The Arizona Diamondbacks have reached agreement on a one-year deal with free-agent first baseman Adam LaRoche, according to this tweet from Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Does this make sense? LaRoche reportedly turned down a two-year, $17 million offer from the Giants to sign for one year with the Diamondbacks. Maybe he's banking on a big season so he can test the market again next winter. The Orioles weren't going to offer more than one year, which seemed to take them...

More than 60 current, former and future (hopefully) Orioles players and coaches will participate in FanFest on Jan. 23 at the Baltimore Convention Center. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with 10 a.m. entry for season-plan holders. Players expected to attend include MATT ALBERS, ROBERT ANDINO, GARRETT ATKINS, MICHAEL AUBREY, JOSH BELL, BRAD BERGESEN, JASON BERKEN, ALBERTO CASTILLO, BRANDON ERBE, MIKE GONZALEZ, JEREMY GUTHRIE, DAVID HERNANDEZ, RHYNE HUGHES, JIM JOHNSON, ADAM JONES, NICK...

It isn't much, but this will have to pass as news: The Orioles sent a representative to Puerto Rico this week to scout first baseman Carlos Delgado. I knew that was the plan, but I still wanted to get confirmation that they're monitoring Delgado, who's batting .280 with one homer and two RBIs in eight games and 25 at-bats with Gigantes de Carolina. He's walked four times and struck out four times. Delgado mostly has served as the designated hitter, but he's also played a little first...

It wouldn't be Friday without a shamless plug. I'll be joining Steve Melewski tonight for the Hot Stove Show that runs from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. on 105.7 The Fan and ESPN 1300. Outfielder Nolan Reimold will join us at the top of the hour, and hitting coach Terry Crowley will follow at 8:30 p.m. You can be sure that Reimold will provide an update on his Achilles and offer his opinion on playing first base, since that's been such a popular subject here. Crowley will head to Camden Yards next...

I've dug up a few nuggets that might get you through the night. • At this time, the Orioles don't plan on having a scout attend Ben Sheets' throwing session Tuesday in Louisiana. That could change, but it's not likely. Sheets didn't seem interested in signing here when the Orioles met with his agent last month at the winter meetings (which takes us back to their inability to secure his medical records). • Team officials have...

If you're wondering why the Orioles aren't concerned about a logjam in the outfield, I can give you two pretty good reasons. Nolan Reimold isn't certain that he'll be full-go when he reports to spring training next month. He still hasn't done any sprints since undergoing surgery on his left Achilles on Sept. 23. Felix Pie didn't play winter ball because his injured left quadriceps muscle has been slow to heal. Factor in the days that Adam Jones and Lou Montanez spent on the disabled...

I guess the frustration that's boiling over here hasn't reached Sarasota, because I'm told the lines are incredibly long to purchase tickets at Ed Smith Stadium. The locals say it's similar to the turnout after the Reds traded for Ken Griffey Jr. I wonder how it compares to the lines at the executive airport in Fort Lauderdale. I'm not sure why the Orioles would skip Ben Sheets' throwing session on Tuesday. Even if they're convinced that he won't sign here, I think it's still worth a...

Not many people are aware that Brooks Robinson has been dealing with a serious health issue. I'm thrilled to report that he was released from the hospital late yesterday and is doing fine. Robinson and his family wanted to keep the matter private, which I certainly understand and respect. I'm just thankful that he's home again. The following is a statement from No. 5, which I'm honored (and greatly relieved) to pass along to Oriole fans everywhere: "On December 28, 2009, I had abdominal...

Orioles hitting coach Terry Crowley, calling into Friday night's edition of the Hot Stove Show on 105.7 The Fan and ESPN 1300, heaped a lot of praise on the young talent on the roster, including right fielder Nick Markakis. "I feel like Nicky's due for an All-Star season," Crowley said. "Actually, for me, he had four All-Star seasons, but the general public has to recognize that one of these years and he'll be on an All-Star team. And Adam Jones in center - strong defensively. It's too...

You've seen the splits on Luke Scott. You know he was a viable candidate for first-half team MVP after batting .305 with 18 homers and 51 RBIs. You also know he fell apart in the second half, batting .208 with seven homers and 26 RBIs. He's always been a streaky hitter, but this is extreme. So what happened? "I think Luke put too much pressure on himself," hitting coach Terry Crowley said. "Luke is the guy who wants to hit .400, he wants to hit 50 home runs. Don't get me wrong, I...