Making another move into the mailbag

If it's Sunday, it must be time to rummage through the ol' mailbag instead of letting it overflow and risking a few questions sticking to the bottom.

I'll never forgive myself for taking 22 years to offer my opinion on the Orioles selecting Mike Paradis in the first round.

And I wasn't ... wait for it ... Stahling before commenting on their next pick.

(Look it up if you must and then forgive me.)

Let's get to some of the fresher inquiries this morning, unedited in all their glory. I will not tamper with length, style, clarity, brevity or your brakes.

Can a player outrighted off the 40-man roster after the season be signed to a contract during the lockout?
Nope. Any player who ended the season on the 40-man is subjected to the same rules as current 40-man players. Only minor league transactions are permissible. That free agent crop can be harvested.

So César Valdez, for example, can sign because the Orioles outrighted him before the final game?

Nope. As it was explained to me, he elected free agency before the end of the World Series because he had a previous outright. He, too, is viewed as a covered player under the CBA. I'm confused, too.

Can players on the 40-man play winter ball during the lockout or is that also a union violation?
They're allowed. If you need an example, reliever Félix Bautista, protected in the Rule 5 draft, joined Leones del Escogido in the Dominican Republic. Third baseman Kelvin Gutiérrez is playing in the same league with Gigantes del Cibao.

Would the Orioles consider signing international free agents from the Asian market?
The cost tends to move out of their comfort zone, at least for the best players who create bidding wars. Teams are jockeying for position to sign Japanese outfielder Seiya Suzuki. Though the Orioles are a lot more willing now to spend internationally, there are limits. But I haven't heard an absolute "no" on the subject. If that helps in any way.

Will co-hitting coaches Ryan Fuller and Matt Borgschulte both sit in the dugout during games?
I've heard, and written, that Fuller is expected to be in the dugout and Borgschulte will be available to hitters in the cage.

Is "Die Hard" a Christmas movie?
Sig Mejdal says it's his favorite and I'm sure he has the data to back it up.

Are the Orioles upset they built a facility in the Dominican Republic, only to now have to likely deal with an international draft?
The short answer is "no." This is a state-of-the-art facility that's going to aid in the development of prospects, however they're attained. You could argue that the benefit might be diminished a smidge, but the quality of training and care will be elite.

Do you think all these new hires will really help the on-field play?
We see some positive results on the farm. Lots of hitters and pitchers praise the approach. They're buying into it. Does everyone? Impossible to get such a large group to agree on everything. There are supporters and copy-cats in the industry. There also are critics of teams pulling away from experienced instructors. But let's see how quickly the Orioles become contenders and we can do a thorough evaluation.

Did you know Rick Dempsey's Christmas album is on Spotify?
I do now. "Home Run Holiday" with The Deanna Bogart Band. My favorite song is "Merry Christmas Bumbry"

Seriously?
No.

How often do pitching coaches advise their charges on hiding the ball and their grip effectively, as Tommy Wilson apparently has learned to do? Is that really Paul Fry's problem against the Rays, as he's claimed?
Fry was floating a theory based on the Rays' dominance against him, as if they knew something that perhaps other teams did not. And he tried to make an adjustment in Triple-A. As for the first part of your question, coaches make sure that their pitchers aren't telegraphing what's coming. Tipping off pitches will force you to seek another profession. Coaches always are on the lookout for it and teaching deception.

Any updates on a new collective bargaining agreement?
An article this week in Sports Illustrated revealed that, entering Thursday, representatives for Major League Baseball and the union hadn't met since the old CBA expired. Stephanie Apstein also wrote that "a handful of people" were scheduled to talk Thursday "about issues other than the core economic ones" and wouldn't include lead negotiators Dan Halem of MLB and Bruce Meyer of the players' association.

Do you hear what I hear?
I've heard the night wind. Usually after a big meal.

How much input did Brandon Hyde have on his major league coaching staff?
I can't offer an exact percentage, but nothing is sprung on him regarding his coaches. The hires were discussed. Recommendations were made. Hyde won't be stuck with someone he doesn't want on his staff. I don't think he has full power to keep everyone. Otherwise, friend José Flores probably would have been retained as third base coach. But these are group decisions.

Whatever happened to Flores?
He was hired this month as bench coach of the Triple-A Worcester Red Sox.

Which former Orioles player would you like to interview that you never had the chance?
Don Larsen. Except I'd be much older. Actually, I think Glenn Davis would be a real interesting subject, though he's probably said it all regarding his disappointing tenure in Baltimore.

I take it Tyler Wells breaks camp with the team. Would there be any reason to put him in Triple-A now that we don't have to keep him on the major league squad?
Wells could pitch his way to Triple-A with a really bad spring training. I don't anticipate it happening. He proved this summer that he was ready for the majors. He earned a shot at closing. And he hadn't pitched in two years. His Rule 5 status wasn't the only reason why he stayed with the Orioles while healthy.

Any chance we go after Carlos Correa due to the Mike Elias connection?
Paying $7 million for a starting pitcher surprised me, but let's not get crazy. The Tigers reportedly offered $275 million over 10 years earlier this winter, and the industry regards that figure as too low. The Orioles aren't shattering the bank for Correa. They'll find another placeholder at shortstop and happily pass along the position to one of their prospects.

Any chance the Orioles just cut ties with Chris Davis or do they keep him?
How in the world did this one stay in the bag?

Should Davis be in the Orioles Hall of Fame?
Has there been a more polarizing candidate? Twice leading the majors in home runs and becoming one of the most feared hitters in any lineup make him a shoo-in. The dramatic fall after signing a franchise-record seven-year, $161 million contract, including a major league record 54 straight hitless at-bats and 62 straight plate appearances, and the reduced games due to injuries have many fans insisting that he doesn't belong. No one struck out more times as an Oriole than Davis with 1,500. But there haven't been many in franchise history to attain his cult hero status or be more involved in charitable endeavors.

A degenerative hip condition that surgery couldn't correct prevented Davis from fulfilling the last year of his contract, but he ranked in the top 15 in Orioles history in home runs (sixth), walks (10th), RBIs (11th), extra-base hits (12th), runs scored (14th) and games played (15th). His 142 home runs at Camden Yards are second in the ballpark's history and he's first with 11 that reached Eutaw Street. My guess is he's elected, and he'll be more deserving than a few others who made it.

If my package left a FedEx shipment facility in North Carolina at 6 a.m. this morning, will it get to me by the end of the day, as they claim it will?
Let's just say that I hope it doesn't contain important medical supplies. If your life depends on it, should I contact your loved ones?