I'll open the morning with a quick thought on Japanese pitcher Hisanori Takahashi: A few readers here are disturbed that the Orioles would bother pursuing Takahashi, but team officials aren't doing it with the same intensity that marked their negotiations with Koji Uehara and Kenshin Kawakami. They're obviously intrigued by him. He's a lefty with an assortment of pitches, including a screwball. He has experience as a starter and reliever. And he's friends with Uehara, which might make...

Looking at the list of spring training invitees, I have to wonder what happened to infielder Blake Davis. Davis made a solid impression last spring before fracturing a bone in his foot and undergoing surgery that limited him to 55 games with Triple-A Norfolk. The Orioles regard him as being ready defensively at shortstop. They just wonder how much he'll hit. I know the minor league camp in Sarasota is close to the major league facility, so the Orioles don't need to fill their roster with...

It's time once again to tackle the questions that keep popping back up after I've launched myself into them and been flagged for a helmet-to-helmet hit. You know the routine. I answer them, you ask me again, I answer them, you ask me again. It's the School of Roch dance. Dim the lights and let me lead. • Do you think the Orioles have any interest in Ben Sheets? Nope. That's mostly because he doesn't have any interest in them. It's like telling everyone you...

I have the unfortunate task of passing along some sad news. The Orioles lost another member of their family when former outfielder Curt Motton died last night at age 69. Only a year ago, Motton appeared to be in good health. Friends were shocked when he was diagnosed with stomach cancer, and his courageous battle ended last night. Motton played eight seasons in the majors, seven of them with the Orioles. He was a part of the 1969, '70 and '71 World Series teams. Motton also served as a...

The Hot Stove Show returns to 105.7 The Fan and ESPN 1300 tonight at 8 p.m., with Jim Hunter sitting across from your favorite blogger. I'm referring to myself, in case there was any confusion. President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail is scheduled to call into the program at the top of the hour. Left-hander Brian Matusz will join us at 8:30 p.m. Once I learned that MacPhail had been confirmed, I wondered if he was going to make a grand announcement. Maybe break a little news for us....

The Orioles won't be introducing a new acquisition at tomorrow's FanFest. President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail pointed out during the Hot Stove Show on 105.7 The Fan that a player would have to pass a physical first, and since the club hasn't reached agreement with a free agent, "the likelihood of somebody being announced and then popping out from behind a curtain is about zero at this stage." Makes sense. MacPhail sounded encouraged that he'll find another player within the...

The Orioles retain interest in left-hander Erik Bedard after going over his medical records, but they don't sense that he's on the verge of signing with anyone. "We have had conversations, we have reviewed the medical stuff," president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said earlier tonight. "We remember Erik the way he pitched for us, which was just positively dominating over the course of the 2007 season. We have confidence in the human being and his competitive nature. "They've...

That was quite the long line wrapping around the Baltimore Convention Center this morning as I arrived here at 9:30 a.m. Hello right back to everyone who shouted out my name. And please, no "Mr. Kubatko." Call me "Roch." Season-ticket holders were allowed early entrance for the Andy MacPhail/Dave Trembley forum, which began with a moment of silence for Curt Motton. MacPhail indicated again that the Orioles should sign a player within the next week. Then he mentioned the likelihood of...

President of baseball operations dropped a heavier hint that the club will sign a third baseman next week. "We made significant progress recently," he said. MacPhail said "nothing is finalized," but he's confident a deal will get done within the next few days. Asked if it's a third baseman, he paused before replying that it's "fair speculation." Garrett Atkins has been swinging a bat for the past month. He's eager to start working with hitting coach Terry Crowley. "He's...

I spent the last hour posing for photos at the MASN booth as fans passed by with updates on Miguel Tejada. The Orioles do their best business when I'm away from my laptop. They reached agreements with Mike Gonzalez and Garrett Atkins while I attended the MASN holiday party, and they've apparently done the same with Tejada. The Sun's Jeff Zrebiec has confirmed it. President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail did everything except hold up a poster of Tejada during his forum, and later...