Here are some comments from Andy MacPhail on Adrian Rosario, the right-handed pitcher the O's took from the Milwaukee organization in this morning's Rule 5 draft: "Big bodied, lack of experience, good arm kid that captured the imagination of our guys. He has a chance to grow into something, whether he is ready or not, we'll find out. Didn't feel like we could miss the opportunity to take a chance on him. "Interestingly enough, Milwaukee took one of our guys and we took one of theirs....

With the fourth pick in today's Rule 5 draft, the Orioles selected right-hander Adrian Rosario, 21, from Milwaukee's Triple-A affiliate in Nashville. Rosario was 4-0 with a 4.50 ERA and two saves in 14 games covering 32 innings at Single-A Wisconsin this year. He also went 1-0 with a 1.26 ERA and one save in five games covering 14 1/3 innings with Helena of the Pioneer League. He walked 18 and struck out 59 for the year. The Orioles had 33 players on their 40-man roster when the morning...

As we approach the Rule 5 draft, the Orioles have made two trades and re-signed their closer. So much for "doubtful," right Andy? Multiple reports confirm that the Orioles and Twins completed a deal after midnight that will send shortstop J.J. Hardy to Baltimore for minor league pitchers Jim Hoey and Brett Jacobson. The Orioles also would receive utility infielder Brendan Harris, which doesn't bode well for Robert Andino. I'd also put away my Cesar Izturis jersey unless you're into...

Can't a guy even get five hours of sleep around here. Around 6 p.m. yesterday, Andy MacPhail said he thought there would not be any moves last night. Guess he meant other than the contract for Koji Uehara and the trade for J.J. Hardy. Other than that, the last few hours have been quiet. We've had seemingly nonstop rumors about the O's for two days and the news comes practically overnight. Hope they don't get the idea to start scheduling their games now at midnight. Anyway, if the price...

Koji Uehara will return to the Orioles' bullpen for the 2011 season. A Baltimore Sun report tonight said the O's have agreed to a new one-year contract with Uehara that includes a vesting option for the 2012 year. That is an option that kicks in if Uehara meets certain performance clauses during the coming year. Uehara went 1-2, 2.86 with 13 saves last season. He led AL relievers (minimum 40 innings pitched) in strikeout-to-walk ratio at 11-to-1 and did not walk a batter over his final 34...

The Rule 5 draft, one of the last official activities at baseball's annual winter meetings, takes place here at the meetings on Thursday morning. The teams select in the order they will in next June's draft, meaning the O's will have the 4th selection. They do not have to pick and, as most know, any player taken in the major league phase of the draft must stay on the selecting team's 25-man big league roster all year or be placed through waivers and then offered back to his original team....

The Orioles are still trying to work out a trade for Twins shortstop J.J. Hardy.There's also a feeling here that the Cardinals could move shortstop Brendan Ryan later tonight. In case you hadn't heard, the Orioles need a shortstop. The Padres no longer are in the running for Ryan after acquiring Jason Bartlett from the Rays earlier today. The Orioles and Pirates could end up splitting the remaining candidates. President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail told reporters around 6 p.m. that...

In the last 24 hours or so, two first basemen have come off the free agent board as Paul Konerko re-signed with the Chicago White Sox and Carlos Pena joined the Cubs on a one-year deal. The Orioles got neither and despite reports where Pena himself said the Orioles made him an offer, O's president Andy MacPhail said the club never offered a contract to either player. Is MacPhail surprised that Pena said the O's made him an offer? "I think it happened with (Matt) Holliday last year, if...

President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail told reporters tonight that he never made an offer to free-agent first basemen Carlos Pena or Paul Konerko. MacPhail met with their respective agents, but he insisted that no offers followed those discussions. He knew after one conversation that Konerko wasn't leaving Chicago. Pena told a few reporters earlier today that the Orioles made an offer, but agent Scott Boras passed that information to him. MacPhail said he met with Boras once here,...

He was once a manager in the Orioles farm system and, as of a few weeks ago, Dave Trembley was almost back in the O's organization. Trembley confirmed today that the Orioles offered him a job managing in their minor leagues for next season. He thought about it, but got an offer from Atlanta and recently accepted a position as the Braves' minor league field coordinater/coordinater of instruction, where he will work with all their minor league managers, players and teams. Trembley said June...