Comparing offseason Trumbo to Davis

Is Mark Trumbo the 2016 offseason version of Chris Davis?

There are the obvious differences, including Davis' ability to land a seven-year, $161 million contract with the Orioles. Trumbo is lined up for a significant bump in salary, but not to the same degree.

Certainly not with the Orioles, whose payroll would crumble like a jelly donut in Sidney Ponson's pants pocket.

(I seriously have nothing against Ponson, but I've convinced myself that I'll drop dead if I don't make one joke a year. Please bear with me.)

I link Trumbo and Davis because the latter was viewed in some baseball circles as "holding the Orioles hostage" last winter while negotiations dragged on a new contract. They couldn't push hard for another big bat without knowing whether they were paying Davis. Fans feared that opportunities were lost.

The Orioles reached a point where they shifted focus to outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, prepared to let Trumbo play first base after acquiring him from the Mariners for backup catcher Steve Clevenger. Managing general partner Peter Angelos refused to cut the lines of communication with agent Scott Boras and an agreement was reached.

Trumbo's grip on the Orioles isn't as tight. Knuckles aren't turning white. But they want to re-sign him.

I received further confirmation yesterday that they aren't conceding Trumbo to another team, making him my No. 1 seed in the non-update update pool.

Trumbo's likely rejection of the $17.2 million qualifying offer doesn't automatically signal the end of his tenure in Baltimore. Neither will their reluctance to jump into another big multi-year deal. He's still a priority this winter and officials sense that he really wants to stay.

They like his power, his leadership, his personality. One official referred to him as "a great guy."

In a perfect world, the Orioles would make Trumbo the primary designated hitter and give him occasional starts at first base and right field. They'd acquire a plus defender for right who also could bat leadoff and improve their on-base percentage while also presenting a stolen base threat. Adam Jones would slide down the order.

The question here is how long will the Orioles negotiate before they're forced to spend their money elsewhere? Will we be subjected to more hostage analogies?

There's only so much cash to go around and the Orioles need a bundle of it to give raises to arbitration-eligible players.

Dexter Fowler would have been an ideal fit this season, especially his career-high .393 on-base percentage, but he slipped out of the Orioles' grasp, re-signed with the Cubs and won a title. He's a free agent again, another qualifying offer on the table, and I can verify that he didn't burn every bridge with the Orioles.

I floated his name past one official who didn't shoot down the idea of making another run at Fowler. I'm not suggesting that Fowler is now a top priority, but I wasn't laughed out of the room. I didn't sense any hard feelings.

The same concerns may exist, however. The sense that Fowler wants to play center field and avoid the American League East. And there's the Twitter temper tantrum thrown by agent Casey Close, his statement posted on Excel Sports Management's account while the Orioles were guests at the annual Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce reception:

"In my 25 years in this business, never before have I witnessed such irresponsible behavior on so many fronts. Both the Orioles front office and members of the media were so busy recklessly spreading rumors that they forgot or simply chose not to concern themselves with the truth. The Orioles' willful disregard of collectively bargained rules governing free agency and the media's eager complicity in helping the Orioles violate those rules are reprehensible. Dexter Fowler never reached agreement with the Orioles and did not come close to signing with the club; any suggestion otherwise is only a continuation of an already disturbing trend."

Executive vice president Dan Duquette was asked to comment later that night. His tone wasn't nearly as sharp, but he stood firm.

"I'm not sure what that statement is about because his job is to represent his player," Duquette said.

Close obviously was calling the Orioles' integrity into question, choosing to do so two days after reports surfaced of their agreement.

"I didn't really see it that way," Duquette replied. "We were sincere in our efforts to sign the player. If the player chooses to take less money to go with another team, that's their choice.

"What's he going to say now, that it's not about the money?"

If Duquette and Close sit down to discuss Fowler, or anyone else, please let me be a fly on the wall. Maybe they can hold the meeting in Ponson's kitchen.

(OK, that's two. I've got an extra in the bank for 2017.)

Fowler walked away from a three-year, $33 million offer from the Orioles. MLBTradeRumors.com predicts that he's going to sign a four-year, $64 million contract with the Cardinals. Same years and $4 million more than the site projects for Trumbo in his return to the Orioles.

I'll go out on a limb and predict that the Orioles take a less-expensive route to right field, but they're checking on Ian Desmond and MLBTradeRumors.com predicts that he'll land the same contract as Trumbo.

The Orioles may just kick the tires on Desmond, the first time I've used that phrase since they lost the wild card game. It really is the offseason.

I'd love to offer more than a non-update update on the coaching searches, but I'm only able to confirm ongoing interest in Roger McDowell and Alan Mills. I'm still getting the sense that Mills has a better shot at being the bullpen coach.