Orioles sign S. Schoop, Bermudez to minor league deals

Add another Schoop to the Orioles organization. The Orioles announced this afternoon that they signed Jonathan's older brother, infielder Sharlon Schoop, and outfielder Ronald Bermudez to minor league contracts. Sharlon Schoop, 26, signed with the Royals as a minor league free agent on Nov. 25, 2011. He didn't play this year. Schoop is a career .256/.322/.353 hitter in eight minor league seasons, never rising above Double-A. The Giants signed him as a non-drafted free agent in 2004 and he played for The Netherlands at the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Schoop plays every infield position. He's also been used in five games in left field and two in right. Bermudez, 25, batted a combined .261/.299/.329 with 11 doubles, one triple, one home run and 26 RBIs in 67 games with Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket of the Red Sox organization. He's a career .266/.323/.381 hitter in eight minor league seasons. Bermudez plays every outfield position. The Red Sox signed Bermudez as a non-drafted free agent on Sept. 10, 2005. He didn't commit an error in 144 total chances in the outfield in 2011. Neither Schoop nor Bermudez will receive invitations to spring training. In other news, free-agent left-hander Jason Vargas has reportedly agreed to a four-year, $32 million deal with the Royals. The Orioles have inquired about Vargas the past few years, but they don't normally hand out four-year contracts to free-agent pitchers.