

Is everyone refreshed after venting last night over the Adam Dunn news and, hopefully, getting a good night's sleep? There's still plenty of time to patch the holes in your walls and apologize to the cat. If you're waiting breathlessly for the Orioles to reveal their minor league coaching staffs, it probably won't happen until the middle of next week. A few openings might remain, but most of the names will be in place. At least three affiliates will have a full-time extra coach, while...