Cardinals give Hill non-roster invitation - MLB - Yahoo! Sports
Rich Hill and his old time delivery are headed to St. Louis as he signed a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. -Stacey
Rockies monitor utility market, with Melvin Mora high on list
Melmo is on the Rockies' radar as a bench player who can fill in at third base as well as perhaps second and outfield. -Stacey
International League announces Hall of Fame inductees
The 2010 Int'l League HoF class includes former Orioles Bobby Grich and Don Baylor. Did you know they were back-to-back MVPs of the International League while playing for the Rochester Redwings in 1970-1971? Neither did I. -Stacey
Sarasota County to vote on Ed Smith Stadium renovation -- again | HeraldTribune.com
Another hearing is scheduled to vote on the proposed renovation of Ed Smith Stadium for the Orioles. There really is a lot of rigmarole going on regarding the O's new home, isn't there? -Stacey
Tejada is the main man
As has been mentioned, MacPhail says that Tejada is the man for 3B and wasn't signed "for a few months." More interesting to me is the blurb at the bottom where MacPhail says he is done with position players. Not that I can imagine who else he'd pick up, but at least we know. -Stacey
Paronto signs minor-league deal with Red Sox - Berkshire Eagle Online
Who knew Chad Paronto was still kicking around the minor leagues? Next you'll tell me Chris Richard is still playing! What's that? Oh... -Stacey
Leaders that go the Distance - Salem-News.Com
For reasons that I can't quite ascertain, Doug Dickerson of the Salem News is using Cal Ripken's consecutive games streak to challenge people to pursue their passion. I don't know, man, I just gather the news links. -Stacey
J.R. House eyes his next opportunity - Charleston Daily Mail
Remember when people were so excited about J.R. House? That was weird. -Stacey
Get to know Phil Wrye, Assistant GM to the Baysox
Wrye should you get to know him? Wrye not? -Stacey
Second Opinion: Yankee fan: O's fans way too rude
This is almost a year old and I just stumbled upon it by accident, but it's such a hoot that I thought I'd share with all of you. Enjoy! -Stacey
Andy MacPhail on Luke Scott - MASNSports.com
"He is the streakiest hitter I've ever been around in my life. There was a three-month stretch where he absolutely carried us. As our guys say, it doesn't matter who is on the mound, when he is going good he can hit anybody." -duck
Hall of Famer Palmer cuts McGwire some slack - Newsday.com
"I think, considering the era, it was a tough decision," Palmer said. Rest of the article is behind a pay wall, but interesting tidbit nonetheless. -duck
Lots of hot stove action as we get closer to Spring Training: the Cubs signed Xavier Nady to a one year, $3.3M deal, plus incentives; Ronnie Belliard re-upped with the Dodgers; the Padres invited 42 year old Matt Stairs to spring training; my favorite designated hitter, Jim Thome, is going to back to the AL Central with the Twins; Jon Garland and the Padres agreed to a 1 year, $4.7M contract; and Ben Sheets is finally off the market as he signed with the A's for $10M plus incentives.
AND IN OTHER NEWS...
Read Street: Previews of the Apple tablet - baltimoresun.com
"We're just hours away from the introduction of the Apple tablet, a product that will revolutionize e-readers, save newspapers, rebuild Haiti and return the Baltimore Orioles to the World Series. Or something like that." -duck
You guys. You lollygag the ball around the infield. You lollygag your way down to first. You lollygag in and out of the Open Thread. You know what that makes you? Lollygaggers!