The Orioles have designated reliever Dennis Sarfate for assignment, a move made to create room on the 40-man roster for third baseman Miguel Tejada, who signed a one-year, $6 million contract yesterday after passing his physical. The club is expected to make the announcement later today, but Sarfate's agent already has informed him of the move. Sarfate was 0-1 with a 5.09 ERA in 20 appearances last season. He spent almost four months on the disabled list with a circulatory condition in his...

The Orioles have invited six more players to spring training, including shortstop Blake Davis. Joining Davis will be catchers Luis Bernardo and Adam Donachie, infielder Miguel Abreu, outfielder Matt Angle and infielder/outfielder Jonathan Tucker. The Orioles also made Sarfate's removal from the 40-man roster official. Sarfate received the news from his agent earlier today that the Orioles had designated him for assignment. He let it sink in, took a deep breath and headed outdoors to throw...

How nice of Mark Hendrickson to announce last night at a sports banquet in Hanover, Pa. that he agreed to terms with the Orioles. Maybe I should have placed my last 12 calls to him over there. I was doing it all wrong. At least he saved me from making No. 13 later today. (I almost made No. 2 when I heard about this, if you know what I mean.) I've been predicting this move since, oh, around October. Three months later, it's happened. If you wait long enough, you'll eventually be...

Orioles manager Dave Trembley is glad to have left-hander Mark Hendrickson back in his bullpen. Trembley talked about Hendrickson's value as the 2009 season closed, and his opinion hasn't changed. This is a signing that he endorsed from the beginning - one that will become official later this week. "Glad to have Hendrickson," Trembley wrote in an e-mail. "He did well last year as a left-handed guy out of the bullpen. He can pitch in long relief or late in the game as a situational type....

Is it true that Kurt Warner will hold a press conference today to announce whether Brett Favre is retiring? Perhaps I misunderstood. The Orioles' news is slowing again, but not because president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail is letting the market play out. We're approaching spring training and the camp roster is pretty much set. We'll probably see a left-handed reliever signed to a minor league contract. Try to control your breathing. Erik Bedard reportedly is throwing, but that...

Orioles pitching coach Rick Kranitz, calling into last night's Hot Stove Show on 105.7 The Fan and ESPN 1300, reported that Koji Uehara is throwing in Japan and apparently in good health after going on the disabled list for the last time on June 24 and missing the rest of the season. "Everything I've heard is that he's throwing," Kranitz said. "Obviously, we have to put some eyes on him to really find out how he's doing, because we don't have anybody there to look at him. But knowing...

My ears are still ringing from the sound of Billy Butler's line drive smacking off Brad Bergesen's left shin. Imagine how it sounds to Bergesen. He'll be a full-go in spring training after a long and painful recovery, but I keep wondering how he'll react to the first ball that's hit up the middle. And the second and third. I don't know about Bergesen, but I'll be flinching. "I've seen it happen more when guys get hit above the shoulders, somewhere in that area, where it really...

The Orioles are trying to work out a trade for Dennis Sarfate, rather than risk losing him to a waiver claim, after designating him for assignment on Wednesday. Once the Orioles cleared room on the 40-man roster for Miguel Tejada, they had 10 days to trade Sarfate, release him or put him on waivers. Sarfate believes that several teams will be interested in him. A fastball that tops out in the upper 90s will get a guy noticed. Sarfate is out of options, a prime reason why the Orioles...

Many thanks to "Bumblebee" in Japan for passing along the YouTube video of Koji Uehara that ran last week. You'll need a translator, but it's proof that he's still alive (and playing catch). According to Bumblebee, Uehara tells his interviewer - a former player with the Yomiuri Giants - that he's planning to throw more cutters and changeups this season. As long as we're talking about the staff, pitching coach Rick Kranitz is a firm believer in letting young starters gain experience...

We should receive official word today that reliever Mark Hendrickson has re-signed, though he may choose to make the announcement at the next Oriole Advocates luncheon. Hendrickson apparently has passed his physical. The MLB offices were closed over the weekend, which explains the delay. Am I the only person around here who isn't getting all sentimental over Melvin Mora's departure? Mora spent 10 seasons in Baltimore, including the second half of 2000 after coming here in the Mike...