Most managers in place in minors; Hobgood update

The Orioles probably won't announce their full minor league coaching staffs until after Jan. 1, but the top four affiliates have their managers in place. Gary Allenson returns as Triple-A Norfolk manager, Gary Kendall moves up from Single-A Aberdeen to Double-A Bowie, Orlando Gomez returns to Single-A Frederick and Ryan Minor returns to low Single-A Delmarva. Orioles manager Buck Showalter still wants to add a seventh coach, like an eye-in-the-sky, and that hire could influence additions to the minor league staffs. As I've written in the past, Denny Hocking will move up to Bowie to serve as hitting coach. Former Bowie manager Brad Komminsk will serve as Norfolk's hitting coach. Also, former first-round pick Matt Hobgood will undergo physical therapy on his right shoulder for four to six weeks starting in January after complaining of some soreness that cropped up earlier this month. Hobgood has been examined by team orthopedist Dr. John Wilckens and renowned orthopedist Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala. There's a strong possibility that he'll have to stay back at extended spring training rather than report to Delmarva or Frederick. "I think they'll have to evaluate it after six weeks," said John Stockstill, the Orioles' director of player development. "I think it'll wind up being a strain. The rehab or physical therapy will determine how quickly he's ready. It'll probably be somewhere in the neighborhood of a rotator cuff strain." Hobgood went 3-7 with a 4.40 ERA in 21 starts at Delmarva, allowing 90 hits, walking 38 and striking out 59 in 94 innings. He's been criticized for his poor conditioning and has spent part of the winter working out at the Athletes' Performance Institute in California.