I just had a quick phone conversation with executive vice president Dan Duquette before I'm needed in studio for "The Mid-Atlantic Sports Report" on MASN. This is frantic multi-tasking.
Duquette continued to meet with clubs and agents today, and he'll remain busy through the night. He's hoping to sign a few free agents by early next week "to fill out our bench."
Asked specifically about the type of reserves he's targeting, Duquette said, "Infield help and backup catcher."
The GM...
Orioles executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette - man, we really need to shorten that title - confirmed this morning that he met last night with agent Fernando Cuza.
When I brought up David Ortiz's name and the assumption that the veteran designated hitter was the focus of that meeting, Duquette paused before replying, "He represents Vladimir Guerrero, too, by the way."
Duquette said the Orioles need to decide "what we're doing with him." That also could mean...
In case you thought executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette has spent the entire day comparing cartoon birds and making sure the script on the road jerseys is no longer tapered, he's been sitting down with agents and rival executives at the GM meetings in Milwaukee.
And according to one report, he's got an appointment tonight with agent Fern Cuza.
The Boston Globe's Pete Abraham tweeted that Duquette is meeting with Cuza, who represents free agent David Ortiz. Abraham...
With the Winter Meetings fast approaching, the Orioles must set their 40-man roster by Friday while determining which players to leave exposed in the Rule 5 draft.
The roster currently holds 38 players. I'll publish the list at the bottom of this entry.
Keep in mind that once the Orioles finalize the roster, they can't add other players from within the organization before the Rule 5 draft on Dec. 8. They can, however, add players obtained from other organizations, which would necessitate...
You've heard about it. Now you can hear more.
The Orioles are unveiling their new caps and jerseys today. The cartoon bird is back. Let us rejoice.
This is an updated version that takes elements from the 1970 and 1983 models. As I told you yesterday, it more closely resembles the Brooks Robinson bird, not the Todd Cruz one, in terms of overall shape. And this is the first time that the bird is wearing a cap with O's on the front.
Here's what you didn't know until today (and what I was...
I stopped by the warehouse today to check out the Orioles' new caps and jerseys. I think most of you will be pleased with the changes.
The club requested that no further details be published until 9:30 a.m. tomorrow, so I'm following the embargo.
You already know that the Orioles have gone back to the cartoon bird on the caps - taking elements from the 1970 and 1983 models - and that the angle of the Baltimore script on the road jerseys no longer tapers at the end.
I can tell you that the...
Mike Bordick has made it clear to Orioles manager Buck Showalter that he'd accept an offer to join the coaching staff. He's also met with Dan Duquette, the new executive vice president of baseball operations.
We should find out later this week whether it leads to a change in roles for Bordick, the former Orioles shortstop who currently serves as their coordinator of offensive fundamentals.
Bordick is a candidate to be named first base or bullpen coach. He wouldn't replace Willie Randolph...
I have a hot date later today - with my couch to watch football. I may shower first, but it's a game-time decision.
The GM meetings take place later this week in Milwaukee. They're sort of an appetizer for the Winter Meetings. Executives talk trades, gauge the parameters and agree to resume discussions the following month - this time in Dallas.
I wonder if Mark Reynolds' name will come up.
I've heard that at least one executive who interviewed for the president of baseball operations job...
I told you yesterday that Triple-A Norfolk pitching coach Mike Griffin isn't currently regarded as a candidate to become the Orioles' bullpen coach.
Griffin is one of the more highly valued members of the organization, but in this case, it keeps working against him. The Orioles don't want to create a huge void by removing him from his post in order to fill another vacancy.
They passed him up last year while parading coaches through the bullpen for that exact same reason.
Guys like Mike...
The Orioles are hoping to announce their coaching staff next week. That's the goal. It's not going to happen over the weekend, so don't plan your days and nights around it.
They're still open to the possibility of moving Wayne Kirby to third base and hiring a new first base coach.
According to one member of the organization, the ideal staff would include a Latin American coach at third base who also could work with the infielders - that's a prime reason why the Orioles wanted Juan...
Manager Buck Showalter confirmed Tuesday that he only has two coaching vacancies to fill. John Russell signed a new contract, allowing him to join holdovers Rick Adair, Jim Presley and Wayne Kirby.
Russell will remain on the bench. Kirby, however, isn't sure where he'll coach.
Kirby served as first base coach last season, but it's still possible that he moves across the diamond to replace Willie Randolph.
"It doesn't matter to me," Kirby said last night. "I told Buck, 'Whatever you...
This transaction won't rock the baseball world, but the Orioles have started the process of signing six-year minor league free agents.
Their first signee is outfielder Scott Beerer, 29, formerly a second-round pick of the Colorado Rockies in 2003 out of Texas A&M.
Beerer was selected as a pitcher, but the Rockies converted him to the outfield in 2008. According to this story, he moved to southern California after briefly retiring and began working on his swing with former Oriole Brady...
While wondering why Hollywood never gave us "Kansas City Bomber II"...
The Orioles' 40-man roster still includes only one catcher, All-Star and Gold Glove winner Matt Wieters. He'll need a backup next season, unless the club is relying on him to play every inning of every game.
Triple-A catcher John Hester could compete for the job in spring training, assuming he receives an invite. He played in 53 major league games in two seasons with the Diamondbacks, most recently in 2010.
As for...
Former Orioles pitcher Mike Boddicker has been diagnosed with cancer, but he's expected to make a full recovery.
Doctors determined that the cancer was confined to Boddicker's tonsils, which he had removed about three weeks ago. As a precaution, he'll undergo radiation treatments on the tissue around the area.
Boddicker spent parts of nine seasons with the Orioles, earning a World Series ring in 1983 and winning 20 games the following season. He placed third in the American League Rookie...
Now that Dan Duquette has joined the Orioles' front office as executive vice president of baseball operations, he needs to decide how many changes will accompany his arrival.
It's pretty clear that Duquette values the information coming from director of baseball operations Matt Klentak. Duquette made reference yesterday to some of the impressive young executives in the front office, and Klentak will join him in Milwaukee next week for the GM meetings.
"Matt is a bright kid," Duquette...
Pitcher Chris Jakubauskas has signed a minor league deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Jakubauskas broke the news on his Twitter account earlier today.
"Have new home for 2012. Heading back west to the Valley of the Sun. Looking forward to meeting new teammates and improving on 2011."
Jakubauskas also tweeted: "I want to also thank The Orioles and the city of B-More. I enjoyed my time there and wish them great success in the years to come."
The Orioles outrighted Jakubauskas after the...
If you haven't gotten your fill of Dan Duquette today, here are more quotes from today's press conference.
On competing in the American League East: "That's the challenge of the job. The way we're going to be competitive is we're going bring in some players and build from the ground up."
"It can be done. I learned in a small market, I applied my skills in a small market to put together a top quality team and also worked from a major market perspective. In some respects, if you just...
Orioles manager Buck Showalter confirmed today that the Orioles signed a six-year minor league free agent yesterday, so the Dan Duquette era already has started.
That didn't take long.
Showalter also is meeting later today with a candidate for his coaching staff, and could set up other meetings after flying home to Dallas.
Here are some quotes from Showalter regarding Duquette:
"It's very obvious when he came in that he was very up to speed on the Orioles, and it was fun to watch him...
Dan Duquette wore an orange tie that manager Buck Showalter handed him shortly before today's press conference. He further tried to stamp out the perception that he's an outsider by relaying a story about how as a kid he'd pretend to be Brooks Robinson while playing Wiffle Ball with his brother in a lot behind his backyard. The teams would be divided between the '66 Orioles and '67 Red Sox. One of his childhood friends would play first base like Boog Powell.
His father once told him that...
I'm wondering whether the Twins will take a similar beating to the one delivered to the Orioles after they waited until yesterday to fire general manager Bill Smith.
At least the Twins acted quickly in naming a replacement, former GM Terry Ryan, but what's up with the timing of the change?
I told you on Friday that the Twins denied the Orioles permission to interview vice president of player personnel Mike Radcliff because of "internal reorganization and promotions that could be in the...
