This, that and the other

The Orioles began their offseason with eight players eligible for arbitration, but the class has been whittled to six. Infielder Pat Valaika and catcher Pedro Severino passed through waivers and were outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk, setting up their plunges into free agency.

MLBTradeRumors.com projected that Valaika would earn $1.3 million next season and Severino $3.1 million. For a team needing to clear substantial space on the 40-man roster, these were easy calls to make.

Left among the arbitration guys, along with their projections, are Trey Mancini ($7.9 million), Anthony Santander ($3.7 million), John Means ($3.1 million), Jorge López ($1.5 million), Paul Fry ($1.1 million) and Tanner Scott ($1 million).

Teams must offer contracts to their unsigned players by Dec. 2 under the current collective bargaining agreement. The exchange of salary arbitration figures between clubs and agents is Jan. 14, with hearings held between Jan. 31-Feb. 18 if agreements aren't reached.

Again, under the current CBA. Anything goes after Dec. 1.

The Orioles aren't involved in the process of making qualifying offers to their free agents. Matt Harvey and Fernando Abad won't get that kind of money.

Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias has done more than roll up his sleeves while attacking the 40-man roster. He tore them off at the seams.

Remember when the roster was full? Well, it's down to 27 players in short order.

The Orioles don't need to reinstate Travis Lakins Sr. and Hunter Harvey from the 60-day injured list. Lakins was outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk and the Giants claimed Harvey off waivers.

The Diamondbacks claimed reliever Zack Burdi off waivers Oct. 14. The Orioles announced on Oct. 25 that Valaika, pitchers Thomas Eshelman and Konner Wade and catcher Austin Wynns cleared outright waivers and elected free agency. On Wednesday, news broke that Severino and pitchers Conner Greene and Marcos Diplán also were outrighted and chose free agency, and the Pirates claimed reliever Eric Hanhold.

Catcher Nick Ciuffo and pitcher Spenser Watkins cleared waivers Friday and were outrighted to Norfolk. Pitcher Chris Ellis also cleared and elected free agency.

There's room for the Orioles to reinstate pitchers Keegan Akin and López, infielder Jorge Mateo and outfielder DJ Stewart from the 60-day injured list and still have nine openings on the 40-man. They can protect a bunch of players from the Rule 5 draft - four seem guaranteed and maybe they go as high as six - and still have room to select a few from other organizations.

Of course, there also must be the flexibility to sign players to major league contracts. The Orioles are in the market for starting pitching, an infielder or two and a couple of catchers. They may want to check on affordable relievers, with recent moves thinning out the herd.

They seem pretty set in the outfield, especially if Stewart stays, but could seek a veteran on a minor league deal with a spring training invite.

* Three position players were used in emergency relief this year and none of them are currently in the organization.

Valaika pitched in two games, Wynns one and infielder/outfielder Stevie Wilkerson one.

And so I ask, who's the emergency reliever in 2022?

Perhaps it's a player who hasn't been signed or claimed, like catcher Jesús Sucre in 2019.

* Outfielder Colton Cowser, the first-round pick this summer, is getting in more work at the fall instructional league camp in Sarasota, Fla.

Cowser, chosen fifth overall, couldn't have made a better impression after slashing .375/.490/.492 in 32 games between the Rookie-level Florida Complex League and Single-A Delmarva. He had eight doubles, two home runs and 34 RBIs, drew 25 walks and struck out 23 times in 149 plate appearances.

Pretty much as advertised.

"It's been pretty crazy whenever I sit down and actually think about it, but I hadn't really had the chance to do that until about the three- to four-week period when we had off before we came out to camp," he said during Friday's Zoom call. "I'm really grateful and blessed to be in the position I'm in."

Cowser batted .354/.460/.608 in three seasons at Sam Houston State and also had more walks (76) than strikeouts (70). But he entered the Orioles organization seeking ways to further grow his game.

"This year kind of introduced me to some of those things," he said. "I think the pace of the game, it's a little different than college. It's more routine-based, it's more on your own. You're playing every day pretty much, so it's kind of on you to adjust and get your business done, and I think that this little shortened season kind of helped me do that and get into a good routine and do all those things."

Cowser is busy now with conditioning drills, much of his time spent in the weight room to increase strength and improve movement. Trying to get "stronger and more explosive," he said, in order to enhance his power numbers.

* The Orioles had five players with an OPS of .845 or more at home in a minimum of 25 at-bats, but none on the road.

Cedric Mullins: .959 home, .793 road
Ryan Mountcastle: .871 home, .713 road
Mancini: .853 home, .660 road
Austin Hays: .852 home, .693 road
Santander: .849 home, .609 road

Oooooweeee, what's up with that? What's up with that?

(If that song doesn't get stuck in your head, I failed miserably at my job.)

* Means registered a 1.030 WHIP this season in 146 2/3 innings.

Did you know it's the third-lowest in team history for a pitcher with a minimum of 120 innings? All of them left-handers, by the way.

Dave McNally holds the club record at 0.842 in 273 innings in 1968. Mike Cuellar is next at 1.005 in 290 2/3 innings in 1969.

Can Means pass one or both in 2022?