A few more surprising developments

Back on Dec. 14, when the lockout was still fresh and so was optimism for an on-time start to spring training and the regular season, I chose six decisions made by the Orioles after the final game that qualified as surprises in my corner of the baseball world.

It was perhaps the first time that I reached for a shovel and really began digging deep for winter story ideas.

Fast-forward to this morning and my back constantly aches. I can barely get out of bed. But I don't want your pity.

(I will, however, take your suggestions.)

I'm here to share a few more surprises. But first, to review the others:

Pitcher Chris Ellis is outrighted
The Orioles need pitching and Ellis posted a 2.49 ERA in six starts after arriving from the Rays organization. The 13 walks in 25 1/3 innings were a bit concerning. He didn't last more than five innings in any of his starts, though he was pulled after three scoreless and 46 pitches on Sept. 25 against the Rangers and went on the injured list with shoulder inflammation. The assumption was made that he'd go to camp and compete for a job in the rotation or bullpen. Instead, he's a free agent.

Pitcher Hunter Harvey is outrighted and lost on waivers
Everyone knows Harvey's injury history. We can recite it in our sleep. But his fastball still sits in the high 90s and he figured to get another shot at earning and keeping a job in the back end of the bullpen. A high-leverage reliever with stuff that doesn't run throughout the pitching staff. The arm and mullet are special, but every team passed after the Orioles put him on waivers until the Giants, picking last, made the claim.

Catcher Pedro Severino is outrighted instead of non-tendered
This one may seem like a stretch. I knew Severino was a goner. The Orioles weren't going to pay him around $3 million to back up Adley Rutschman. To quote myself from Dec. 14: I thought he'd be non-tendered at the deadline. I kept writing that he'd be non-tendered at the deadline. I kept saying on radio interviews that he'd be non-tendered at the deadline. I told the cashier at my grocery store. The DoorDash guy nodded and raced back to his car. The Orioles didn't wait for the deadline. Severino cleared waivers and signed with the Brewers for $1.9 million. But the DoorDash line still makes me smile.

Infielder Lucius Fox is here and gone
The Orioles claimed Fox off waivers from the Royals on Nov. 19 and lost him to the Nationals 11 days later on a waiver claim. Fox on the run again. Sweet. (Please tell me that you get the music reference.) This happens all the time, a player claimed and lost before reaching spring training. The goal is to sneak him through waivers and outright him. Sometimes it works. Fox is a switch-hitting middle infielder with 142 stolen bases in five professional seasons, and I thought his speed would pair nicely with Jorge Mateo's and provide more camp competition. I was wrong.

Jordan Lyles receives a $7 million offer
It becomes an official deal after the lockout ends and he passes a physical and signs his contract. Until then, it's an offer that he's accepted. I didn't imagine the Orioles spending that kind of money on anyone besides Trey Mancini via the arbitration process. Certainly not for a free-agent pitcher. I was floored. I also was in bed because the news broke minutes before the lockout began and major league transactions were frozen.

Pitcher Logan Gillaspie is protected in the Rule 5 draft
Again, this isn't a knock on Gillaspie and I hope it doesn't come across as one, though I keep mentioning it. I'm annoying that way. But we knew the locks: pitchers DL Hall, Kyle Bradish and Kevin Smith, and infielder Terrin Vavra. Reliever Félix Bautista warranted mention due to a triple-digit fastball (though his walks per nine innings come close to reaching that same level), his 1.54 ERA last summer in 40 appearances and his 77 strikeouts in 46 2/3 innings. Gillaspie sort of sneaked up on everyone. The Orioles like his arm, of course, and it was firing fastballs at 98 mph over the summer and in the Arizona Fall League. The organization wants to keep working with him.

Now that you're caught up, here are two more developments that I didn't anticipate:

Having to research Cionel Pérez
I cover baseball for a living, and specifically the Orioles. I've been doing it full-time since 1997 after drifting from the local college beat to assist in The Baltimore Sun's coverage of 2,130 and 2,131 in 1995 and the 1996 playoffs. Jeffrey Maier interfering with a fly ball at Yankee Stadium. Umpire Richie Garcia blowing the call and signing autographs for fans the following day.

I wanted to blast him on Twitter, but it didn't exist.

Despite my many years on the job, I haven't memorized the bios of every single player in the majors and minors. Seems like an impossible task. Never considered doing it. So when the Orioles claimed Pérez on waivers from the Reds in November, I knew absolutely nothing about him.

Didn't think I'd need to, but these things happen.

Pérez spent parts of the last four seasons in the majors, appearing in 45 games with the Astros and Reds. He faced the Orioles once, on June 7, 2019, and earned the win with three spotless innings. Robinson Chirinos produced a walk-off double in the 11th against Branden Kline.

I could use the excuse that the game was played in Houston, but I might have been on the trip.

Pérez was a highly touted pitcher out of Cuba who signed with the Astros as an international free agent on Dec. 9, 2016. Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias served as Houston's scouting director.

One reason why the waiver claim made sense.

Left-handed hitters are 12-for-67 (.179) against Pérez in the majors. The Orioles had only two southpaw relievers on their 40-man roster.

Another reason why the waiver claim made sense.

Fernando Abad became a free agent after the World Series. I knew at least one more left-hander would join the organization. I just hadn't prepared for Pérez.

Lack of minor league contracts
The Orioles haven't signed a minor league free agent since December. The lockout doesn't prohibit it. They just haven't done it.

This isn't a criticism. It's just an observation. They're usually busy after the holidays with these types of signings and it's been real quiet.

The transactions pages don't match up. One doesn't include last month's international signings. One lists pitcher Matt Vogel as the most recent signing on Dec. 14. Another lists catcher Anthony Bemboom on Dec. 16.

It's terribly annoying. This isn't open to interpretation. A signing is a signing.

What's accurate is that the club didn't sign anyone in January, and I checked late in the month to make certain that an agreement hadn't slipped past us.

A flurry is forecasted for February and March. The Orioles have more work to do. And you can believe that teams throughout baseball will go nuts as soon as the lockout ends, rushing to sign major league free agents who have been untouchable.

Until then, we wait.