Trumbo talk, minicamp thoughts and Gausman's shoulder

SARASOTA, Fla. - Have the Orioles moved away from free agent slugger Mark Trumbo?

We're left again to read between the lines.

Executive vice president Dan Duquette stated again yesterday on MLB Network Radio that the club values the draft pick attached to Trumbo if the outfielder signs with another club. He didn't deny during his interview with Jim Bowden and former Orioles executive Jim Duquette that the club offered $52 million over four years.

"Well, I don't consider coming back and accepting a $52 million offer anything to be ashamed about or just feel bad about," Dan Duquette said, "but as far as the Orioles go, we kind of like the value of that draft pick that's been enhanced with the negotiation from the new collective bargaining agreement. In other words, it's about the last time that you can acquire that level of pick for a compensation draft pick.

"The level is diluted after this year, so we like the draft pick and we like some of the other options, some of the shorter-term options on the market that look to be a little bit more cost-effective for the club. That's how we're proceeding in terms of assembling our team to have a good, competitive team again next year.

"We're still looking for some more outfield help and also some pitching depth, and we're going to continue looking for that in the market, either the trade or free agent market. The trade market's starting to open up, too, and there's still some good players that are out there that are available to be signed."

Likes the draft pick. Likes some of the shorter-term, less-expensive options. No declaration that they've moved on from Trumbo, but it's easy to come to that conclusion. As long as Trumbo remains on the market and the Orioles still have a spot for him - and the money to spend. I'm not convinced that the door is shut, locked and barricaded, but they certainly are prepared to play without him on the roster in 2017.

The pick and money saved may be too enticing.

Duquette had a lot of fun with the "villain" analogy for Jose Bautista this winter, repeating it in multiple interviews while citing hatred from fans as a solid reason to avoid negotiations. He softened the stance a little yesterday, but didn't imply that the Orioles suddenly were in pursuit.

"The thing with Bautista is, I was just trying to make it clear to his agent that I didn't want the Orioles in that conversation because I didn't want the fans being upset that we were out there trying to bring Jose Bautista here after we had competed against him for 25 games a year for the last six or seven years," Duquette said.

"So, anyway, that kind of got blown out of proportion, but we are always interested in the market at this time of year. There's some good value in it and we've got a few more things to do to get our team ready going into spring training camp, so we're still interested in a number of players that are on the market. We'll have to wait and see if there's a match."

My interpretation is that Duquette wants to leave the door cracked on Bautista as the price plummets - pillow contracts help him sleep comfortably at night - but the slugger comes with a draft pick attached to him, along with the baggage. The Orioles value the one attached to Trumbo. Would they, in turn, be willing to lose one for a season of Bautista?

I can see the appeal of having Bautista for one season as the primary designated hitter. He's still got power and he posted a .366 on-base percentage last season, right around his career mark of .368.

I'd also love to add a Jose Bautista-Darren O'Day bobblehead to my collection.

Meanwhile, I'm in Sarasota this week for the annual minicamp at the Ed Smith Stadium complex. It's sort of an appetizer for spring training.

It's a chilled app. Temperatures were in the 40s when I flew into Tampa on Saturday night, making for a brisk walk to my rental car. No snow or ice, but still uncomfortable.

Temperatures are supposed to rise into the 60s today and 70s on Tuesday and Wednesday. Don't cry for me, Baltimore.

The importance of this year's minicamp is tied to new pitching coach Roger McDowell getting acquainted with some of the young arms, plus whichever veterans decide to show up uninvited. Mychal Givens lives in Tampa and figures to make the trip. Chris Tillman and Zach Britton live in Sarasota.

Bullpen coach Alan Mills knows most of these guys from his days as Double-A Bowie bullpen coach and spring training guest instructor, but he may as well join in on the bonding.

Outfielder Joey Rickard may be the most interesting player at minicamp because he's recovering from a torn ligament in his right thumb and the Orioles are counting on him to be full-go in spring training. He hasn't needed surgery, but the club wants to check him.

The Orioles want to learn more about top catching prospect Chance Sisco, tabbed as Matt Wieters' eventual successor. And they want to check on left-hander Chris Lee, who may have made his major league debut over the summer if not for a lat/shoulder injury at Bowie. Let's not forget about this guy.

Kevin Gausman won't be at minicamp, his arrival into Sarasota coming next month when pitchers and catchers report to spring training. He plans on making some adjustments to his routine in order to stave off a recurrence of the shoulder tendinitis that forced him onto the disabled list last year and delayed his first start until April 25.

"You try to do as much as you can to prevent it," Gausman said last week on the "Hot Stove Show" on 105.7 The Fan. "One of the things I'm going to try to do this year, because it was the most innings I've ever thrown, is just kind of being a little bit smarter in my bullpens early on in spring training. I think I'm starting to get a little bit smarter. I say just a little bit. I guess that comes with age.

"I think the first time we go out on the mounds in spring training and there's cameras and photographers and all the media out there, you can get a little jacked up and kind of let it go a little more than maybe you should. I think maybe it's just something that, I kind of threw too much the last couple years in spring training and my arm kind of told me that it was too much, so it's just about trying to figure out how much I need to be throwing and how much I need to not be throwing in that point at spring training.

"I think it's just about being smarter and taking better care of myself."

All we kept hearing last winter, and I contributed to it, was how Gausman needed to "take the next step." Did he do it last year? And what about that next step in 2017?

"I think I've shown that I have the ability to have success and I also think confidence is a big thing," he said. "When you're pitching well, it carries over. I think sometimes you can get stuck in a trap of having a couple bad games in a row and kind of letting it get to you, but it's just about trying to figure out what the next step in my development is.

"Just being out there you learn so much, so it's great to have had 30 starts last year and that's something I'm very proud of. Now the key thing is being healthy the whole season. I almost had 180 innings, so I feel like if I had four more starts or even a couple more, I think I would have had a chance toward that 200 mark. And as a starting pitcher that's what you're trying to get to. That's when you're as consistent as you can get."

More on the Seth Smith-Yovani Gallardo trade: I've heard that the Orioles aren't saving $4 million this year. It's spread over three years.

The 2017 savings is around $1 million.