The much-anticipated, overly tweeted, three-way deal that would shift Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee to new teams appears to be a reality. Once the medical records are reviewed and physicals are taken, we should get the official announcement. You may celebrate Halladay's departure from the American League. He was a royal pain to the Orioles, going 20-4 with a 2.89 ERA in his career. Let the NL East worry about him now that he's heading to the Phillies. Cliff Lee, also a free agent after the...

The Orioles have expressed interest in free-agent closer Matt Capps, who was non-tendered by the Pirates over the weekend. Agent Paul Kinzer expects to talk to president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail later today or tomorrow. The amount of interest hasn't been determined. Maybe they're just kicking the tires. Or perhaps Capps will be given serious consideration. It's difficult to know at this early stage of negotiations. Kinzer estimated that "nine or 10" teams have contacted...

Orioles outfielder/designated hitter Luke Scott - or maybe it should be the other way around, and I don't mean Scott Luke - labeled the Kevin Millwood acquisition at the Winter Meetings as being a "great trade, if you ask me." I did. Scott also posed his own question. Then he answered it. "Does it fix our problems? No." He's a virtual one-man interview. "We need more than just one starter," he said. "We need a dominant No. 1 if we want to compete in the AL East." He also...

The Orioles will be announcing a new field coach at Triple-A Norfolk. Dallas Williams isn't returning in 2010. Luke Scott was tendered a contract yesterday, as expected, and he'll likely reach an agreement with the Orioles in January. That's how it played out last winter. He's not guaranteed a roster spot, however. Scott knows he's a trade chip for the Orioles, though president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail isn't concerned about a logjam in the outfield. During the Winter...

Since the Orioles don't appear to be in any hurry to sign a closer, we can debate the merits of another one that hit the market yesterday, right-hander Matt Capps, who was non-tendered by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Capps has accumulated 66 saves over the past three seasons on bad teams. His ERA was 2.08 and 3.02 in the two previous seasons before jumping to 5.80 in 2009. He also served up 10 home runs, matching his combined totals in '07 and '08, and he allowed 73 hits in 54 1/3...

The Orioles have tendered contracts to their last two arbitration-eligible players, pitcher Jeremy Guthrie and outfielder/designated hitter Luke Scott. Guthrie and Scott can agree to terms or counter with their own proposals. If the two sides can't get a deal done, they'll go to arbitration later this winter. Neither negotiation figures to reach that point. The Orioles have non-tendered reliever Brian Bass, making him a free agent. Bass went 5-3 with a 4.90 ERA in 48 games. "It didn't...

President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail just confirmed that relievers Matt Albers and Cla Meredith have agreed to terms, leaving Jeremy Guthrie and Luke Scott as the only arbitration-eligible Orioles without contract offers before the midnight deadline. Shouldn't be much drama there. MacPhail could still choose to non-tender a few players who aren't eligible for arbitration. There's been some speculation in the past about Brian Bass and Dennis Sarfate. We'll know for sure later...

MLB.com is reporting that the Colorado Rockies thinned their roster (see what I did there?) by non-tendering third baseman Garrett Atkins, a move that had been anticipated for months Atkins, who made $7.05 million this season, was offered a multi-year deal two years ago. He should have taken it. Now he's a free agent and anyone can sign him. The Orioles have some interest and didn't engage in serious trade talks with the Rockies because they anticipated that he would hit the open...

Before we move on from the winter meetings, let's take a look back. Try not to get misty. DECEMBER 7 Atlanta Braves - Designated OF Ryan Church for assignment. Colorado Rockies - Released OF Matt Murton. Detroit Tigers - Acquired a player to be named later for LHP Clay Rapada. Milwaukee Brewers - Signed C Gregg Zaun to a one-year contract. Claimed INF Luis Cruz off waivers from the Pirates. Minnesota Twins - Designated RHP Boof Bonser for assignment. New York Yankees - Acquired a player to be...

President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail told reporters before leaving Indianapolis that he'd still like to add another pitcher despite the trade for Kevin Millwood. The Orioles, he reminded us, are in the pitching business. A recently published report includes the Orioles among the teams interested in veteran right-hander Jason Marquis, but they're more likely to sign a pitcher who's coming off injury to an incentive-ladened deal. Marquis' agents are Sam and Seth Levinson, who...