What are the Orioles doing at DH?

What are the Orioles doing at DH?
Did the Yankees do anything at the Winter Meetings this year? I may have missed it. I wonder how their fans reacted to the lack of news. I also wonder if Rays fans are particularly excited about James Loney and Yunel Escobar. I'm proud to announce that I pulled off the best trade of the Winter Meetings. I swapped my 7 p.m. flight out of Nashville last night for a 3:35 p.m. flight, arriving at the airport at the exact same time as executive vice president Dan Duquette. Duquette will resume...
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Duquette recaps the Winter Meetings (video added and notes)

Duquette recaps the Winter Meetings (video added and notes)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Rule 5 draft is over and teams are checking out of the Gaylord Opryland Convention Center and Resort. Any trades or free agent signings will have to be done at home. It's never easy to say goodbye. Don't look back. Well, executive vice president Dan Duquette looked back at his four days here while meeting with reporters for the final time before boarding his flight. The Orioles reached agreement with left fielder Nate McLouth on a one-year contract and chose...
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Orioles select left-hander McFarland in Rule 5 draft (updated)

Orioles select left-hander McFarland in Rule 5 draft (updated)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - With the 23rd pick in the Rule 5 draft, the Orioles selected left-hander Timothy McFarland from the Indians' Triple-A roster. McFarland goes by "T.J." Make him feel welcome. The Indians chose McFarland in the fourth round of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft. He went 8-6 with 4.82 ERA in 17 starts with Columbus this year, and 8-2 with a 2.69 ERA in 10 starts at Double-A Akron. McFarland is 48-31 with a 3.83 ERA in five minor league seasons. He's made 107 starts among...
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Day 4: Still no power bat

Day 4: Still no power bat
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - I see a light at the end of the tunnel, and it's not the illuminated 500-foot Christmas tree in the middle of this monstrosity of a hotel. The Winter Meetings will officially end after the Rule 5 draft that begins at 9 a.m. Central time. There's never a buzz over these drafts. The only thing more boring is the minor league phase that follows. I expect the Orioles to make a selection, since they've indicated that they will be "active." I just don't know where they can...
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More from Duquette on McLouth, Swisher, Jackson and signings

More from Duquette on McLouth, Swisher, Jackson and signings
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette began tonight's media session by talking about the one-year contract that outfielder Nate McLouth agreed to this afternoon. "We've been looking to sign an outfielder for our club, and pending a physical, which is always very important to the Orioles, it looks like we're going to be able to agree to a deal with Nate McLouth," Duquette said. "He did a great job for us last year when we brought him up. He helped solidify the...
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Orioles out on Swisher, sign Conor Jackson to minor league deal

Orioles out on Swisher, sign Conor Jackson to minor league deal
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette passed along a few nuggets of news during his eight-minute session with the media in his suite at the Gaylord Opryland Convention Center and Resort. Duquette confirmed that he won't attempt to sign free-agent outfielder Nick Swisher, whose representatives met with the Orioles last night. Duquette said the Orioles have enough outfielders after re-signing Nate McLouth, and he dismissed the possibility that Swisher could play first...
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Add Jim Riggleman to list of potential Orioles third base coaches

Add Jim Riggleman to list of potential Orioles third base coaches
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Former Nationals manager Jim Riggleman is being considered for the Orioles' third base coaching job. The list compiled by manager Buck Showalter appears to contain as many as six names, including Rich Dauer and Don Wakamatsu. It's fluid, as Showalter likes to say. Steve Smith took himself out of the running by informing Showalter that he wanted to be freed up to watch his son play college baseball in San Diego. Riggleman just completed his first season as manager at...
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Orioles reach agreement with McLouth on one-year deal (minor league signing)

Orioles reach agreement with McLouth on one-year deal (minor league signing)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Orioles' first transaction of the Winter Meetings involves bringing back one of their players. The Orioles have reached agreement with outfielder Nate McLouth on a one-year deal worth $2 million, which will become official once he passes a physical. He also could earn another $500,000 for 500 plate appearances, according to an industry source. The club doesn't discuss the monetary side of an agreement. Retaining McLouth was a top priority for the Orioles after he...
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Twins have contacted the Orioles about Morneau

Twins have contacted the Orioles about Morneau
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Minnesota Twins are devoting part of these Winter Meetings to gauging outside interest in first baseman Justin Morneau, and the Orioles are counted among the teams they've contacted, according to an industry source. The Twins would want - wait for it - young pitching in return for Morneau, who will make $14 million in 2013, the final year of his contract. It's possible that the Twins are just testing the waters rather than actively shopping Morneau. General manager...
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Day 3: Why Nick Swisher does and doesn't make sense

Day 3: Why Nick Swisher does and doesn't make sense
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - This is the third and last full day of the Winter Meetings. I don't count Thursday because executives, scouts, agents and media roll out after the Rule 5 draft, which is held in the morning. I stick around until late afternoon before racing to the airport and trying to remember where I parked my car. Though the direction of negotiations can shift in a hurry, I'm still not expecting the Orioles to make a trade before returning home. They really seemed to be focused...
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Dauer accepts job as manager at Double-A San Antonio

Dauer accepts job as manager at Double-A San Antonio
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - While the Orioles decide on their next third base coach, one of their early candidates, Rich Dauer, has taken a job as manager with Double-A San Antonio. Dauer never heard from the Orioles and yesterday accepted an offer from San Antonio, a San Diego Padres affiliate. "We've been talking for a couple of weeks," said Dauer, who was dismissed as Rockies third base coach after the season. "Nothing seems to get done real quick. Everybody's taking their time and I was...
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Orioles meet with reps for Saunders and McLouth (updated)

Orioles meet with reps for Saunders and McLouth (updated)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - It appears that the Orioles are having their busiest day of the Winter Meetings today, though they are waiting to make their first trade or sign a free agent. Executive vice president Dan Duquette had met with about five teams and six agents by the time he sat down with reporters in his suite around 5:30 p.m. Central time. The agents included representatives for left-hander Joe Saunders and outfielder Nate McLouth, who ended the 2012 season with the Orioles. "We've had...
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More from Showalter at today's Winter Meetings

More from Showalter at today's Winter Meetings
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter isn't antsy about the club's failure to make a trade at the Winter Meetings. As he said, it's "just the opposite." "We value our players," he said. "If someone doesn't value them the way we do, then we keep them. I'm the field manager, and I'm about not just the 40-man roster, but everybody. I've talked to four or five of our players since we've been here, just checking in on them, and I'm trying to stay focused on that. I like...
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Quick hits from Showalter

Quick hits from Showalter
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Orioles manager Buck Showalter just spent 30 minutes addressing the media in the workroom here at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. Here are a few of the highlights. I'll post quotes later in the afternoon. * Showalter said he isn't antsy that the Orioles haven't made a trade and he wouldn't want them to if other executives don't place the same value on his players. * Reliever Pedro Strop will pitch for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball...
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Ferreira's pick for next Orioles international signing to reach the majors

Ferreira's pick for next Orioles international signing to reach the majors
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Fred Ferreira, the Orioles' executive director of international recruiting, has signed 61 players who reached the majors. Pitcher Miguel Gonzalez was the latest. Who will be the 62nd? "Probably (Henry) Urrutia," he said earlier today, referencing the Cuban outfielder who signed with the Orioles in July. Urrutia remains in Haiti, awaiting a visa that will allow him to join a team in the Dominican Winter League. The Orioles eventually would move him to Sarasota. The...
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A few notes from Nashville

A few notes from Nashville
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Early rumors from Day 2 of the Winter Meetings include the Orioles having interest in Nationals first baseman Michael Morse and Mets knuckleballer R.A. Dickey. The Morse report from FOXSports.com is absolutely correct. However, as I've stated, the interest is lukewarm at the moment. Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo told reporters yesterday that he hasn't been contacted by the Orioles. Industry types figure that the Orioles will become more aggressive if Adam LaRoche...
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Day 2: What's going on with the bullpen?

Day 2: What's going on with the bullpen?
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - I spent the 2011 Winter Meetings stating on a daily basis that the Orioles were going to make a trade. You could count on it. All the signs pointed in that direction. It finally happened with left-hander Dana Eveland, who was acquired from the Dodgers for two minor leaguers. I didn't suggest that it would be a blockbuster. I just said "trade." Well, I'm no longer convinced that the Orioles will pull off a trade here at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention...
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The latest from Dan Duquette

The latest from Dan Duquette
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette spent part of today attending a luncheon honoring Fred Ferreira, the club's executive director of international recruiting who was named "International Scout of the Year" by Major League Baseball. He also met, by his estimation, with four executives from other teams and three or four agents. None of the agents represented Orioles who declared for free agency, which includes outfielder Nate McLouth and left-hander Joe...
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Morse and LaRoche updates, and your annual Gavin Floyd rumor (updated)

Morse and LaRoche updates, and your annual Gavin Floyd rumor (updated)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette will meet with reporters in about 90 minutes. In the meantime, here's the latest from the lobby. Believe as much or as little as you choose. I'm told that the Orioles have "lukewarm" interest in Nationals first baseman Michael Morse, who could be available in a trade. They're monitoring the D.C. situation. Nats general manager Mike Rizzo told MASNsports.com that he hasn't been contacted by the Orioles during the meetings...
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Latest LaRoche rumor and information on charity auction benefiting SU2C

Latest LaRoche rumor and information on charity auction benefiting SU2C
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - An executive of a team that's interested in Adam LaRoche told ESPN's Jayson Stark that the Orioles are going "hard" after the free agent first baseman. The Orioles made LaRoche an offer two winters ago for two years and a vesting option. He turned them down. Now he's 33 and still looking for three guaranteed years for a reported $36 million. Former Orioles executive Andy MacPhail's offer came in around $22 million. LaRoche's timing is pretty good, since he just won...
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