The Rule 5 draft, one of the last official activities at baseball's annual winter meetings, takes place here at the meetings on Thursday morning. The teams select in the order they will in next June's draft, meaning the O's will have the 4th selection. They do not have to pick and, as most know, any player taken in the major league phase of the draft must stay on the selecting team's 25-man big league roster all year or be placed through waivers and then offered back to his original team....

The Orioles are still trying to work out a trade for Twins shortstop J.J. Hardy.There's also a feeling here that the Cardinals could move shortstop Brendan Ryan later tonight. In case you hadn't heard, the Orioles need a shortstop. The Padres no longer are in the running for Ryan after acquiring Jason Bartlett from the Rays earlier today. The Orioles and Pirates could end up splitting the remaining candidates. President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail told reporters around 6 p.m. that...

In the last 24 hours or so, two first basemen have come off the free agent board as Paul Konerko re-signed with the Chicago White Sox and Carlos Pena joined the Cubs on a one-year deal. The Orioles got neither and despite reports where Pena himself said the Orioles made him an offer, O's president Andy MacPhail said the club never offered a contract to either player. Is MacPhail surprised that Pena said the O's made him an offer? "I think it happened with (Matt) Holliday last year, if...

President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail told reporters tonight that he never made an offer to free-agent first basemen Carlos Pena or Paul Konerko. MacPhail met with their respective agents, but he insisted that no offers followed those discussions. He knew after one conversation that Konerko wasn't leaving Chicago. Pena told a few reporters earlier today that the Orioles made an offer, but agent Scott Boras passed that information to him. MacPhail said he met with Boras once here,...

He was once a manager in the Orioles farm system and, as of a few weeks ago, Dave Trembley was almost back in the O's organization. Trembley confirmed today that the Orioles offered him a job managing in their minor leagues for next season. He thought about it, but got an offer from Atlanta and recently accepted a position as the Braves' minor league field coordinater/coordinater of instruction, where he will work with all their minor league managers, players and teams. Trembley said June...

At least one reporter seems to think so. Click here for the tweet. At least the O's are trying, some would debate the degree and level of that, but they might be one of the leaders for rumors generated in the last few days here at the winter meetings.

Following word that trade talks for Jason Barlett were "dead," the Orioles are trying to finalize a deal with Twins shortstop J.J. Hardy. Backing a report in The Sun, an industry source confirmed that the Orioles are engaged in serious talks for Hardy, though a deal might not be completed today. You know how easily these things can fall apart, so don't get your hopes up until it's final. At least Nolan Reimold's name hasn't come up in talks. Hardy hit 50 home runs with the Brewers...

It seems to happen just about every year at the baseball winter meetings: Agent Scott Boras talks in a hallway and dozens of reporters jockey for position to try and hear the interview and get close enough to ask a question or two. This time, I got close enough to hear an answer or two of three. He didn't cover anything specifically on the Orioles in the time I was there, but MASNSports.com's Jen Royle did talk to Carlos Pena, who said the O's did offer him a deal and seemed open to...

We have conflicting reports on whether the Nationals have reached agreement with first baseman Adam LaRoche. One tweet says it sounds like LaRoche is headed to D.C. Another one says nothing is imminent and "not at all a lock." The Orioles can only hope that the second report is more accurate. They've expressed interest in LaRoche every winter since his T-ball days. Their choices are dwindling this winter, with LaRoche and Derrek Lee the most desirable options left on the free agent...

Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail met again this morning with the representative for closer Koji Uehara. It's believed that the Orioles remain Uehara's first choice. The right-hander would prefer a two-year deal. If I'm the Orioles, I'd be a lot more comfortable with one year, heavy in incentives, plus a club option.