Trumbo's decision and Rookie of the Year voting

The Orioles will know by 5 p.m. today whether outfielder Mark Trumbo is accepting or declining their qualifying offer.

I'd still be shocked if Trumbo took the $17.2 million and re-entered the free agent market next winter. His value may never be higher after he led the majors with 47 home runs.

The Blue Jays signed Kendrys Morales for $33 million over three years. What's Trumbo worth?

Looks like one heck of a deal for the Jays.

The only way it makes sense for Trumbo to take the offer is if he somehow gets the idea that the market has shrunk for him. Not everyone with the Orioles thinks it's a foregone conclusion that Trumbo rejects it, but he's still viewed as likely to do so.

The Orioles will try to re-sign him under that scenario. It's not automatically the end of his tenure in Baltimore, as I've written in the past. They'd like to bring him back as their designated hitter while trying to upgrade the defense in right field.

Trumbo does offer some versatility. He can occasionally spell the right fielder or play first base while Chris Davis rests. But I'm wondering if being the regular designated hitter in Baltimore would prompt him to sign with another team.

Trumbo seems to prefer first base to right field, but he obviously will play either one. Not everyone is fine with being a DH and I don't know Trumbo's feelings on it.

The need to put Michael Bourn in right field pushed Trumbo into the DH slot and Pedro Alvarez to the bench, but not for an entire season.

Fans keep asking whether the Orioles could move Davis to right and let Trey Mancini play first base. And I keep going back to executive vice president Dan Duquette insisting that the club must improve its outfield defense.

Davis isn't bad in right field, but he isn't the plus defender that the Orioles are targeting. There's also the matter of Davis being a finalist for the American League Gold Glove at first. Why weaken that position?

Mancini will have to earn a spot on the opening day roster. It won't be handed to him. If he makes it, manager Buck Showalter will find ways to get him at-bats and not stunt his development.

At the very least, Mancini could platoon at designated hitter and be an occasional fill-in for Davis at first. I don't agree that Mancini should return to Triple-A Norfolk unless he's an everyday player.

The Baseball Writers' Association of America will reveal its Rookies of the Year tonight on MLB Network. Tigers pitcher Michael Fulmer is the favorite to take the award over Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez and Indians outfielder Tyler Naquin.

The last Orioles Rookie of the Year was closer Gregg Olson in 1989. Ron Hansen won it in 1960, Curt Blefary in 1965, Al Bumbry in 1973, Eddie Murray in 1977 and Cal Ripken Jr. in 1982.

Outfielder Hyun Soo Kim and pitchers Dylan Bundy and Mychal Givens were rookies in 2016. We'll find out whether they appeared on any ballots.