Perhaps only a lockout could keep the Orioles from making what seems now almost daily changes to their 40-man roster. Yesterday began with the club holding 40 players on the 40-man. It ended with them at 38 after tendering contracts and/or reaching agreements with all six of their remaining arbitration-eligible players. No one was non-tendered. No one was traded. The Orioles have also signed infielder Rougned Odor, 27, to a one-year contract and outrighted infielder Richie Martin to Triple-A....

Now, it's back to work for the Orioles. A league-mandated off-day is followed this morning by a workout at Sarasota and flight to Boston for Thursday's opener at Fenway Park. Some pitchers will throw. Some hitters will hit. Anthony Santander apparently won't have to convince the Orioles that his oblique is fine and his status on the active roster is unaffected. He's taken more swings this week, getting dozens of at-bats, and is definitely on the opening day roster. Could an outsider crash...

The minor soreness in Anthony Santander's side is beginning to feel like the slight tweak of DJ Stewart's hamstring. As the late Joe Strauss used to tell me after we joined The Baltimore Sun baseball beat in 1997, never underwrite or downplay an injury. Of course, that also leads to overwriting an actual day-to-day situation, but it's the risk you take. Stewart won't be ready for opening day because he hasn't played since March 5 and accumulated only eight at-bats. We're just waiting for...

SAN DIEGO - The Nationals are in need of a second baseman, and you can expect them to be linked to just about every available player at the position during the Winter Meetings. That's how baseball's mid-winter gathering works: need plus availability equals instant rumor. So you're going to hear a lot over the next few days about guys who Nats general manager Mike Rizzo might be interested in acquiring. We won't dignify every rumor by reporting it; a lot of media types throw names out en...