The results of Kevin Gregg's physical are back, and he passed. They're now hanging on Andy MacPhail's refrigerator. I made up the last part, but I needed a laugh. Gregg has signed his contract, a two-year deal for $10 million that includes a vesting option for 2013. He's expected to get first crack at the closers job in spring training after recording 121 saves over the last four seasons. Gregg's signing leaves the Orioles with 39 players on their 40-man roster. I interviewed former...

In case you haven't heard, Hall of Famer Frank Robinson was taken to Scottsdale Memorial Hospital this morning because of dizziness and an irregular heartbeat. I don't have any updates, but I wanted to alert you. Here's the MLB.com story. Robinson, 75, is a senior vice president of Major League operations. He's also one of the greatest players in baseball history and a cherished member of the Orioles family. You can't overstate what he meant to the franchise. He might not be the...

Now that the Nationals have Adam LaRoche in the fold and patrolling first base, the 2011 starting nine is taking shape. So without Adam Dunn in the cleanup spot, does that mean that Jayson Werth will instantly slide into that role? Manager Jim Riggleman says Werth can go there sometimes. So could Ryan Zimmerman or LaRoche, depending on pitching matchups. With left-handed hitters Nyjer Morgan, Roger Bernadina, Rick Ankiel, Corey Brown, LaRoche and switch-hitter Danny Epinosa, Riggleman has...

MASN will provide live coverage of the Washington Nationals news conference scheduled for Friday afternoon introducing first baseman Adam LaRoche to local media. The news conference is scheduled for Friday at 1:30 p.m. and will be televised live on MASN and hosted by Nats Xtra broadcaster Johnny Holliday. Last week, the Nationals signed LaRoche to a two year contract. A career .271 hitter, he's played for Arizona, Atlanta, Boston and Pittsburgh. LaRoche is one of just five big leaguers to...

Rick VandenHurk hasn't been obsessing over every pitcher that the Orioles add to their camp roster, though each move could impact his future in the organization. If it's me, I'm keeping a chart and pacing the floor. I might be up to two packs a day. VandenHurk is out of minor league options and would have to be exposed to waivers and outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk if he doesn't make the club in spring training. The Orioles want to add a veteran starter and one more reliever, but that...

The Orioles scored just 613 runs last season and that was next to last in the American League. Many fans are expecting that total to make a major jump after the additions of Derrek Lee, Mark Reynolds and J.J. Hardy. Plus, the O's hope to have Brian Roberts for a full season and perhaps see hitters like Nolan Reimold and Matt Wieters hit more like they did in 2009. If all that happens, the club could score a lot more runs in 2011. But in addition to being better hitters this coming season,...

Sorry to leave you hanging, but I won't be passing along quotes today from reliever Kevin Gregg. I hope that you didn't plan your entire day around it - like I did. I'm sure you're smarter. The Orioles are still waiting to receive the results from his physical. The weather might have played a factor in the delay. No reason to fret. We'll probably get the announcement tomorrow morning and it will be business as usual. Gregg agreed to a two-year, $10 million contract with a vesting...

One of the things that manager Buck Showalter likes about his roster is it includes players who have a chip on their shoulders. (As opposed to Sidney Ponson, who had potato chip crumbs on his chest. Not the same.) Showalter wants guys who find extra motivation in the idea that they have something to prove - and you can include Mark Reynolds, J.J. Hardy and Derrek Lee in that group. Does Jim Johnson belong in it? Johnson emerged as a dominant setup man in 2008, using his heavy sinker to post...

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...