Machado on Orioles: "This organization has given me everything"

Manny Machado has said a couple of times in the last week that he's not quite ready to say yet what it would mean to him to be an ex-Oriole if he is traded. But today he talked at length about what it has been like to be an Oriole since the day they drafted him third overall in 2010.

"This organization has given me everything," he said this afternoon in the Orioles clubhouse. "I got drafted here. They brought me up. This has been home for the last seven years. It's been truly an amazing journey that I've had. This is all part of my family. Everyone in here is part of my family. They are brothers to me. They will always have my contact. They will always have anything if anything ever happens. I will always have their back. We've gone through some good times and some bad times, and it's made us better and brought us closer together. So this organization means a lot, and I'll never be ungrateful for the opportunity and everything they've given to me."

Right now, everywhere Machado turns, he's the subject of constant trade speculation.

"Everywhere I see, it's just Manny, Manny, Manny. It kind of gets a little distracting at times," he said." But it's just a matter of trying to let it all out once I step in this clubhouse. I'm just a ballplayer trying to win and be myself and have fun. I love this game so much. Want to go out there every day and put on a show and try to be the best player I can out there."

Machado was voted to start at shortstop for the American League in next week's All-Star Game. It will be his fourth All-Star Game and second start. With several National League teams showing interest in adding him, he is not ready to ponder possibly switching leagues before next Tuesday's game.

"I'm the American League starter," Machado said. "That's all I've been thinking about. That's all I've been celebrating with my wife, my family. We're just very excited and not even thinking about that."

The scrutiny and speculation about Machado will only get worse with media from all over the country and world gathered for the 89th All-Star Game in Washington, D.C.. How will he deal with all of that?

"Same way I have to deal with it every day," he said. "I've had to deal with it all year. It's been nonstop every city we've gone to with reporters asking questions. I've answered all the questions I need to answer and obviously there will be some more new questions coming out there at that time. By the time that gets going, I'm sure there will be quite a few teams they want to ask questions about. Those are just things to deal with it as it comes.

"I want to enjoy the moment when I get there. Enjoy it with family and friends, the closest people to you that have gotten you to that position. Other than that, just enjoy it as much as I can. I'm the starting shortstop and worked hard to get to that position. I'm just grateful and humbled at the same time."

Machado is batting .313/.382/.560 in 88 games with 19 doubles, a triple, 21 homers and 60 RBIs. He went 6-for-14 in the series at Minnesota and ranks fifth in the AL in batting and sixth in RBIs.

Machado was asked what he would say to fans in Baltimore that might be upset if he's traded.

"They have always supported me throughout - through the good and bad. They've been here through the rough times before I got here and some good times when I got here," he said. "Just a matter of them to keep rooting for us, keep rooting for me. Keep their heads up high. We have tried to win games. Just a matter of how things have been going. We will always be out there grinding for them and hopefully we can make it to the World Series one day."

As a final note on the All-Star Game, in case anyone was wondering, Machado said today he would not take part in the Home Run Derby.