zack greinke

There are important moves to be made and the lingering uncertainty of the Chris Davis situation seems — to a certain extent — to be holding the Orioles hostage as baseball front offices prepare to reopen after the holidays. No one in a position of authority is going to come right out and say that, of course. Dan Duquette said Saturday that the club is "maintaining a dialogue with the free agents we are interested in."

The Orioles had a few meetings with agents and clubs late Sunday after arriving at the Winter Meetings at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center, but their efforts to land players really begin today with the meeting¿s official first day.

When the Orioles traded Jake Arrieta to the Chicago Cubs on July of 2013, he was toiling in Triple-A , still struggling to fulfill tremendous expectations placed on both him by both the club and himself since he had been anointed one of the promising young home-grown arms destined to bring the Orioles back to respectability.

Mike Trout flashed the skill that puts him at the front of baseball's new generation, just moments after four of the all-time greats walked off the field.

It is talked about enough that we should probably call it The Trade, capital letters, and the impact of acquiring James Shields and Wade Davis is obvious to anyone who watches this team.

Designated hitter Nelson Cruz and center fielder Adam Jones, the Orioles' two representatives who played in the All-Star Game on Tuesday at Target Field in Minneapolis, had similar results in each of their two at-bats during the annual event.

The Orioles were well represented Friday when finalists for this season's AL Gold Glove awards were named.

Fifteen of the 27 pitchers to start a division series game this year were developed by their current organization.

Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman might not be the biggest name in pitching in the major leagues right now, but his performance over the past two seasons ranks among the best.

While the Orioles aren¿t actively pursuing additional starting pitching, it didn¿t stop them from scouting right-handed veteran pitcher Aaron Harang in Los Angeles Dodgers camp on Monday in Phoenix.

What I want from you is one name -- the one player you think the Orioles will end up with when all of the offseason dust settles. I can¿t imagine they land a Josh Hamilton or Zack Greinke, but if you disagree, then go ahead and make that your choice.

The Orioles head into free agency — which starts in earnest Saturday with free agents permitted to negotiate with all 30 teams for the first time this offseason — in a much different situation than this time last year. Executive vice president Dan Duquette is not only in place as club's decision-maker, but he seems to be established as a man with a plan.

As you settle down to watch an American League Championship Series without the Orioles and you wonder whether the O¿s will ever go after a bona fide ace pitcher among the likes of CC Sabathia or Justin Verlander, Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette has some news for you.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he doesn't pay attention to the standings until August. For the past 14 years, Orioles fans haven't had the need to, their team usually already long out of contention by this time of the year.

The Orioles weren't willing to give up what it would take to land Zack Greinke or Hanley Ramirez.

Daily Think Special: Who do you want at the trade deadline?

What some other media outlets are saying about the Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles' first-half statistics aren't pretty, but they hold one statistical trump card. The only one that really, truly matters right now: .529. That's the fifth best winning percentage in the American League.

With the non-waiver trade deadline coming at the end of the month, the Orioles are "going hard" after Milwaukee Brewers' Zack Greinke, according to an industry source.

I want to know what you think the Orioles¿ five-man rotation should be by, say, the start of the second half. I¿ll let you pick one guy out of the organization, but only one.

The San Francisco Giants placed former Oriole Aubrey Huff on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday, two days after he left the team because of an episode of anxiety.

Orioles notes on arbitration hearings, Edwin Jackson and Brooks Robinson

Right-handed pitcher Edwin Jackson, the best free agent remaining on the market, is much more likely to accept a one-year deal and test free agency again after the 2012 season than to ink a multi-year contract, according to an industry source.

Orioles: Notes on Edwin Jackson and Koji Uehara

Long a solid center fielder and one of baseball's best baserunners, Curtis Granderson has turned into a beast at the plate since working with New York Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long to rework his swing.

Yankees ace CC Sabathia, scheduled to pitch the Sunday before the break, won't be able to play in the All-Star Game