Orioles on right path but with many more steps to take

Another day in the Hot Stove League brought more rumors, conflicting reports and a reheated leftover on the Orioles' interest in free agent outfielder Denard Span.

The Orioles have been eyeing Span for months. They just need assurances that he's healthy and durable enough to last through the 2016 season.

If I have to recite their shopping list one more time, I may experience a total meltdown.

A corner outfielder and a starting pitcher. Those are the main priorities. The Orioles desperately need a left-handed bat, but it could come in the form of an outfielder or a designated hitter.

The Orioles apparently are serious about Korean outfielder Hyun-soo Kim, but I'd hope that he wouldn't constitute their big signing of the winter. Give me a hitter with a track record in the majors. Kim could be a piece - a guy with a good eye at the plate and a career .406 on-base percentage in 10 seasons in the Korean Baseball Organization - but he's not in the same class as Justin Upton, Alex Gordon, etc.

Losing Chris Davis intensifies the need to make a splash. Dive into the deep end of the pool. Don't stomp on a puddle.

Kim wouldn't take up much of the payroll, leaving plenty of room for impact signings or trade acquisitions. That's another check in his favor.

As for Davis, the $150 million offer remains off the table, but it isn't buried in a landfill. The Orioles still believe there's a chance to re-sign him, but they also stress that each passing minute puts Davis more at risk of having to change teams. They're not going to spend a significant amount on another free agent and suddenly find $150 million more for Davis.

The seat cushions don't hold that much.

"It's nice to know if all the rumors and everything are true, what they offered Davis, it's nice to know that they're willing to go out there and spend that much money to stay competitive," shortstop J.J. Hardy said at FanFest. "Hopefully, he accepts and we get him back, but everything else is awesome. (Mark) Trumbo's a good player and getting (Darren) O'Day back, that's also a good move.

"It's a lot of money. I didn't think that we'd go out and offer that, so it's nice to see that they're trying."

Infielder Ryan Flaherty has been tracking the offseason via social media and keeping tabs on the returning free agents.

"They got two of the three back," he said. "I don't know the whole speculation with CD. Just follow it through you guys in the media. But obviously it would be awesome to get him back and we'll see how it plays out."

Asked whether he senses that the team is sending a message to fans, Flaherty replied, "For sure."

"At the end of the year, I don't think anyone really thought from the fan base that they'd be able to get (Matt) Wieters back or get O'Day back. They got those two back and here they are making a push for CD, so they're in it to win it."

Check back with me on their chances of winning as we get closer to spring training. There's still lots of work to do and they know it.

Just doing a little reheating of my own.