Pitcher Jeremy Guthrie might be the Orioles' biggest bargaining chip this winter. Adam Jones rivals him in that category, but executive vice president Dan Duquette seems intent on holding onto the center fielder and perhaps opening dialogue on a contract extension after the holidays.
The Orioles want to acquire a starting pitcher, and they figure that a trade is the best method. But does it make sense to trade a pitcher - especially one who eats up the most innings - for another pitcher?
I...
I wonder whether the Orioles will announce Lee Thomas' hiring as assistant general manager, or whatever title they'll give him, or make us wait until everyone is in place, including scouts and the minor league managers and coaches.
My assumption is they'll announce Thomas sooner, since they already confirmed Gary Rajsich as director of amateur scouting.
Executive vice president Dan Duquette declined comment on Thomas during yesterday's teleconference.
Thomas was the Phillies' general...
Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette had a busy day today.
He completed a trade with the Texas Rangers for backup catcher Taylor Teagarden. He reportedly hired former Philadelphia Phillies general manager Lee Thomas as his assistant. And he interviewed a batch of candidates for the minor league pitching coordinator position that Alan Dunn vacated in June.
One of the candidates is former Athletics, Mets and Brewers pitching coach Rick Peterson, who met with Duquette at the...
Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette declined comment on reports that he's hired former Phillies general manager Lee Thomas as a special assistant, but he had plenty to say about new catcher Taylor Teagarden.
"Taylor will be 28 at the end of December and he's an established and accomplished major league catcher," Duquette said during a conference call with reporters. "He has an excellent ability to handle a pitching staff. Pitchers like throwing to him, and he's very good at...
I'll start with the front office. According to multiple reports. the Orioles have hired former Phillies general manager Lee Thomas as an assistant to executive vice president Dan Duquette.
I'll get confirmation at 5 p.m., when Duquette and new catcher Taylor Teagarden will be made available to reporters on a conference call.
As for FanFest, the Orioles have scheduled the annual event for Jan. 21 at the Baltimore Convention Center. It will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with early entry for...
The Orioles have designated left-handed reliever Pedro Viola for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for new catcher Taylor Teagarden.
The Orioles made the trade official by sending out a press release a few minutes ago. The Rangers acquired minor league pitcher Randy Henry and a player to be named in exchange for Teagarden.
Teagarden, who turns 28 on Dec. 21, has appeared in 118 games for the Texas Rangers over the last four seasons, batting .220 (77-for-350) with 16 home runs and...
I just returned home from today's video chat with Steve Melewski at the MASNsports.com Web studio, and I wanted to pass along a quick update on the Orioles' catching situation.
The Orioles are on the verge of trading for a backup, and it appears to be Taylor Teagarden, a former third-round pick of the Texas Rangers who's a career .220 hitter in parts of four major league seasons.
Manager Buck Showalter has ties to Teagarden, who turns 28 later this month, from their days together in...
The Winter Meetings begin Monday in Dallas, and the common perception among reporters is that Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette is more likely to swing a trade or two than sign a free agent.
"Well, I hope we do both," Duquette said yesterday. "I hope we can make some trades to help our team, and then also sign some free agent players to help our team. Hopefully, we can do both next week."
Duquette indicated during his introductory press conference that the Orioles wouldn't...
Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette confirmed today that the Orioles are interested in Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes and will watch him work out in the Dominican Republic.
A date hasn't been set for the workout, but it's on the club's agenda.
Cespedes worked out yesterday for Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo and international scouting director Johnny DiPuglia. Several other teams have watched him, including the Yankees and Marlins.
Cespedes is a 26-year-old right-handed...
I told you earlier this month that the Orioles signed six-year minor league free agent Scott Beerer, 29, a former second-round pick of the Colorado Rockies, and how Brady Anderson helped him make the transition from pitcher to outfielder.
Now here's more of the story.
Anderson initially had doubts that Beerer could succeed as a position player until watching him launch baseballs off a tee during their first workout together.
That's when Anderson, the former Orioles outfielder, changed his...
The wait is over. No more piecing together the Orioles' spring training schedule. The club released it today.
The Orioles will face 10 different opponents at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota, including the Boston Red Sox three times and the Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Rays twice each. The Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays and Washington Nationals will each make one visit.
The Orioles will play 15 games on the road,...
The Orioles have expressed interest in Venezuelan left-hander Renyel Pinto, 29, a free agent who spent parts of five seasons with the Florida Marlins.
David Stockstill, the Orioles' director of international operations, scouted Pinto over the past week in the Venezuela Winter League and recently met with him. I'm told that a deal isn't done, but it's a possibility.
In his first seven starts for Caribes, Pinto was 5-0 with a 1.42 ERA, 28 hits allowed, 16 walks and 42 strikeouts in 43 2/3...
I wrote this morning that former Brewers pitcher Bill Castro had emerged as a leading candidate to become bullpen coach, and nothing has changed. He's still the top choice at the moment, but I'm told that a final decision hasn't been made.
Castro twice served as bullpen and pitching coach with the Brewers before being fired on Aug. 12, 2009. He was the pitching coach for the Dominican Republic's entry in the inaugural World Baseball Classic. He would give manager Buck Showalter a desired...
Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette confirmed today that director of professional scouting Lee MacPhail IV will be reassigned within the organization.
MacPhail will be given a major league scouting position, according to Duquette, who passed along the news to reporters during a conference call to introduce Gary Rajsich as the new director of scouting.
MacPhail's duties included overseeing professional scouting, advance scouting and major league video coaching. He also went on the...
The Orioles just confirmed in a press release that Gary Rajsich has been hired as director of amateur scouting.
"We have added a very good, veteran baseball man with this hire," executive vice president Dan Duquette said in a statement. "Gary is an excellent judge of talent at all levels."
Rajsich's name is pronounced "Ray-sitch."
Here's more from the press release:
Rajsich, 57, began his scouting career with the Boston Red Sox, serving in both the amateur and professional...
The Orioles are expected to reveal their coaching staff within the next few days, and it seems more likely that they go outside the organization to fill at least one opening.
Having talked to a few people this morning, it appears that Mike Bordick will probably remain in his role as coordinator of offensive fundamentals instead of being hired as a base coach. He would join the team during home games as a seventh coach who wouldn't be in uniform after batting practice.
Bordick doesn't have...
Within the next few days, it should become official that Gary Rajsich has emerged from a pool of five finalists to replace Joe Jordan as the Orioles' new director of scouting.
So who is Gary Rajsich?
Rajsich is 57, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, and a graduate of Arizona State University. He's been working as the Blue Jays professional scouting crosschecker after joining their organization in 2009 and previously served as a scout for the Red Sox while Dan Duquette was in their front office....
According to two industry sources, the Orioles are prepared to hire Toronto Blue Jays professional scouting crosschecker Gary Rajsich as their new scouting director. An announcement is expected this week.
Rajsich would replace Joe Jordan, who left the organization to take a job as the Philadelphia Phillies' farm director.
Executive vice president Dan Duquette confirmed that Rajsich is one of five finalists, and an announcement should be made before the Winter Meetings that begin Dec. 5 in...
It's been a quiet weekend, as least as far as news leaking to the media. No other executives left the organization. No free agents came to Baltimore to sign a contract. No one on the international market flew here to take a physical exam.
The coaching staff still has two vacancies. The scouting director and director of baseball operations need to be replaced.
Maybe the Orioles are waiting to send out one long press release. I just know that it won't arrive today.
We were scrambling...
Let's just say for a moment that the Orioles don't trade Jeremy Guthrie. Let's say they acquire a veteran starter at the Winter Meetings. And let's also say they change Jim Johnson's role again and move him into the rotation.
I'm counting three starters, though my math is sketchy.
Jake Arrieta and Zach Britton figure to be penciled into the rotation. It would take a total collapse in spring training for them to be optioned before opening day.
Now I'm counting five, which completes the...
