Poised for the start of free agency

I've been rooting for a Game 7 all along. Nothing beats it in sports and it delays the start of free agency, which extends my downtime a little bit longer.

It's always about me.

I've got five days before the free agent market is open for business once the World Series ends, and I'll only leave Twitter at my own risk. Five days before beat writers are challenged to separate fact from fiction as rumors surface of the Orioles' interest in ... insert any name.

Let me get a head start by saying that the Orioles will "listen on" any of their players. Doesn't mean they're shopping everyone on their roster. But they'll always listen. It doesn't cost anything to do it.

Any player who fits the profile of a leadoff hitter, preferably one who's also capable of playing a good right field, is going to attract their interest, whether it's via free agency or trade. They'd like to add another starting pitcher despite having six for five spots. Another bullpen arm is a yearly quest. And they're going to need a catcher if they don't re-sign Matt Wieters.

They're expected to make a qualifying offer to outfielder Mark Trumbo and attempt to re-sign him, taking the draft pick if they fail. They let Nelson Cruz walk after he led the majors in home runs with 40 in 2014, unwilling to give him a fourth guaranteed year. Cruz has played in 152 and 155 games with the Mariners while totaling 87 home runs.

Trumbo is younger and most likely seeking a minimum of four years after leading the majors with 47 home runs. The last time I checked, he was an offseason priority for the Orioles. But how high are they willing to go to keep him?

Can they let another home run leader walk out the door?

They could use more than Cruz's power. He's posted on-base percentages of .369 and .360 with the Mariners, trouncing his career mark of .338. The Orioles had a .298 OBP in the second half and again will attempt to upgrade in that department.

Trumbo's .316 OBP this season tied last year's mark with the Mariners and narrowly missed tying his career-high of .317 set in 2012 with the Angels. But he hadn't hit more than 34 home runs until this season, and his .533 slugging percentage easily topped his previous best of .491 in 2012.

Trumbo brings the one dimension that makes him a great fit in the middle of the order. And the Orioles would like him to get most of his at-bats as the designated hitter while they try to upgrade defensively in right field.

They like Trumbo better at first base, but they still don't seem inclined to move Chris Davis to right field.

Here are the Orioles, in alphabetical order, who will become free agents. No need for them to file. It was a formality in the past and now it happens automatically:

Pedro Alvarez
Michael Bourn
Brian Duensing
Tommy Hunter
Steve Pearce
Nolan Reimold
Drew Stubbs
Mark Trumbo
Matt Wieters

Manager Buck Showalter wants Pearce to return, giving him a right-handed bat with some pop and a player capable of handling multiple positions in the outfield and infield. Keeping Pearce healthy has been the challenge, but Showalter respects his approach to the game. No one works harder, almost to a fault. He's also one of the most popular players in the clubhouse, for what that's worth.

Pearce is out to prove that he's going to be ready for the start of the 2017 season after undergoing surgery on his flexor mass tendon.

Bourn could be re-signed and given consideration as the leadoff hitter. He also could be viewed more as a fourth outfielder, unless Joey Rickard earns that title.

The outfield remains a puzzle beyond center fielder Adam Jones. Hyun Soo Kim will play left field again, but could earn more starts against left-handed pitching after going 0-for-17 with four walks this year. Otherwise, the Orioles will need a right-handed hitter to platoon, which could be Rickard's role. Trumbo's free-agent status leaves an opening in right field.

There's a chance that the Orioles will attempt to re-sign Alvarez to another one-year deal, but most likely if it's late, he's still on the market and they're in need of a left-handed bat for the designated hitter spot. It's pointless to talk about Alvarez backing up at third base and first base when he barely got on the field this year.

Alvarez made 12 appearances at third base, including six starts, and none at first.

Stubbs went 3-for-22 with 11 strikeouts after coming to the Orioles, and they won't need him if Rickard breaks camp with the team. Rickard can back up Jones in center field and he hits from the right side. Bourn's return also would diminish the need for Stubbs.

Reimold has supporters high up the organizational ladder, but he struggled at the plate in the second half, going 11-for-79 (.139) with a double, two home runs and 22 strikeouts. I doubt that he expects to return, but never count him out.

Duensing brings appeal as an extra left-hander in the bullpen, especially with T.J. McFarland a non-tender candidate, and he was scored upon in only one of his seven September appearances after coming off the disabled list. He allowed two runs and four hits, walked one and struck out seven over 6 2/3 innings.

Duensing faced one batter in the wild card game and struck out Ezequiel Carrera leading off the bottom of the 11th inning. Ubaldo Jimenez replaced Duensing and, well, you know the rest.

Hunter wants to return. He never wanted to leave before the Orioles traded him to the Cubs for outfielder Junior Lake.

Hunter may seem redundant with the bullpen already including Darren O'Day, Brad Brach and Mychal Givens, but it's not inconceivable that the Orioles bring him back on a one-year deal. They trusted him more than some other pitchers who were used this summer and may still feel the same way after sorting through their options.