LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Day Two of the winter meetings has come and gone, and the Baltimore Orioles haven't yet pulled off a major deal.
On Tuesday, the Orioles were rumored to be near an agreement with free agent reliever Grant Balfour, but the team's executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette said that there was none.
"The speculation that we have a deal or are close to a deal, that's not accurate," Duquette said.
Baltimore is focused on getting a closer to replace the departed Jim Johnson. Balfour, who spent the last two years with Oakland, is a candidate. So is John Axford, who was nontendered by St. Louis.
"I don't know why there's so much speculation out there, maybe because we haven't been able to close a deal and sign a player," Duquette said.
Duquette said the team is also looking at starting pitchers and wants a left-handed hitting outfielder and perhaps a designated hitter. They have made an offer to a player, but not a closer.
"We're working on a couple of pitching options and hopefully we'll be able to do some good there," Duquette said. "We've got a good idea of what's available for us to sign."
He said he would like to sign a player before the winter meetings end on Thursday.
Chad Gaudin, a 30-year-old right-hander who has started and relieved for nine teams in his 11-year major league career, was linked with Baltimore on Tuesday.
Gaudin was 5-2 with a 3.06 ERA in 30 games for San Francisco in 2013.
Duquette said that he has not had any discussions at the winter meetings with Scott Boras, the agent for Chris Davis and Matt Wieters on extensions for the two.
"There's a time of the year to do that, and it's not right now," Duquette said.
SHOWALTER LIKES ROBERTS: Manager Buck Showalter said that he wouldn't mind having Brian Roberts back to play second base in 2014.
Duquette will think about second base after the winter meetings. For now, the Orioles have Ryan Flaherty, Jemile Weeks, who was acquired for Jim Johnson last week, and rookie Jonathan Schoop.
"In a perfect world, we'll see if it works for everybody. It's not always a perfect world. It's got to fit for him. There are some decisions that have to be made when people start exchanging salaries. I'm sure the conversations that need to be had will be had," Showalter said.
SAYING GOODBYE: Showalter was emotional last week in talking about his conversations with Johnson, who was traded to Oakland on Dec. 2.
He was also fond of Scott Feldman and Nate McLouth, who both signed elsewhere last Friday.
"I miss guys. I miss our players. At the end of the year, that's a tough conversation. I'm not very good at it," Showalter said.
REIMOLD HEALING: Showalter said that he has checked on Nolan Reimold with Brady Anderson, one of Duquette's top lieutenants who is at the winter meetings.
Reimold had his second neck surgery last July, and Anderson told Showalter that Reimold is ahead of last year.
Baltimore signed Reimold to a one-year, $1.025 million contract last week.
"In today's world, and I hate to say it publicly, but it's actually pretty cheap when you look at the going rate of things. If Nolan comes back 100 percent, we've got a pretty good deal," Showalter said. "He got injured diving into the stands trying to help his club win."
The Orioles admire how hard Reimold has worked to try and return from surgery. In the last two years, Reimold has played just 56 games.
ODDS AND ENDS: The Orioles officially announced the signing of right-handed pitcher Ryan Webb to a two-year contract. Webb passed his physical on Tuesday. He went 2-6 with a 2.91 ERA in 66 games with Miami last year. Webb is 13-15 with a 3.29 ERA in five seasons with San Diego and the Marlins.
Duquette said the team is researching players for Thursday's Rule 5 draft.
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