Still waiting on decision regarding Orioles coaching staff

The Orioles apparently haven't made a final decision on their coaching staff for next season. There's been no confirmation on returns or changes.

The situation needs to be resolved soon with contracts expiring at the end of the month. Then again, the Orioles have been known to move slowly on such matters.

No one claims that Maryland is all about crab cakes, football and quick resolutions.

Manager Buck Showalter has stated that he wants everyone back and he passionately defends first-year pitching coach Roger McDowell, whose status came into question while the rotation posted the worst ERA in club history.

Showalter grew agitated with the speculation and storylines concerning McDowell. It was a sore subject.

First baseman Chris Davis praised McDowell, hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh and third base coach Bobby Dickerson during an interview earlier this month. And he wasn't the only player concerned that some members of the staff could take the fall for the team's dismal finish.

Executive vice president Dan Duquette couldn't offer any assurances on the final day of the season that the group would remain intact.

"All those things with the coaches and the staffing, all those things need to be addressed," he said, "and I think you have to look carefully at them when you don't have a strong year and see if there are some adjustments that you can make."

Showalter said on the same day that he didn't want to process to drag along and leave the coaches in a state of uncertainty.

"I don't like, this time of year, that these guys four weeks from now don't have contracts," Showalter said. "They have families, kids, whatever. Whatever someone has in mind or we have in mind, I want it to come to fruition quickly. I wish it was already done."

* Left-hander Tanner Scott started yesterday for the Salt River Rafters in the Arizona Fall League and gave up an unearned run and a hit in two innings, with one walk and two strikeouts. He threw 30 pitches, 17 for strikes.

Scott committed a throwing error on an attempted pickoff and also unleashed a wild pitch. He packed a lot of activity into two innings.

Jesus Liranzo followed Scott to the mound and was charged with five runs and five hits in 1 2/3 innings. He walked two batters, threw a wild pitch and surrendered two home runs.

Liranzo created quite a buzz in spring training and Showalter hinted that the young right-hander could reach the majors this season, but he went 3-4 with a 4.85 ERA and 1.49 WHIP in 31 games (12 starts) at Double-A Bowie over 65 innings. He walked 43 batters and struck out 75.

This wasn't the progress anticipated from Liranzo, 22, after he registered a 1.05 ERA and 0.79 WHIP in 16 relief appearances last season at low Single-A Delmarva and a 3.38 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in 11 games with Bowie.

The Orioles put Liranzo on the 40-man roster last November to protect him in the Rule 5 draft. He's still working to lower his walk totals.

The first four pitchers used yesterday by Salt River came from the Orioles organization. Left-hander Luis Gonzalez retired all four batters he faced and Keegan Akin followed with a scoreless inning, walking one batter and striking out one.

Anthony Santander went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. He had two hits, two RBIs and an outfield assist the previous night.