There's quite a buzz about Floyd and Quentin (and Hale update)

DALLAS - If the Orioles make a trade tomorrow, it could involve Chicago White Sox pitcher Gavin Floyd or outfielder Carlos Quentin. I'm starting to like those odds, judging by everything I'm hearing tonight. Executive vice president Dan Duquette has met several times with the White Sox, and while left-hander John Danks is available, the Orioles would prefer Floyd, 28, who grew up in Severna Park and attended Mount St. Joseph. You already know that White Sox general manager Kenny Williams suggested that he didn't receive suitable offers for his pitchers and would hold onto them. You also know how quickly that idea can be erased. Floyd, the fourth overall pick by the Phillies in the 2001 draft, is owed $7 million next season with a team option for $9.5 million in 2013. He's 58-55 with a 4.50 ERA in eight major league seasons. Floyd has finished .500 or below in each of the last three years after going 17-8 in 2008, but his ERA has been 4.06, 4.08 and 4.37. He's made at least 30 starts in each of the last four seasons while totaling 206 1/3, 193, 187 1/3 and 193 2/3 innings. Duquette wants to play up the local angle for fans. Well, here's his chance to do it. Apparently, all he needs to do is part with a young pitcher, which the Orioles have been reluctant to do in previous years. I keep hearing that the White Sox would probably be willing to take left-hander Brian Matusz, but that's not coming from either side's front office. You know the gamble. You give up on someone like Matusz and he wins 18-20 games every season. There's a reason why the Orioles made him the fourth overall pick in the 2008 draft. Quentin can become a free agent in 2013. He's a career .252 hitter in six major league seasons, with 121 home runs, 383 RBIs and an .836 OPS. Quentin blew up in 2008, batting .288 with 36 homers, 100 RBIs and a .965 OPS in 130 games. He hasn't reached that level since then, but the Orioles are intrigued. We'll see how it all plays out. Tomorrow could be very interesting. NOTE: A report out of ESPN Boston says that DeMarlo Hale will no longer serve as the Red Sox's bench coach, which would allow him to join Orioles manager Buck Showalter's staff as third base coach (the report incorrectly says Triple-A manager.) No one on the Orioles' side has confirmed it, so nothing is official. I fully expect it to happen, perhaps by the time I wake up in the morning. Showalter is hoping to announce his staff by Thursday, which would include Bill Castro as bullpen coach.