The Orioles didn't bid on Japanese pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma, who could end up with the Oakland Athletics. The A's submitted the winning posting bid, according to an MLB release issued earlier today. They have 30 days to negotiate exclusively with him. Iwakuma had a 2.82 ERA in 201 innings this year. The Orioles scouted him, but the reports apparently weren't favorable enough for the club to enter the bidding. Also, former bullpen coach Alan Dunn has accepted the job as a roving pitching...

So much for Don Wakamatsu joining manager Buck Showalter's staff as bench coach. The search continues. Wakamatsu has accepted a job as Toronto's bench coach, according to a press release issued by the Blue Jays less than an hour ago. You can read it right here. Wakamatsu has pretty much been the only candidate we've heard about, so it feels like we're back to Square One. Showalter obviously has contingency plans. He didn't put all of his eggs in the Wakamatsu basket. Feel free to...

Former third base coach Gary Allenson still hasn't decided on his next move. He's got a standing offer to manage at Triple-A Norfolk, but obviously would prefer a major league job. Allenson has been a first base, third base and bullpen coach in the majors. He's managed in the minors and worked as a catching coordinator. He'll benefit whichever organization ends up with him. My guess: He'll be managing the Tides in 2011. I would have been fine with Allenson staying as third base...

This offseason, O's fan can follow a few of their favorite Birds on the European Big League Tour. Orioles reliever Rick VandenHurk and teammates Adam Jones and Jeremy Guthrie will be participating in the tour, along with other MLB players and coaches who are traveling through Europe this winter to bring a love of baseball to Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Eindhoven, and Antwerp. VandenHurk will be blogging about his travels for MLB.com, and he's already posted a few entries from the tour's first...

This offseason, O's fan can follow a few of their favorite Birds on the European Big League Tour. Orioles reliever Rick VandenHurk and teammates Adam Jones and Jeremy Guthrie will be participating in the tour, along with other MLB players and coaches who are traveling through Europe this winter to bring a love of baseball to Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Eindhoven, and Antwerp. VandenHurk will be blogging about his travels for MLB.com, and he's already posted a few entries. According to his blog,...

Nationals prospect Chris Marrero is working hard to improve offensively and defensively by playing winter ball in Puerto Rico alongside second baseman Danny Espinosa. Marrero says he has enjoyed the experience playing ball in the offseason again this year after getting an invite to Arizona in 2009. In 10 games for Leones de Ponce, Marrero is batting .349 with 3 doubles and 8 RBI. "I am been feeling good. My swing as been coming around. I have been getting a lot of hits and feeling good at...

I woke up this morning and the Orioles still hadn't signed any free agents. I knew this process would drag along. It's been more than 24 hours since the market opened...and nothing. Here's that list again, in case you need a quick refresher. The Orioles' needs haven't changed. A big bat for the middle of the order is their No. 1 priority - wherever it fits. That's the obsession. And they can't come up short this time. They must address the holes at first and third base, which...

In the wildest dreams of an Orioles' fan, there will be a day soon when, at a press conference, the O's announce the signing of Cliff Lee to a five-year, $125 million dollar contract. Lee steps to the mic and says he noticed some of that good young pitching on the O's roster and how the team responded to Buck Showalter and wants to be a part of it. He adds, "Hey, the O's kicked my butt a couple of times, I didn't forget that either." Of course, in our dreams is probably the only place...

My interview with Jason Berken last week rekindled the debate over whether a pitcher experiences more strain on his injured or surgically repaired shoulder as a starter or reliever. Berken bypassed surgery and is rehabbing his torn labrum, just as Matt Albers did a few years ago. Troy Patton underwent the surgery. Berken and Albers have been working out of the bullpen. Patton was a starter at Triple-A Norfolk and a spectator in the Orioles' bullpen. So is there a definite answer? So far, I...

Earlier this week, I wrote about Ronnie Welty. The 22-year-old played right field for the Frederick Keys in 2010 and had a very good season, finishing among the Carolina League leaders in several categories. Yet, Welty is almost never mentioned as one of the O's better prospects. But he has made three post-season All-Star teams in three different leagues over three years. That is pretty impressive. I guess we could say he has flown "under the radar." Today, here are two questions for...