Josh Bell went 2-for-5 with three RBIs yesterday for the Phoenix Desert Dogs, leaving his average at .324. Josh Perrault tossed a scoreless inning, allowing one hit and striking out two. Former Oriole Adam Loewen went 1-for-5 with an RBI and four strikeouts. He's batting .179. Special thanks to Jay Cutler for those five picks last night. The guy who took San Francisco -3 appreciated each and every one of them. But he could have done without that final drive. Not good for his blood...

A story has moved on the AP wire that quotes Orioles majority owner Peter Angelos as expressing interest in again staging exhibitions against the Cuban national team in Havana and Baltimore, as he did back in 1999. Click here for the story. "Hopefully as next spring approaches, both governments will see clearer to improve the relations and make it rather easy for there to be a reciprocal arrangement," Angelos says in the story. "Personally, I think the relations between the two countries...

One of my loyal readers unearthed a portion of the Orioles' 2010 spring training schedule on 4sarasota.com. Plenty of dates still need to be filled, but you can check out the rough draft. The Orioles apparently will open at home - and that's Sarasota, in case you've been away for a while - on March 4 against the Tampa Bay Rays. We'll also see the Pirates, Tigers and Phillies (oh my!), so it won't be the same batch of opponents that were forced down our collective throats all these...

Here's a rarity in the hitter-happy Arizona Fall League: A 1-0 game. Matt Angle homered in the second inning to provide all the scoring in the Phoenix Desert Dogs' 1-0 win over Peoria Saguaros. Angle, starting in center field, went deep for the first time in the AFL. Josh Bell was 1-for-3 with a double and walk. He's batting .320. Stephen Strasburg allowed one hit, walked two and struck out six in 3 2/3 innings. He improved to 4-1 because you don't have to go a minimum five innings to...

If I see one more advertisement that includes a talking pothole or dogs that save Christmas, my head might explode. But at least I can be reminded every 12 minutes that I need to buy diamonds or I'll die alone. With the winter meetings coming up in three weeks, I find my thoughts drifting back to a few names that were tied to the Orioles at last year's gathering in Las Vegas. Braden Looper drew their interest, and we kicked around the pros and cons of adding him to the rotation. He went...

Interesting strategy by the Jaguars today to keep taking a knee in the final minute with the ball on the Jets' 1-yard line and trailing by one point. They played for the field goal and to ensure that the Jets wouldn't have any time left on the clock for a game-winning drive. Running back Maurice Jones-Drew could have easily scored on a burst up the middle, and the Jets did nothing to stop him, but he purposely slid down at the 1. Quarterback David Garrard knelt on the next few snaps, and...

I had the craziest dream last night that Bill Belichick went for it on fourth-and-2 from his own 28-yard line with 2:08 left and his team holding a six-point lead. Must have been something I ate. Maybe Belichick needs a bench coach. I hear Dave Jauss is still available. I exchanged e-mails with Orioles manager Dave Trembley, and not to tease him about Notre Dame. He attended Saturday's Family FanFest in Sarasota, Fla., and had the opportunity to check on Nolan Reimold, Brad Bergesen and...

Oakland closer Andrew Bailey has been named the AL's Rookie of the Year. Bailey received 13 first-place votes. Texas shortstop Elvis Andrus finished second, one point ahead of Detroit pitcher Rick Porcello, after garnering eight first-place votes (one more than Porcello). Jeff Niemann was fourth, followed by Gordon Beckham and Brett Anderson. Florida outfielder Chris Coghlan won the NL award.

Third baseman Josh Bell hit his second home run tonight in the Phoenix Desert Dogs' 11-1 win over Mesa. Bell also doubled, walked and drove in three runs. He's batting .329 with seven doubles and 18 RBIs. The double came against former Oriole Randor Bierd. Bell homered off right-hander Tim Kiely. Matt Angle, batting leadoff and starting in center field, went 1-for-3 with an RBI, run scored and walk. Josh Perrault lowered his ERA to 1.86 with a scoreless ninth.

The Orioles placed a call yesterday to reliever Mark Hendrickson's agent, Joe Urbon, and were waiting to hear back from him. There isn't much to report beyond that little nugget. Teams no longer will hold exclusive negotiating rights with their free agents after Thursday. Hendrickson would like to re-sign with the Orioles, who are interested in keeping him. Manager Dave Trembley speaks highly of the left-hander, who became a valuable member of the bullpen as the season progressed -...