What he would be doing if there were no strike: Hoiles, who turns 30 next month, would be preparing for his fifth season as the Orioles' primary catcher. If and when the strike ends, he is expected to sign a five-year, $17.5 million deal.
Where he is instead: Hoiles is in Wayne, Ohio, living adjacent to his father's farm.
How he's filling his time: Hoiles occasionally travels to Milwaukee to see his in-laws with his wife Dana, and this past weekend he flew to Rochester, N.Y., for a charity event. When he's home, Hoiles takes batting practice in a cage built at his home -- swinging against an "Iron Mike" pitching machine -- and lifts weights and pedals a stationary bike.
What he's doing when he's not working out: Hoiles sometimes works on his father's farm.
The last time he wasn't playing baseball in spring: "Wow, you'd have to go back to high school. I would still be playing basketball this time of year [for the Elmwood High Royals]. Power forward. I wasn't blessed with that much leaping ability, but I could box out."
How he's handling the wait: "It's tough, being here and knowing people are down there working out. It's really tough."
When he thinks the strike will end: "It's hard to say, but what I've been saying is that it will end in the beginning of March. I'm hoping it ends sooner than that. We'll see what happens this week, if they get back to negotiating. . . . Hopefully, we'll get [the owners] back to the table."