Cruz receives qualifying offer

Cruz receives qualifying offer
The Orioles made the expected move this afternoon and extended a $15.3 million qualifying offer to outfielder Nelson Cruz. The deadline was 5 p.m. Cruz will turn it down, of course, and continue to seek a four- or five-year deal in free agency. The Orioles will continue to negotiate with his agent, Diego Bentz of Relativity Sports, but so can every other team. The Orioles will receive a compensatory draft pick at the end of the first round if Cruz signs with another club. The qualifying offer...

Will Orioles try to add another starter?

Will Orioles try to add another starter?
The Orioles were determined to sign a starting pitcher last winter and ended up with three after reporting to spring training, reaching agreements with Suk-min Yoon, Ubaldo Jimenez and Johan Santana. They also kept checking on Ervin Santana before the Braves struck a deal. They previously made offers to A.J. Burnett, Bronson Arroyo and Gavin Floyd, rotation depth being a priority in the warehouse. Yoon and Johan Santana never made it to Baltimore. Yoon went 4-8 with a 5.74 ERA in 23 games at...

Catching up on Hundley and Markakis

Catching up on Hundley and Markakis
The Orioles are determined to make some sort of a move each day until pitchers and catchers report to spring training. They may slow down on Thanksgiving, probably from the tryptophan in the turkey. Otherwise ... With Nick Hundley becoming a free agent over the weekend, the Orioles are left with four catchers on their 40-man roster. I'm including Matt Wieters, who will come off the 60-day disabled list to join Caleb Joseph, Steve Clevenger and Michael Ohlman. Ohlman batted .236/.310/.318 in...

Orioles announce decision on Hundley option

Orioles announce decision on Hundley option
The other shoe dropped tonight. The Orioles just confirmed that they declined the $5 million option on Nick Hundley's contract, making the veteran catcher a free agent. Hundley made $4 million this season while batting .233/.273/.352 with four doubles, five home runs and 19 RBIs in 50 games with the Orioles. He threw out 5 of 27 (19 percent) runners attempting to steal after going 0-for-9 with the Padres. I've heard that the Orioles would like to re-sign Hundley at a lesser cost, though they...

Taking another look at Orioles' arbitration-eligible players

Taking another look at Orioles' arbitration-eligible players
Pitcher Max Scherzer, the 2013 Cy Young Award winner, is a free agent after turning down the Tigers' offer of a six-year, $144 million extension in March. They made a qualifying offer to him yesterday, which he's also going to toss away like circus peanuts in a Halloween bag. I mention it only as a pre-emptive strike against fans and media who try to connect the Orioles to him. They're not going to spend that kind of money. They're not in his neighborhood. They won't try to talk their way...

Orioles make Markakis decision official

Orioles make Markakis decision official
The Orioles sent out a release tonight confirming that they declined their portion of the mutual option on right fielder Nick Markakis' contract. The club will pay a $2 million buyout rather than the $17.5 million option. The Orioles now have 32 players on their 40-man roster. They still haven't confirmed that they're also declining the $5 million option on catcher Nick Hundley's contract. Markakis, the seventh overall pick in the 2003 First-Year Player Draft, batted .276/.342/.386 with...

Orioles claim McCoy off waivers

Orioles claim McCoy off waivers
The Orioles claimed left-handed reliever Patrick McCoy off waivers from the Tigers earlier today. McCoy, 26, appeared in 14 games with the Tigers as a rookie this season and allowed six runs and 21 hits in 14 innings for a 3.86 ERA. He walked 13 batters and struck out 11. His walk-to-strikeout ratio was much better in the minors, where he went 1-0 with a 3.95 ERA in nine games at Double-A Erie and 2-0 with a 2.59 ERA in 21 games at Triple-A Toledo. McCoy walked nine and struck out 34 over 45...

Candy, bad pizza and more baseball for breakfast

Candy, bad pizza and more baseball for breakfast
If you're wondering how you'll recognize me tonight on Halloween, I'll be dressed again as a guy sitting on his front steps handing out candy. The cigar and cocktail are only props. I'm not big on sweets, but it's a photo finish between Almond Joy and Snickers for my favorite candy bar. I also can be enticed by peanut M&Ms if the mood strikes me. Do parents still hand out apples and popcorn balls, or am I showing my age? The world's a dangerous place now and they'd end up in the...

Orioles pick up options on Chen and O'Day (updated)

Orioles pick up options on Chen and O'Day (updated)
The Orioles didn't pull any surprises today while determining which options would be picked up for the 2015 season. The club will exercise the $4.75 million option on left-hander Wei-Yin Chen's contract and the $4.25 million option on reliever Darren O'Day's contract. It declined the $17.5 million option on right fielder Nick Markakis and the $5 million option on catcher Nick Hundley, making both players free agents. Markakis receives a $2 million buyout. Meanwhile, the Orioles are...

Seven Orioles included on list of current free agents

Seven Orioles included on list of current free agents
Free agency officially began this morning with 121 players becoming eligible to hit the market. They may negotiate with other teams beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Nov. 4. This is only a partial list. Another 32 players may be eligible for free agency pending the option provisions in their contracts. For example, the Royals aren't expected to pick up the $12.5 million option on Billy Butler's contract. If you don't mind a full-time designated hitter, he's your guy. The Orioles currently have...

Time to stock the shelves in the free agent market

Time to stock the shelves in the free agent market
The World Series has finally come to an end, with Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner flushing the Royals in Game 7 while carrying an entire team on his back. Don't try it at home. My rooting interest was having seven close games with lots of late-inning drama. Most of them were blowouts, but not last night's finale. A World Series Game 7 has got to be the finest event in sports. As long as the Orioles aren't playing the Pirates, of course. Too soon. And I'm still talking about...

Orioles outright Meek

Orioles outright Meek
The Orioles cleared another spot on their 40-man roster this afternoon by outrighting reliever Evan Meek to Triple-A Norfolk. Meek, who signed a minor league deal with the Orioles in February following a tryout at Camden Yards during FanFest, cleared waivers before coming off the roster. He can refuse the assignment and become a free agent. Meek, 31, went 0-4 with a 5.79 ERA in 23 1/3 innings over 23 games with the Orioles and 2-0 with a 1.94 ERA and 16 saves in 41 2/3 innings over 39 games...

Will Young be too restless to remain with Orioles?

Will Young be too restless to remain with Orioles?
If the Orioles want to hold onto pending free agent Delmon Young, they need to hope that another team doesn't promise him regular playing time. Or they could try to find it for him. Either way, Young isn't looking for another part-time role where his greatest contribution comes off the bench. He's not interested in repeating as one of baseball's better bargains. "I'm sure Delmon would love to play every day and we hope we can find that opportunity for him," said Young's representative,...

Taking a look at three possible reunions

Taking a look at three possible reunions
While the Orioles continue negotiations to sign right fielder Nick Markakis to an extension and discuss which arbitration-eligible players may be non-tendered at the deadline, they also must figure out whether to bring back three former players who gladly would take part in a reunion. Outfielder Nolan Reimold already elected free agency earlier this month after appearing in seven games with the Diamondbacks, his third organization in 2014, and relievers Koji Uehara and Jim Johnson will hit the...

Two Orioles prospects named to AFL showcase game

Two Orioles prospects named to AFL showcase game
Right-hander Parker Bridwell and catcher Michael Ohlman have been chosen to the Arizona Fall League's Fall Stars Game, to be played Nov. 1 in Scottsdale. Bridwell and Ohlman will play for the West Division team. Triple-A Norfolk's Mike Griffin will be the club's co-pitching coach. The game will air on MLB Network at 8:08 p.m. Eastern time. The Orioles must decide whether to protect Bridwell, 23, in the Rule 5 draft after he went 7-10 with a 4.45 ERA in 26 starts at Single-A Frederick....

This and that

This and that
The Giants had must-win games in the World Series the past two nights, and they won. Going back to Kansas City doesn't seem quite as daunting when you're up 3-2. And imagine if they could squeeze another start out of Madison Bumgarner. I'd find a way. Bumgarner is an absolute stud, one who's truly worthy of the "Big Game" moniker. He certainly was worth the 10th overall pick in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft. The nine players chosen before him? David Price (Rays), Mike Moustakas...

Showalter: "I don't want anybody to be satisfied"

Showalter: "I don't want anybody to be satisfied"
If you're still hurting over the Orioles being swept by the Royals in the American League Championship Series, manager Buck Showalter feels your pain. It's fine to appreciate what the Orioles accomplished in 2014 - the American League East title, the sweep in the Division Series - but the bar finally has been raised in Baltimore. "I don't want anybody to be satisfied," Showalter said yesterday after calling into "Wall to Wall Baseball" on MASN. "I want everybody to hold us to a high...

Orioles working on their 40-man moves

Orioles working on their 40-man moves
The Orioles began the process of clearing room on their 40-man roster yesterday by outrighting pitcher Steve Johnson to Triple-A Norfolk. Johnson will become a free agent after the World Series and must decide whether to sign a minor league deal or change organizations. Don't jump to the conclusion that the Orioles are about to make a bold move to fill the spot. This is routine roster maintenance in the offseason. The Orioles need to protect some minor leaguers in the Rule 5 draft,...

Steve Johnson on being outrighted: "Obviously, it's a business move"

Steve Johnson on being outrighted: "Obviously, it's a business move"
Steve Johnson said he's going to speak with his agent and weigh his options before deciding whether to re-sign with the Orioles, who outrighted him today to Triple-A Norfolk after he cleared waivers. Johnson can refuse the assignment because he's been outrighted previously, but it's a moot point. He's eligible for free agency after the World Series due to his service time. "Either way, it doesn't matter," said Johnson, who is recovering from surgery last month to shave down a bone spur...

Steve Johnson outrighted to Norfolk (updated)

Steve Johnson outrighted to Norfolk (updated)
The Orioles have outrighted pitcher Steve Johnson to Triple-A Norfolk, removing him from the 40-man roster. Johnson, 26, was 0-3 with a 6.23 ERA in 17 starts between Norfolk (13 starts), short-season Single-A Aberdeen (three) and the Gulf Coast Orioles (one). He went on the disabled list with inflammation in his right shoulder and underwent surgery on Sept. 24 to shave down a bone spur behind the shoulder. The spur affected his control, as he averaged 7.2 walks per nine innings in the...