Steve Melewski ‏@masnSteve

Adam Jones wins the AL Gold Glove for CFers, upsets Trout.



Roch Kubatko ‏@masnRoch

Wieters wins his second Gold Glove - School of Roch: Orioles catcher Matt Wieters has won his second consecutive.

Baltimore Orioles ‏@Orioles

#Orioles SS J.J. Hardy, CF Adam Jones & CA Matt Wieters have each won a 2012 Rawlings Gold Glove at their respective positions!


wow 3 O's

ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 31 (L-R) Ian Kinsler #5 and Josh Hamilton #32 of the Texas Rangers talk as they walk out to the field after Hamilton struck out to end the bottom of the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles during the American League Wild Card playoff game at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on October 5, 2012 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

It's only window dressing when folks say there's a chance the Texas Rangers will bring back free agent outfielder Josh Hamilton. He's not coming back to Arlington. The chances are like one in a million, and on, Jim Carrey (Lloyd Christmas), that doesn't mean there's a chance.

So the speculation since October started has been where will Hamilton end up next. Pretty much since the day he dropped that fly ball in Oakland, it's been a slam dunk he wasn't returning. So where could he end up? How about Baltimore.

The Orioles were already a favorite to land the free agent slugger, and they made things a little more likely this week when they declined an $11 million option on corner infielder Mark Reynolds, a slugger who likes to strike out and take walks.

So what's that mean for Hamilton? It means former Rangers first baseman Chris Davis will probably move to first permanently from the outfield after a breakout season and open up an outfield spot for Hamilton to slide into, pairing him with Adam Jones and Nick Markakis in the Orioles' outfield. That's not a bad outfield at all, in case you were wondering.

It makes total sense for the Orioles now, who had money to spend, but now have even more. They want to make a splash and prove 2012 wasn't a fluke, as they took the New York Yankees to the final days of the season in the AL East race before beating the Rangers in the AL Wild Card Game.

Orioles claim Alexi Casilla from Twins
https://twitter.com/danconnollysun/s...42228028628992



Love this move

Source: Josh Hamilton, Cody Ross on Orioles’ list
2 hours ago by JonPaulMorosi

The Baltimore Orioles aren’t content with being one of baseball’s most surprising stories of 2012. This winter, they plan to pursue the biggest free-agent hitter: Josh Hamilton.

Hamilton is on the Orioles’ list of targets for left field, according to a source with knowledge of the organization’s plans. Hamilton has started more games in left field than center over the past three seasons, and the Orioles have an opening there now that Nate McLouth has become a free agent.

Baltimore also has some interest in free-agent outfielder Cody Ross, the source said. Ross would be a cheaper option than Hamilton and had success in the American League East with the Boston Red Sox this year.

The Orioles wouldn’t need Hamilton to play center field, as Adam Jones is coming off a season in which he won a Gold Glove while starting 161 games there. Baltimore’s internal options to play left field include Nolan Reimold, Xavier Avery and L.J. Hoes. Reimold, this year’s Opening Day left fielder, is the most experienced of the group, but he played only 16 games before undergoing season-ending surgery to repair a herniated disk in his neck. So it appears likely the Orioles will add a left fielder this offseason, one way or the other.

Statistically, the 31-year-old Hamilton is top position player available on the open market. Over the past three years with the Texas Rangers, he has averaged a .952 OPS, 33 home runs and 107 RBI. But questions persist about his long-term durability, given his injury history and struggles with addiction. In the past, Orioles owner Peter Angelos has emphasized the importance of clean medical records and personal conduct before acquiring players.

John Perrotto of Baseball Prospectus reported recently that Hamilton’s asking price is seven years and $175 million. The Orioles might have difficulty signing Hamilton if the bidding reaches that neighborhood. This year, the team’s Opening Day payroll was between $80 million and $85 million.

— Jon Paul Morosi

Good luck outbidding some of the big money teams.

Roch Kubatko ‏@masnRoch

Mariners announce they've acquired Robert Andino from #orioles for OF Trayvon Robinson

Baltimore Orioles ‏@Orioles

The Orioles have acquired INF Danny Valencia from the Red Sox in exchange for cash considerations. INF Joe Mahoney has been DFA.

Baltimore Orioles ‏@Orioles

The Orioles have agreed to terms on contracts for 2013 with INF Alexi Casilla, OF Steve Pearce and CA Taylor Teagarden.



Baltimore Orioles ‏@Orioles

The Orioles have acquired INF Yamaico Navarro from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for minor league RHP Jhondaniel Medina.

Brittany Ghiroli ‏@Britt_Ghiroli

Mark Reynolds has been non-tendered.

OK, does this mean he's a free agent now?

Yup we have a huge hole at first now.

I really liked Reynolds over there, just as much as I hated him at 3B. I think guys like Machado could make plays and just let it fly because they knew Reynolds would scoop it. A few of those throws end up in the dugout next year, the guys are going to get tentative about letting the ball go.

Next week is key i think Dan has a couple of moves.

Schmuck predicts the payroll will be around $100 million

There's a pretty good chance the Orioles' payroll will be above $100 million by the end of the team's last arbitration hearing in February.

The Orioles are facing the only downside to developing a broad base of young major league talent. They entered this offseason with the highest number of arbitration-eligible players in the major leagues at the same time that top stars Nick Markakis and Adam Jones are due multi-million-dollar raises under their long-term contracts.

Markakis will get a $3 million bump to $15 million in 2013 and Jones will get a $2.35 million raise in the first year of his six-year contract extension, but that's just the beginning. Matt Wieters and Jim Johnson are both up for big raises in arbitration, as are Jason Hammel and Chris Davis. Throw in a $750,000 raise for Wilson Betemit and arbitration increases for Darren O'Day, Tommy Hunter, Brian Matusz, Troy Patton and Nolan Reimold and estimates range as high as $24 million in increased payroll without adding any big-dollar players from outside the organization.

The payroll space created by subtracting Reynolds' 2012 salary and those of other departed players (most notably reliever Kevin Gregg) still leaves the Orioles with an estimated payroll increase of more than $10 million before anybody starts talking about what it would cost to re-sign free agent outfielder Nate McLouth or pitcher Joe Saunders.

If the Orioles sign one of those two at a reasonable price, it would put the team very close to $100 million in payroll, which probably is the club's salary budget. It is, after all, kind of a big round number.

That would explain why Reynolds didn't fit, but it might not satisfy the masses if the club fails to make any significant improvements during the winter. If ever there was a time to justify pulling an additional $10 million or so out of the improving revenue stream (on top of that organic increase), this would appear to be it.

The other explanation, of course, might be that Duquette has big plans for the Winter Meetings, which are about to begin in Nashville. He's got pitching to trade and there are teams out there with bats to sell.