The Orioles are talking to Joe Crede (above) - a curious development given they already have two right-handed-hitting third basemen in Ty Wigginton and Garrett Atkins and a solid DH option in Luke Scott. They're trying to move their surplus for relief pitching. … The Rangers' signing of Colby Lewis was fascinating. Lewis pitched great for two years in Japan after failing to establish himself as a Rangers prospect and now returns with a two-year guarantee to start. This means Neftali Feliz will continue to use his front-of-the-rotation stuff out of the bullpen. … The Rangers studied Jermaine Dye hard before signing the more rapidly fading Vladimir Guerrero as a designated hitter. Dye is talking to the Padres, but can he really cover enough ground to be a regular at spacious Petco Park? He and the massive Kyle Blanks would give manager Bud Black two first-base alternatives if GM JedHoyer opted to trade Adrian Gonzalez at midseason. … The Phillies are taking former White Sox reliever Ehren Wassermann to camp. Brad Lidge's knee surgery could help him win a job out of spring training. … Carlos Beltran's poorly timed surgery is the latest blow for Mets GM Omar Minaya, who has failed to add any certainty to the iffy rotation behind Johan Santana. … Why do teams hate the arbitration process? The Diamondbacks' Conor Jackson is getting a raise after hitting .182 in 2009.