Navarro: "I'm going to fight for a job"

Infielder Rey Navarro had his pick of teams that wanted to sign him as a minor league free agent. His decision became much easier when the Orioles stepped up with a major league offer. A spot on a 40-man roster with a winning team? Get the contract ready. "I'm really excited about it," Navarro said Friday afternoon before getting ready for his next game with Caguas of the Puerto Rican Winter League. "I just feel like I've got a good chance to play there. They made me good offer and they're a winning team. I like it a lot. I just want the chance to play in the big leagues there. "I'm happy about it. I'm excited to be with the Orioles. I know they want to win. They want to win championships." Navarro has a couple of friends on the Caguas team with ties to the Orioles' organization in former farmhands Miguel Abreu and Edgardo Baez. Single-A infielder Adrian Marin also is on the club. "They told me they loved playing baseball there and it's a good organization and they love to win and I'm going to have a good time there," Navarro said. With his contract signed, the next step for Navarro is reporting to spring training in February and trying to make more than a good impression. He wants to be included on the 25-man roster. Navarro, who turns 25 next month, is a career .265/.312/.375 hitter in eight minor league seasons. He was the starting shortstop for Triple-A Louisville this year and various scouting reports give him high marks for his range, but the Orioles view him primarily as a second baseman. "I'm comfortable playing second base, too," he said. "I just want a chance to play. I'm confident that I'm going to do a good job at second base, shortstop or third base if they need me there, too. I play with desire at any position." Jonathan Schoop is the starting second baseman and coming off a rookie season where he batted .209/.244/.354 with 18 doubles, 16 home runs, 45 RBIs and 122 strikeouts in 455 at-bats over 137 games. Ryan Flaherty batted .221/.288/.356 with 15 doubles, a triple, seven home runs and 32 RBIs in 281 at-bats over 102 games and played six different positions in a utility role. Navarro, a switch-hitter, will try to win a job in spring training. How he's used isn't important. "I'm going to play whatever they need me to do," said Navarro, a mid-season All-Star with four minor league affiliates. "If they need a second baseman every day, I'm going to do it. I'm going to fight for a job. I'll be there trying to make the team." Navarro lives in Puerto Rico - he's a native of Caguas and attended high school in Gurabo - but he figures to be in Baltimore on Jan. 31 for the annual FanFest at the Convention Center. "If they need me there," he said, "I'll be there." Note: Free agent outfielder Torii Hunter told a reporter from the Los Angeles Daily News yesterday that the Orioles, Mariners and Rangers are at the top of his list of preferred teams. He also mentioned the Twins as a possibility. Hunter, 39, batted .286/.319/.446 with 17 home runs and 83 RBIs in 142 games with the Tigers. The Orioles could use him as a corner outfielder and part-time designated hitter, though they'd like to re-sign Nick Markakis and Nelson Cruz. Hunter exchanged words with Orioles pitcher Bud Norris this season after being hit by a pitch, which led to the right-hander's ejection.