Well, it's a big "if", but "if" say the Orioles were to add Adam Dunn or Carlos Pena at first base and Mark Reynolds for third base, they'd gain some power for next year's lineup. But they'd be adding a lot of strikeouts as well. Dunn and Reynolds combined for a whopping 410 strikeouts last year and Pena and Reynolds combined for 369. My take on that is basically, so what. Power hitters usually strikeout at a higher rate than most. Some do it at a very high rate. Often it's a...

The Orioles might announce their minor league coaching staffs this week. See, I just copied a past entry and inserted the words "minor league." No heavy lifting. It appears that they're waiting to hire a manager at short-season Single-A Aberdeen, with Gary Kendall moving up to Double-A Bowie. Former Baysox manager Brad Komminsk will serve as hitting coach at Triple-A Norfolk, where Gary Allenson will manage again after replacing Juan Samuel as the Orioles' third base coach. Got all...

Nationals starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann is enjoying this off season much more so than last year when he was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. "It is nice," says Zimmermann. "I can actually go home and have a month off and not have to worry about rehabbing every single day. I have been working out for (four weeks now). It is good to get back in the swings of things and not have to worry about going to rehab every day and just working on my arm. I can lift like a normal baseball player...

Who bats leadoff if Brian Roberts is injured again? It's a question that keeps popping up here, and I've been responding that the Orioles could turn to whichever player is acquired as a backup. Felix Pie also would be an option if his anger management classes let out early enough. It's impossible to know for sure in late November, but the Orioles need to find a utility infielder with lots of experience at second base. Robert Andino will compete for a utility job, and he made a pretty...

I think Derek Jeter needs to understand something. His next contract will not pay him an average of 18.9 million dollars per year like his last one did. His 10-year, $189 million dollar deal ran out after the 2010 season and Jeter is now a free agent. The Yankees' captain is just 74 hits from 3,000 but something is happening now that is surprising to me - Jeter's current negotiations with the team are getting messy. After his agent said he was "baffled" by the Yankees approach to the...

Video of Felix Pie's meltdown in a Dominican Winter League game is surfacing all over the place, so I may as well join the party and post it here, in case you've missed it. Pie was called out at first base on a pickoff and had to be restrained by an Estrellas coach as he attempted to jump into the umpire's chest and take up residence. As tantrum's go, this one is an instant classic. A rumor spread that Pie had attacked the umpire, which isn't quite true. He never made contact. But boy,...

Now that all Major League teams have set their 40-man rosters, clubs have begun preparations for the Rule 5 draft which comes up December 9 at the Winter Meetings. "Now you simply go through all your reports and most people don't realize that there are more than 10,000 reports on this year's (available) players in virtually every club's system," O's director of player development, John Stockstill said. "In our case, (assistant director of player development) Tripp Norton we be...

Nationals prospect Steven Lombardozzi wrapped up another successful season by knocking in the winning run for the Scottsdale Scorpions in a 3-2 win over Peoria in Arizona fall league championship, culminating a memorable season for the Chaska, MN native. Lombardozzi advanced from Potomac to Harrisburg this summer, refined his skills in the instructional league and then participated and excelled in Arizona. "It was pretty special, especially to come together in such a short time with all new...

Major League Baseball announced today that the Chiba Lotte Marines accepted the Minnesota Twins' bid for middle infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka. Various reports place the Twins' bid at $5 to $5.3 million. The Orioles scouted Nishioka and had some interest, but decided against bidding on him because of the cost. The Twins have 30 days to sign Nishioka. The millions currently invested only give them the right to negotiate with him. The Twins could trade or non-tender shortstop J.J. Hardy, who...

Since the season ended, 24 players that were with the Orioles in the minors and/or big leagues this past year have become minor league free agents. They are now free to sign with any organization. Here is the list. Infielders: Michael Aubrey, Scott Moore. Outfielders: Lou Montanez, Jeff Salazar, Jonathan Tucker, Joel Guzman. Catchers: Zach Booker, Phil Britton, Michel Hernandez, Steve Lerud, Rolando Pettit. Pitchers: Alberto Castillo, Jose Diaz, Jose Duran, Chris George, Mike...