The Orioles announced that they exchanged salary figures with their two remaining arbitration-eligible players today: pitcher Jeremy Guthrie and designated hitter/outfielder Luke Scott. According to an industry source, Guthrie is seeking $6.5 million and the Orioles countered at $5 million. He earned $3 million last season. Scott is seeking $6.85 million and the Orioles countered at $5.7 million. He earned $4.05 million last season. Hearings will be scheduled, most likely next month, if...

While examining possible trade options for a starting pitcher, it's been noted that Detroit's Armando Galarraga could be made available. Well, he's really available now because the Tigers designated him for assignment earlier today. Galarraga agreed to a one-year, $2.3 million deal a day earlier, but he wasn't really off the board. The Tigers needed to make room for Brad Penny, and Galarraga apparently is the odd man out. Galarraga came within a blown call by first base umpire Jim Joyce...

With all the talk this week about starting pitching, it would be a very good thing if the Nationals' depth at catcher could be bolstered by a healthy return of Jesus Flores, who missed last season with a shoulder injury. From all indications, general manager Mike Rizzo believes Flores will be back to "100 percent" for spring training. Flores has been limited to 29 games the past two seasons. "Jesus Flores had a terrific Venezuelan Winter League. He was happy and healthy, swinging the...

Today is the date that players and teams exchange arbitration figures, a process that makes my eyes glaze over. These players aren't going anywhere. They can't become free agents. They just need to have their contracts finalized. Here's the drill: The players' agents will submit a figure, the Orioles will make a counter offer and they'll end up settling near the middle. I would care a lot more if half of it was being deposited in my checking account. Otherwise, they can make $500,000...

In my recent interview with Mark Reynolds, we spent time on many topics, to include all his homers and all his strikeouts, but we also took time to visit on other aspects of his play and career as well. For instance, did you know that Reynolds is still somewhat a newcomer to third base? In college, at the University of Virginia, he was a shortstop before a guy named Ryan Zimmerman showed up a year after him. The head coach needed to move one of them off short. Reynolds felt that since he...

While discussing Derrek Lee's placement in the lineup and which players might fit into other slots, manager Buck Showalter mentioned how you can get a pretty good read on a team by looking at its 7-8-9 hitters. Signing Lee and trading for Mark Reynolds and J.J. Hardy has left the Orioles with a potentially deeper lineup than past seasons. Showalter seems inclined, at least a month before spring training, to bat Nick Markakis second and Lee third. He wants to keep Adam Jones lower in the...

Among all the Orioles, the player that seems to evoke the greatest disparity of opinion on his play and his future from fans is center fielder Adam Jones. The commentary can range from fans writing in to say they think Felix Pie - not Jones - should be the center fielder to others saying that now is the time to sign Jones to a long-term contract. Some see Jones and see future greatness, while others see a player with holes in his swing who frustrates fans with moments of less-than-heads-up...

General manager Mike Rizzo used the word "disappointed" when describing the Nationals' efforts to obtain a top of the rotation starter during the winter. Although there is still a chance a starting pitcher could be brought on from the free agent market or by trade prior to spring training, manager Jim Riggleman still feels pretty good about the 2011 starting rotation with the guys that are available now and back healthy from an injury-plagued 2010. "I think our starting pitching will be...

I'm sure plenty of you are still recovering from the Ravens' loss yesterday. One friend of mine is inconsolable. She sent me a profanity-filled text message late in the fourth quarter because she couldn't curse at home in front of her kids. That's what I'm here for. I guess the countdown to spring training intensifies. There's one less distraction. Not long after the Orioles confirmed that they'd hired Buck Showalter as their third manager of 2010, I was asked whether free agents...

You get it. Tackling a few topics - an appropriate term for the weekend of football that is now here. But back to the topic at hand for this blog, here is a take or two on an O's topic or two. A tale of two players It has been pointed out before - many, many times - that some players don't seem to want to come to Baltimore through free agency. I can only conclude now that Adam LaRoche was one of those players. At his Nats press conference Friday he said Washington was "a place I wanted...