Lefty Cameron Coffey finally made his anticipated minor league debut for the Orioles last August in the Gulf Coast League and he went 0-1 with a 5.73 ERA in seven games. Some fans may have assumed, as I did, that it just took time for Coffey to make it to the mound following his elbow ligament replacement surgery in March 2009. But while Coffey's comeback from Tommy John surgery progressed fine and he was throwing well last spring training, his delay in getting in a game last summer was due...

Nationals second baseman Danny Espinosa told me on 106.7 The Fan in D.C. that his hand is healing well from hamate surgery and he will be good to go for next month's spring training. He says injured players are expected to report to Viera, Fla., on Feb.13. "I am working out," Espinosa said. "It has gone really well. I have progressed very quickly. I really like where I am at (with the recovery from surgery). My scar has healed great. My hand strength is higher than it was when I was...

I just got off the phone with Orioles reliever Jim Johnson, who had plenty to say about his right elbow, his motivation for the 2011 season and all the changes that have been made to the roster. Johnson lives in Sarasota during the winter, so he basked in 70-degree weather today while many of us braced for more snow. His in-laws live in Annapolis, so he's fully aware that we're not working on our tans. Johnson played catch again today at Ed Smith Stadium. He's been throwing for the last...

Speaking at a Washington Post breakfast forum sports business featuring the owners of area teams Tuesday morning, Washington Nationals principal owners Robert Tanenbaum and Marla Lerner Tanenbaum discussed the challenges of owning and developing a baseball team in the nation's capital. Joined by Redskins owners Dan Snyder, Capitals owner Ted Leonsis and D.C. United owner Will Chang, the group fielded questions from the Post's Mary Jordan about the market, the business, failures, customer...

When this offseason began, the Orioles had more than 20 of their players become minor league free agents. Some have re-signed with the club. According to Matt Eddy, in his minor league transactions listing on Baseball America's Web site, the O's re-signed pitchers Jose Diaz, Alberto Castillo and Chris George, and catchers Steven Lerud and Michel Hernandez in December. An O's source has confirmed these signings. Diaz, a right-hander, went 4-0 with a 1.92 ERA last summer between Single-A...

The snow is coming, the snow is coming. Still love the changing of the seasons? Still think this is better than 75 and sunny? Listen closely and you'll hear my eyes rolling. The forecast is calling for two to four inches here, which probably means a foot. Fortunately, Santa brought me gloves. Reliever Kevin Gregg is scheduled to take his physical today. He might want to limit the small talk and get back to the airport before the storm hits. Gregg probably will be made available to the...

When I was the play-by-play broadcaster several years ago for the Aberdeen IronBirds, I can remember watching a young right-hander from the Dominican Republic join our team in 2005 and start dominating New York-Penn League hitters. I can still remember a warm, July night in Burlington, Vt.,when he struck out 15 without a walk in six brilliant, dominant, shutout innings. That year with the IronBirds, he went 5-4, 1.77 in 11 starts and over 56 innings allowed just 36 hits while recording 82...

A reader was kind enough to remind me that today is the 20-year anniversary of arguably the worst trade in Orioles history (if anyone is still arguing it). I won't rush out to Greetings & Readings. The occasion doesn't call for a card. You're better off with a stiff drink and a short memory. Twenty years ago today, the Orioles traded three players to the Houston Astros for first baseman Glenn Davis. You might recognize the names: Curt Schilling, Pete Harnisch and Steve Finley. Those guys...

More snow is on the way tomorrow, so make sure you have plenty of milk, bread and toilet paper. Those are the staples. Well, you don't want staples in your toilet paper, but you should stock up anyway. I'm continuing to make my spring training arrangements, which includes booking a flight to Sarasota and returning home from Tampa after the opening three-game series against the Rays at Tropicana Field. Seems like only a year ago that I did the exact same thing. It would be a lot easier...

It is always fun when you can complete a top 10 list and your No. 1 prospect in the organization is considered arguably the best amateur hitting prospect of all time. Bryce Harper was picked No. 1 overall by the Nationals in the June draft, signed in mid-August, played in the instructional league and then rode the taxi squad in Scottsdale to the Arizona Fall League title. With naysayers skeptical of his placement in the advanced league in the first place, Harper went out and hit a...