Before heading to the gym and, later, the Maryland-Florida State football game...
It's become a yearly tradition that the Orioles consider pursuing free-agent pitcher Jon Garland. I think we're up to three straight where his name comes up and talks are held at the winter meetings.
Garland priced himself out of Baltimore two winters ago. He went 14-12 with a 3.47 ERA for San Diego this season and has logged 200 innings or more in six years. He also has totaled 196 2/3, 192 2/3 and 191 2/3 in...
There's a good chance that the Orioles will finalize their coaching staff by Monday or Tuesday.
The club has four of the coaches under contract: Jim Presley, Mark Connor, Wayne Kirby and Rick Adair. John Russell is close. It's just a matter of completing some paperwork.
It still hasn't been determined whether Russell will serve as bench coach or third base coach. Again, it depends on the last hire.
I'm told that the Orioles are waiting on unspecified "deadlines" that the candidates...
I'm typing this entry over the sound of my dishwasher, which seems to run for hours on the normal cycle. I can't imagine how long it would go on "heavy wash." I'm thinking days.
The Orioles aren't likely to bid on Japanese infielder Tsuyoshi Nishioka, despite reports coming out of Japan.
Don't believe everything you read - and that includes the translated stuff.
Again, the Orioles aren't completely sold on Nishioka and don't think the cost will be worth it. At this time, there are...
Did I really take Miami - 1 ½ with Tyler Thigpen at quarterback?
There must be a gas leak in my house. That could explain the chirping smoke detectors.
I was hoping to clean out my notebook this morning, but there isn't much left that we haven't already discussed.
I was told late Monday night that the coaching situation could be resolved by the end of this week. Well, today's Friday. The weekend is bearing down on us.
I'm ready for the announcement. I'm wearing my...
Reliever Armando Gabino and first baseman Rhyne Hughes cleared waivers and were outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk.
Gabino appeared in five games for the Orioles, allowing seven earned runs in 4 2/3 innings. He went 7-0 with a 2.37 ERA and two saves at Norfolk.
Hughes hit .213 with four RBIs in 14 games with the Orioles, and .258 with 10 homers and 39 RBIs in 104 games with the Tides.
The Orioles have 32 players on their 40-man roster as they attempt to make room for players who must be...
At this hour, the Orioles still don't have a signed contract from John Russell, who would serve as bench coach or third base coach, but they don't anticipate any snags that would still leave two vacancies. This one should get done.
Willie Randolph and Bobby Dickerson remain two of the strongest candidates to fill the final spot. The last I heard, Randolph was regarded as the favorite.
President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail is flying back to Baltimore today after attending the GM...
These mornings roll around much too fast in my household. The Thanksgiving holiday can't come soon enough. School's are closed for the entire week. I shall rejoice.
Reports keep surfacing that the Orioles are actively pursuing Rockies left-hander Jorge de la Rosa. Troy Renck uses the word "aggressive" in his tweet.
I'm aggressively trying to avoid using the word "tweet," but it's unavoidable.
As so often happens, I'm left to ponder how De la Rosa would fit on this club. Is he the...
Ron Gardenhire has been named the American League's Manager of the Year, finishing ahead of Ron Washington by 27 points.
Buck Showalter didn't receive a single vote. He was a little late jumping into the pool.
Here are the results:
Ron Gardenhire, Minnesota Twins 108
Ron Washington, Texas Rangers 81
Joe Maddon, Tampa Bay Rays 44
Terry Francona, Boston Red Sox 13
Cito Gaston, Toronto Blue Jays 5
Joe Girardi, New York Yankees 1
Bud Black edged Dusty Baker by one point...
If you play Japanese Fantasy Baseball, former Orioles pitcher Hayden Penn remains eligible for your draft. He re-signed with the Chiba Lotte Marines.
Penn was victimized by more bizarre physical setbacks than any player I've covered. Three immediately come to mind: Sprained ankle while carrying boxes down steps at spring training, appendectomy, impaled by piece of broken bat.
He wasn't attacked by sharks on Fort Lauderdale Beach, so his luck occasionally changed for the better.
Does...
Former Orioles reliever Dennis Sarfate is currently in negotiations with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of the Nippon Professional Baseball League and could be taking his professional career in a new direction - one that leads outside the U.S.
No deal has been reached, but he's considering a move to Japan and a fresh start.
Sarfate became a minor league free agent and declined a chance to stay in the Orioles' organization after they failed to purchase his contract during the summer. He went 2-2...
Earlier today, Phillies right-hander Roy Halladay became the fifth pitcher to win the Cy Young Award in each league, and the 16th multiple winner.
Here's the final voting:
Roy Halladay, Philadelphia Phillies 224
Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals 122
Ubaldo Jimenez, Colorado Rockies 90
Tim Hudson, Atlanta Braves 39
Josh Johnson, Florida Marlins 34
Roy Oswalt, Houston Astros/Philadelphia Phillies 14
Brian Wilson, San Francisco Giants 7
Heath Bell, San Diego Padres 4
Mat Latos, San...
The National League's Cy Young winner will be announced this afternoon, so collect the rest of the money in your office pools and get ready.
The AL and NL Managers of the Year will be announced tomorrow, followed by the AL Cy Young winner on Thursday, the NL Most Valuable Player on Monday and the AL MVP next Tuesday.
Plan accordingly.
Following up on yesterday's discussion about John Russell and Willie Randolph, I received a phone call late last night - and by "late," I mean that I was...
John "T-Bone" Shelby has joined the Milwaukee Brewers organization as an outfield instructor/eye in the sky, according to a team press release. You can read more right here.
Shelby was the Orioles' first base and outfield coach for the last three seasons, but he'll be replaced by Wayne Kirby.
Shelby won't be in uniform for games. The eye-in-the-sky title, similar to the one Brian Graham held with the Orioles under former manager Mike Hargrove, dictates that you sit in the press box or a...
It looks like John Russell is the choice as bench coach, according to a few people I've contacted in the organization. But he hasn't signed a contract, so nothing is official at this point.
That would be too simple.
The Sun posted a report on its web site earlier this afternoon that manager Buck Showalter had selected Russell after meeting with him Friday at Camden Yards.
Russell was a late entrant, so it must have been one heck of a meeting.
Assuming that Russell sticks around and...
Rangers closer Neftali Feliz was named the American League's Rookie of the year today in voting conducted by members of the Baseball Writers Association of America.
Feliz saved 40 games for the Rangers, a major league record for a rookie. He received 20 first place votes, seven second and one third for a total of 122 points.
Tigers outfielder Austin Jackson finished second, followed by Minnesota's Danny Valencia.
Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz received three third-place votes to finish...
We'll find out later today whether left-hander Brian Matusz has been voted as the American League's Rookie of the Year.
If baseball handed out second-half awards, he'd be a slam dunk.
Matusz finished 10-12 with a 4.30 ERA and led AL rookies with 32 starts, 143 strikeouts and 175 2/3 innings. He ranked second in opponents' average at .255 and was tied for second in wins and third in ERA.
Matusz went 7-1 with a 2.11 ERA in his last 11 starts covering 64 innings. That's how you leave an...
I'm packed and getting ready to head back home after a nice, relaxing, food-filled weekend in Ocean Pines.
The general manager meetings - not to be confused with the organizational, owners and winter meetings - take place Tuesday and Wednesday in Orlando. They're regarded as a primer for the winter meetings. Parameters of deals are discussed and executives vow to resume talks next month. They also eat lunch.
These meetings could be more important now than previous years because president of...
I've emerged from my food coma, though I sense that another one is on the way. These weekends in Ocean Pines don't come without certain risks.
The Sun is reporting that former Pirates manager John Russell interviewed with Buck Showalter yesterday. He could fill the role of bench or third base coach, and he's a former catcher.
It's another name to toss into the pile.
Gary Allenson would have to consider that managing job at Triple-A Norfolk if Russell is hired, because the Orioles don't...
I was checking stats and results from the Dominican Winter League yesterday and noticed that Nerio Rodriguez allowed one unearned run and one hit over six innings in Leones del Escogido's victory on Wednesday.
Yes, that Nerio Rodriguez. There couldn't possibly be two.
Oscar Salazar homered Wednesday for La Guaira of the Venezuelan Winter League. The irony would have come if he connected off Cla Meredith.
Anyone up for another coaching entry?
Oh come on, you live for these moments. Your...
The Orioles thought their coaching staff was completed with Juan Samuel returning to third base and Don Wakamatsu taking a seat in the dugout beside manager Buck Showalter, and you know how that scenario turned out. Wakamatsu agreed to become the Blue Jays' bench coach and Samuel was hired as the Phillies' third base coach and outfield instructor.
Four slots are currently filled, but there are growing concerns that the Orioles could lose bullpen coach Rick Adair, who might be coveted as a...
