The turkey will be the star today in many households, but I’m more of a sides guy. They can make or break a meal.

Trading for or signing a starter the caliber of Corbin Burnes, if not actually him, would be baseball’s turkey. The same goes for a big right-handed bat.

Three more minor league signings on Monday were sides.

The Orioles didn’t make any bold moves last November, their final transaction of the month a minor league contract for left-hander Jakob Hernández. They claimed outfielder Sam Hilliard on waivers from the Braves and gave right-hander Adrian Heredia and left-hander Andy Tena minor league deals.

The most important business this month has involved restructuring the 40-man roster, with relievers Danny Coulombe and Jacob Webb unexpectedly entering free agency, and finalizing the coaching staff. Those are the primary sides. We’re talking stuffing, potatoes and casseroles. The minor league stuff, while necessary to build depth, is more like the relish tray.

The Orioles have removed three coaches from their staff. That’s one more than they did after winning 101 games and the division title in 2023, returning Chris Holt to an exclusive role as director of pitching, and dismissing assistant pitching coach Darren Holmes.

The trend continues of making changes under executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias and manager Brandon Hyde. They’ve been together for six seasons and the staff hasn’t stayed the same, though it came really close in 2023.

Hirings were made later than usually for the 2019 season after Hyde’s hiring a month earlier. You have a good memory if you can recite them. Only Tim Cossins remains as major league field coordinator/catching instructor, though he’s relocated from the dugout to the bullpen.

More emphasis was placed on experienced veterans like pitching coach Doug Brocail, hitting coach Don Long and first base coach/outfield instructor Arnie Beyeler. José Flores was named third base coach/infield instructor, replacing Bobby Dickerson after entire staff had been retained for 2018.

Howie Clark stayed as assistant hitting coach but was gone by 2020. John Wasdin was promoted to bullpen coach after spending the past two years as minor league pitching coordinator. José Hernández was major league coach, changed titles later, went back to this one and lasted until Friday.

When three teams that each won division titles and more than 100 games last year all lost in their first playoff series and went a combined 1-9 last October, the theory was that the long layoff was an issue.

This year three of the four division winners, teams that once again had five-day layoffs before opening their Division Series, won to advance to the League Championship Series.

In 2023, the 104-win Atlanta Braves and the 101-win Orioles and Dodgers went out quick in the postseason.

But this year three division winners - the Yankees, Dodgers and Guardians - are moving on. The Los Angeles Dodgers shut out San Diego in Game 4 and Game 5 to advance to face the Mets for the National League Championship. The American League series, which starts at Yankee Stadium on Monday, has New York versus Cleveland. 

So much for the theory that the five-day layoff is too much to overcome. That narrative was fun while it lasted. 

The conclusion of a baseball season often leads to major shakeups in coaching staffs, or at least some light jostling.

The Orioles didn’t find any reasons to make changes in 2023. They built a unit that worked for them. They weren’t going to authorize repairs if nothing broke.

Make a spirited run at the postseason and stand pat.

As I reported yesterday, Fredi González is back as bench coach, Chris Holt as pitching coach/director of pitching, Darren Holmes as assistant pitching coach, Ryan Fuller and Matt Borgschulte as co-hitting coaches, Tim Cossins as major league field coordinator/catching instructor, Anthony Sanders as first base coach/outfield instructor, Tony Mansolino as third base coach/infield instructor, and José Hernández as major league coach.

Pitching coach Doug Brocail and third base coach José Flores were replaced by Holt and Mansolino, respectively, after the truncated 2020 season. Holt already was employed as director of pitching. Mansolino came over from Cleveland’s organization.