Exciting times: international scouting kerfuffles! Disgraced sluggers! Nick Johnson. Fear not, friends: picthers and catchers report soon!

Baltimore Orioles beat Pleasanton's Brad Bergesen in salary arbitration - Inside Bay Area It's all in the game, Bergy.

Orioles will have two more scouts on pro assignments - chicagotribune.com Backtracking or all part of the plan?

Camden Depot: Cup of jO's: Joe Mahoney is Tall Yes he is, crawdaddy. Yes he is.

Ex-pitcher Oil Can Boyd admits to pitching while using cocaine - MLB - SI.com I am shocked. Shocked!

Podcast: Dirk Hayhurst talks about Italy, the reality of the big leagues and his new book | Big League Stew - Yahoo! Sports Return of the Garfoose!

Happy birthday to Cesar "Maximum" Izturis.

Local baseball governing body bans Baltimore's scouts after controversial signing | YONHAP NEWS
From now on the Orioles will have to find their Asian talents in places other than South Korea. Wow, they're salty. (h/t to Westie)

Orioles Trade Jeremy Guthrie to the Rockies | Dempsey's Army
DA weighs in with a well-reasoned analysis.

Camden Depot: Cup of jO's: 2012 Composite Orioles Prospect Rankings
An average of the rankings from multiple sources.

School of Roch: Orioles interested in Nick Johnson (updated)
The almost always injured Johnson would be a good guy to have stashed in the minors.

Sad news about Danny Clyburn yesterday. Clyburn played in the system in the ealry 90s and was shot in front of his home in South Carolina. The Cespedes saga appears to be nearing an end as the Cuban sensation is set to meet with the free-spending Marlins, though the Birds are apparently sending another scouting team South to check up on Cuban talent.

Former Orioles Player, Danny Clyburn Jr. Shot And Killed | SI Tracking Blog – R.I.P.

Latest On Yoenis Cespedes: MLB Rumors - MLBTradeRumors.com Marlins seem to be making a major push to get Cespedes.

Orioles planning another visit to scout Cespedes - baltimoresun.com Maybe Fred Ferreira can ink Soler?

KBO protest over Orioles poaching schoolboy pitcher - chicagotribune.com Not entirely sure what the ramifications are here (if there's a contract, can it be voided? future dealings in Korea?)

Amber Theoharis: Once again, O's opening day starter unknown Check the list of recent vintage Opening Day starters...ugh.

Orioles' organization preview, Top 20 Prospects | orioles.com: Another list, courtesy of mlb.com

On this day in 1999, for the first time in 25 years of hearings, an arbitration case was heard by a female.

Happy birthday, Felix PIe...you've still got a friend in Birdland!

How is everyone doing the morning after the Guthrie trade? Now that I've had a day to think about it, I'm not so steamed. Actually I am steamed, but not at the trade. If that really was the best offer for Guthrie, Dan Duquette did what he could do. The real fault lies with Andy MacPhail for not trading him when he had more value. Now, none of us knows what "more value" was, but it had to be more than what came in return for Guthrie yesterday. Wasn't it MacPhail himself who said he'd rather make a move too early than wait until it's too late?

Popular veteran Guthrie recalls his five season with O's after trade - baltimoresun.com
Quotes from Guthrie that we've pretty much all heard, but a few things from the new O's, Jason Hammel and Matt Lindstrom, as well.

Jeremy Guthrie Trade Reactions - MLBTradeRumors.com
MLBTR did a nice job rounding up some reactions on yesterday's trade.

Who Are You, Dan Duquette, and What Is Your Vision For Our Orioles? | The Loss Column
Unable to make sense of Duquette's moves so far, Neal wants to know what Duquette sees in the O's future.

Orioles Card "O" the Day: Jeremy Guthrie, 2011 Topps Diamond #321
Brotz says farewell to Guts.

Jason Hammel is Jeremy Guthrie | Camden Depot
"Young, cost-controlled talent would be preferable even if that talent had a low probability of being a difference maker."

Orioles Trade Jeremy Guthrie For Hammel, Lindstrom | Camden Crazies
Daniel's take on the trade along with some analysis on Hammel.

Hope everyone had a joyous Super Sunday and is weathering their Monday in a dignified fashion. Wait, was I just talking about the Super Bowl and dignity in the same sentence? Again? Yeesh.

A's, Orioles may have interest in Koji Uehara - MLB - Sporting News DD, don't let Brad Pitt outfox you on this one!

2012 projections: top 10 catchers | HardballTalk Nice offensive bump predicted for Matt Wieters here. Considered one of the best BEFORE factoring in for defense.

Camden Depot: What does Manny Ramirez offer the Orioles? Crawdaddy tries to sift through the garbage and make sense of it all.

On this day in 1895, Babe Ruth was born in Baltimore.

Short and sweet today, folks. Happy weekend!

School of Roch: Should Manny be Manny in Baltimore?
Roch says NO.

Oriole Rotation Projected to Improve | Dempsey's Army
I can't imagine they could get any worse, can you?

Some Orioles notes on Manny Ramirez, roster additions, Jeff Larish, Jeremy Guthrie - baltimoresun.com
The O's signed Jeff Larish to a minor league deal, could work out a deal with Jeremy Guthrie before they go to a hearing on Monday, and they had better not sign Manny Ramirez.

Happy Friday, folks. Edwin Jackson and Casey Kotchman are no longer our concern, but Manny? Yeesh. As I write this I remember now that I had a dream about the 2012 Orioles last night and Brian Roberts was playing. Huh.

A’s, Orioles Emerge As Leading Suitors For Manny Ramirez | SI Tracking Blog – Appropriately enough, this rumor resurfaces on Groundhog Day. Would you oppose a minor league deal?

School of Roch: Jackson's off the board (Kotchman too) Anybody want a Lannan?

Baltimore Orioles: When do we start outthinking ourselves? I wonder how common this view is?

Steve Melewski: Dan Duquette on arbitration cases and recent trade talk (update) Dan Duquette exhibits his sparkling public personality.

Talk about "Protect this House", on this day in 1900, physical confrontations ripened into a tense standoff over possession of the Union Park Grounds in Baltimore.

It's the birthday of Fred Lynn.

Orioles: Ex-big league pitcher Fossum signed to minor league deal - baltimoresun.com
Casey Fossum isn't Asian, but he did play in Japan in 2010.

Steve Melewski: Is this the year that Davis, Reimold get 500 at-bats?
To answer Melewski's question of should Nolan Reimold and Chris Davis play every day this year, I of course say yes to Reimold. I have a lot of trouble even caring that Davis exists.

Beat reporter Brittany Ghiroli answers Orioles fans' questions in the Inbox | orioles.com
Britt on Brian Matsuz's chances, signing a big name (Raul Ibanez??), and signing Adam Jones long term.

O’s Q&A with Marc Normandin, SB Nation | Baltimore Sports and Life
If you wanted to know what SBN/Over The Monster writer Marc Normandin thinks of the Orioles, here's your chance.

Orioles Card "O" the Day: Cal Ripken, Jr., 1994 Upper Deck Collector's Choice #240
Cal and his giant phone.