More Manny Machado musings

Though it's painfully early in the morning, I'm happy to report that no one has asked me for an update on third baseman Manny Machado since my last trip to the bathroom.

His status on the club reminds me of those halcyon days in the winter of 2015 when everyone wanted to know whether the Orioles would re-sign Chris Davis. Gym owners, bartenders, radio and television hosts, family and friends. None of them ranked in order of importance in my life, despite all the doubters.

Will the Orioles trade Machado? Have they traded him in the last five seconds? What about now?

The Orioles won't let the process drag out, but there isn't intense pressure to make a decision in the next few days. The week between Christmas and New Year's isn't a dead zone. Though it tends to quiet down, executives routinely keep their cell phones on and talks can continue.

Executive vice president Dan Duquette noted at the Winter Meetings that the club may reach a point where it must "fish or cut bait." He just didn't list an exact date or explain that the expression originally meant a person should fish or cut up the bait used for fishing. But I digress ...

"There's a lot more work to be done in the offseason. At some point you have to decide if you're going to fish or cut bait, right? So that's a little ways down the track," Duquette said.

"I think that's taking its natural course. You need to find out what the teams are interested in, if you match up with certain teams. And there's a little more time to do that."

There's a point where the Orioles have to make roster decisions with the idea that Machado will be in the opening day lineup. They need to figure out if he's the shortstop, which could put them in the market for a third baseman. They need to determine whether Tim Beckham remains the shortstop, is a candidate to move over to third base or is a needed utility player.

I hear the talk of how the Orioles could decide whether to trade or keep Machado by the end of the week. I hear how the process could drag into the spring, with one person in the organization providing a reminder that Duquette tends to work at a deliberate pace. And it wasn't meant as an insult, just a nod to his track record.

The ball doesn't bounce only in Duquette's court. Ownership must grant its approval, and while I've heard that it isn't necessarily an obstacle in the right deal, you'll find conflicting reports if you search the Internet.

Louis Angelos, listed as an ownership representative in the media guide, wasn't attending his first Winter Meetings last week. He's been to "several," according to one person close to the team. But it sure came in handy to have him in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., as more executives poured into Duquette's suite to talk about Machado, Zach Britton, Brad Brach and others.

I don't buy the theory that keeping Machado will create an awkward and uncomfortable atmosphere in spring training. Machado knows that the Orioles aren't going to give him a 10-year deal north of $300 million. They'd be foolish to tune out the offers for him.

They've been careful to avoid using the term "shopping." They don't want that impression to stick.

Machado is going to test free agency after the 2018 season and pick where he wants to play. He's got a good shot at moving to shortstop if the Orioles hold onto him, the position that he truly desires. He's going to get another nice bump in salary in the arbitration process, with MLBTradeRumors.com projecting that he'll earn $17.3 million.

Would you be depressed?

The only downer would be if the rotation isn't upgraded and playoff talk rings as hollow as a dried gourd. Machado won't relish another last-place finish. And it's going to be extremely difficult to find quality arms without trading Machado because the Orioles won't spend liberally on them or strip the farm system in other deals.

The daily Machado watch has provided a distraction from other real issues on this club. Three openings in the rotation and the need for at least five starters if you're including depth issues in the minors. No known starter in right field, just a batch of candidates that includes Austin Hays, Jaycob Brugman, Anthony Santander, Joey Rickard and Mark Trumbo, the latter more likely to be the designated hitter. A dearth of left-handed bats. Perhaps the need for a utility player who can handle the infield and outfield if the Orioles go with a three-man bench.

Not everyone is sold on the Caleb Joseph-Chance Sisco tandem behind the plate, with some concerns that the latter might not be ready. No knock on the kid. He's only 22 and he's the catcher of the future. But is April 2018 a little too soon?