Orioles president Andy MacPhail reiterated today that extending the contracts of second baseman Brian Roberts and outfielder Nick Markakis is among the organization's offseason priorities and the team has talked "generalities" with the agents of the two players.

"I would say we're still in the initial contact phase, but there have been conversations as it relates to both players," MacPhail said. "We have plenty of time to talk to the two of them, but it's not a horse race. It's not one over the other or one ahead of the other. We're interested in talking to them both."

"When you talk about an extension in good faith, you ought to follow through on the extension talk first," MacPhail said. "I don't think you talk extension to trade him."

First off, I hope Markakis will get his extension soon as possible. But to me it sounds like McPhail isn't as high on trading Roberts this season as last.