Dealing with a lack of depth in the rotation

I hope everyone has recovered from yesterday's festivities and all the leftovers haven't been devoured for breakfast. Try to make them last. Yes, I know cold stuffing is quite the temptation. I can't walk past the refrigerator without grabbing a handful of it. And I only eat cranberry sauce over the holidays, so it qualifies as a real treat - as long as it jiggles out of the can. You can keep your homemade concoction. I'm not a yam guy, but I'd fill the bathtub full of mashed potatoes if the cleanup afterward wouldn't be such a chore. How much has baseball changed over the years? Boston's Luis Tiant threw 163 pitches while completing Game 4 of the 1975 World Series, and the Reds had the winning run on base in the bottom of the ninth. Special thanks to MLB Network for the reminder. (Smooth transition alert): And speaking of the Reds ... They reportedly are willing to trade first baseman Yonder Alonso, their top hitting prospect, for a starting pitcher. Apparently, the Reds would take a closer, but they rejected Oakland's offer of Andrew Bailey. I doubt that they'd leap at the chance to acquire Kevin Gregg. The Orioles would like to obtain a corner infielder with power, just in case Chris Davis isn't the real deal. And they were supposed to build a surplus of young starting pitcher for just such an occasion. Stockpile the arms and you can part with one or two to bring in a big bat. Makes total sense if the plan is executed properly. Unfortunately, the Orioles also are searching for another starter, which will be a priority at the Winter Meetings in Dallas. The plan has been slow to take hold. The Reds want a No. 2 starter, according to Yahoo! Sports' Tim Brown, and they'll part with Alonso because he's blocked by Joey Votto. The Orioles would surrender Jeremy Guthrie in the right deal - and remember how the pool of interested teams was supposed to expand over the winter - but would the Reds view him as a No. 2? I think the Reds are setting their sites a little higher. MLBTradeRumors suggested the Tampa Bay could be a fit, and that the Reds would likely ask for James Shields. Trading Guthrie would punch another big hole in the Orioles' rotation. It's unfortunate that they don't have the depth to fill it. That was supposed to be the plan.