There's not much out there to report on today from the 'net. It's snowing out, it's white and pretty, but I wish I was doing more than sitting on my arse and doing nothing.

On the other hand, it's nice to see the Duke Blue Devils losing to the Georgetown Hoyas down in D.C. via CBS, plus seeing President Obama in attendance.

• Luke Scott is featured in article on MLB.com on how players prepare for Spring Training.
• The Batimore Sun's Peter Schmuck has an update on Bedard.
• Former Oriole Eric Byrnes has signed a one-year deal with the Mariners.
• Roch Kubatko has an update on Koji Uehara.
• Steve Melewski looks at the Baltimore offense.
• Stacey from Camden Chat will be appearing on WNST tomorrow afternoon to discuss the Orioles.
• Oh yes, and someone please tell me why I should buy an IPad as I already have a laptop that works fine, plus a Blackberry Storm, and a Treo smartphone. I'm reading the reviews and they aren't very good...
  
  

No one really knows if Bedard is ready to come back or if he’s fully healthy, but he should be able to pitch in the early/mid part of 2010. Despite questions about his makeup, desire, and durability, the southpaw can pitch, and he'll be in demand -- if and when he's ready to pitch.

So far, he’s not said much – if anything all – nor, have I heard his name elsewhere when it comes to rumors.

This is what I have found about Bedard so far on various websites. I'd take everything with a grain of salt. I really don't think anyone knows anything pertaining to him as of yet...

***

From the Seattle Times: In other health news, Griffin is monitoring free-agent pitcher Erik Bedard. While he reports Bedard is playing catch and "feeling very good" in his recovery from shoulder surgery on Aug. 14, Griffin added, "When he had his surgery last year, Dr. (Lewis) Yocum said it was a 10- to 12-month process, and he's at about seven months now. He has a ways to go, but he's working and rehabbing."

From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Kansas City Star reporter Sam Mellinger reported Thursday morning on his Twitter page that the Royals are interested in oft-injured left-handed free agent Erik Bedard.

"Continuing to hear the Royals are looking into Erik Bedard, but facing some real risk vs. reward," Mellinger wrote. "He's one of the best when healthy, but has thrown 164 innings combined the last two seasons, and never thrown 200 (196 in '06). And that was before surgery, and (he's) turning 31."

-- snip --

Even with his injury history, Bedard might be out of the stingy Royals' price range. Mellinger isn't optimistic that the team will sign him. "For whatever it's worth, it feels unlikely," Mellinger wrote.

Bedard reportedly has received interest from the Chicago Cubs and the Orioles, among other teams.

From ESPN (Jayson Stark): Miguel Tejada might not be the last ex-Oriole to pull back into Camden Yards this winter. The Orioles also have been working on bringing back their old amigo, Erik Bedard. And according to a source familiar with Bedard's thinking, that interest is "mutual." Whether they can agree on price, in the wake of the Ben Sheets contract, is another story.

From the Washington Post: The big question for the Orioles regarding Bedard, as it will be for every other team, is the state of his surgically repaired left shoulder. The Orioles' medical staff is expected to examine Bedard's medical records in the coming days.

"His name's on the board, just like there's a lot of other guys' names on the board," Orioles Manager Dave Trembley said. "[But] I don't think we're in position to get a guy [who's] not ready to pitch until June. I think if we get a guy, we need a guy who's going to pitch at the beginning of the year."

***

I have feeling that Bedard will end up in Baltimore when all is said and done as.

He'll obviously accept an incentive laden-deal, but his upside can be so good -- despite everything -- that Bedard could help any club he signs with.

Here's the roundup for today...

• The newly re-signed Mark Hendrickson is glad to be back with the Orioles.
• Roch Kubatko looks at the Oriole bullpen. Meanwhile, he chats with Bruce Cunnigham on the state of the team.
  
• Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun looks at the decision the organization made to not include former Orioles as Spring Training coaches in 2010. He also thinks the reliever Armando Gabino may be a casuality of Hendrickson re-upping with the Orioles.
• The Orioles.com website takes a look at Luke Scott.
• Steve Melewski has a piece on Brandon Snyder.
• Jeremy Conn speaks with Keith Law on the Orioles prospects.
• Does anyone think that Dennis Sarfate isn't bitter that he was DFA'ed?
• The Washington Post's Dave Shenin commends the Orioles on their moves.
  
• Miguel Tejada speaks about the disaster in Haiti.
  
• The Sun's Dan Connolly wants fans to evaluate the off-season.
  
• WNST's Drew Forrester reviews the off-season for the Orioles; meanwhile, Thryl Nelson believes that the Orioles should just give in and pay starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie. I agree with Thryl's assesement as I never got -- aside from business and that they could get away with it -- why the team decided to lower Guthrie's salary.
• Keith Mills looks at the death of Maryland native and Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart.
• The Roar from 34 has some great stuff from Sarasota, Florida.
  
• Stan Charles looks at Tejada's role on the Baltimore Orioles in 2010. Pete Kerzel looks at the acquisition of Mark Hendrickson.
• Stacey of Camden Chat ponders about Erik Bedard.
• Baltimore Sports and Life chats with Joe Jordan - Director of Amateur Scouting with the Baltimore Orioles. Good stuff, Chris.
• The Oriole Report looks at the Spring Training Invites.
  
• Camden Crazies likes the cost-effectiveness of Mark Hendrickson's deal, and talks about blogging ethics. Both Dempsey's Army and Camden Depot also weigh in.
  
• Eutaw Street Hooligans has another video from FanFest.
• The Loss Column looks at what's to come for the Baltimore Orioles.
• Finally, the Slanch Report takes a sardonic look at Nick Markakis and compares him to actor Gerard Butler, who starred in the movie epic "300".

(a tip of the hat to Camden Chat and Kate Wheelers's MASN blog...)

As we all know, the Orioles' new Spring Training home will be in Sarasota this season (at Ed Smith Stadium as well as the Buck O'Neil Stadium complex) and for the upcoming future; therefore, the team is looking to spruce up and renovate the property. However, a nasty little thing such as politics are getting in the way, and the stadium development plan could be possibly held up.

And yes, there's even a lot of legal wrangling...

Meanwhile, it looks like the stadium is already being spruced up for the arrival of the Baltimore Orioles for Spring Training.

However, as noted by Greg Bader - Communications Director for the Baltimore Orioles - the interest in that part of Florida for Spring Training baseball is very high and ticket sales seem to be doing well; plus, that the whole complex will be updated.

According to the Herald Trubine of Sarasota, the stadium when renovations are complete will have a new feel...

One of the biggest changes will be the very feel of the stadium. Instead of the one-story Ed Smith where the behind-home-plate entrance led into a wall, the new two-story facade features a trio of arches with a direct view onto the field.

Passing through the arches, visitors will suddenly have a full view of the ball field, says Sarasota architect Gary Hoyt, who is collaborating with Washington, D.C.-based architect David Schwarz on the project.

"It's a welcoming shape," Hoyt said. And different from Ed Smith, where "you're either in the stadium or out."

Here's more information on the project:

After a decade in Sarasota, the Reds wanted to tear down and rebuild the 20-year-old stadium, and decided to move their spring training to Arizona after local voters rejected a $54 million rebuild that would have included things like berm seating and atiki bar.

The Orioles' plan includes a second-level concourse for concessions, more shaded areas for fans, a party deck in right field, a grass berm and a shaded picnic area in left field.

Fans will have more choices about how they watch the game. And the changes will address one of the most persistent gripes about Ed Smith: too much seating in the sun.

With the new layout, "If you want to get out of the sun, and you don't want to miss the action, you can walk to the back of the grandstand" to a large shaded area there, said Janet Marie Smith, the team's vice president of planning and development.

Construction is scheduled to start in early April, after the Orioles complete their 2010 spring training season at the existing Ed Smith.

Using more of the existing stadium will help the Orioles stretch their budget for renovations, Smith said. The total number of seats will be 8,500 to 9,000 (Ed Smith currently seats 7,500), and has not changed since July, when the team and local governments signed a detailed agreement for spring training. The governments are providing $31.2 million.

The ballpark's design has gone through an evolution in recent months to a point that "we're literally not throwing anything away," she said.

The Orioles also plan to add to existing clubhouses.

What people often lose sight of is that a spring training facility is at least as much about developing ballplayers as entertaining fans, Smith said.

(drawing from the Herald Trubine)

Here are some renderings of the new project (from MASN)...

If people are really that interested to look at the Sarasota County Government website for more info, there are links here, here and a video here.

Keith Law came out with his 100 top prospects list on ESPN's website yesterday and the good news is that there are a few Orioles on the list.

The names listed are Brian Matusz (#11), Zach Britton (#25), Josh Bell (#61) and Jake Arrieta (#90).

It's an interesting list that he's compiled. You have to be part of ESPN's Insider to view it; however, I copied the salient items for the Baltimore Orioles.

His thoughts on Matusz: Matusz barely qualifies for this list, falling just 5.1 innings short of the 50-inning cutoff (teammate Chris Tillman is over the line and thus no longer a rookie in 2010), but the added experience might give him a leg up on the AL Rookie of the Year race in 2010. Matusz is a true four-pitch pitcher, but unlike most pitchers of that breed, all four of his pitches project as above-average or better. Matusz sits in the low 90s and will touch 94 with his fastball, although its lack of movement limits its potential as an out pitch and I expect Matusz to end up using his fastball less often than a standard pitcher with that velocity. His best secondary pitch is an 11-5 curveball with tight rotation and good depth, and he has excellent arm speed on his lively changeup. His command has improved steadily since his sophomore year in college, and -- as predicted here last year -- he raced through the minors on the strength of his off-speed pitches. He's not the prototypical No. 1 starter with a big fastball and an easy delivery, but his ability to miss left- and right-handed bats in different ways gives him a chance to lead a staff, regardless.

His thoughts on Britton: Britton is a true sinker/slider pitcher with enough velocity to work as a starter and a potential out pitch in the slider to miss bats when he's not getting ground balls. His sinker has solid-average velocity with legitimate plus sink, and he'll flash a four-seamer up to 94. His slider -- although not as consistent -- flashes plus, and he's willing and able to backfoot it to right-handed hitters, then throwing the sinker away to get a weak grounder or just a swing and miss. His changeup improved over the course of the season to the point that it's an average pitch or better, eliminating a major concern for sinker/slider guys -- a typical weakness against opposite-side hitters. Britton's arm works well with high hand separation and a short arm path, and he's a good athlete with some room to fill out up top. His control remains below-average and his command of all pitches and feel for the slider need to improve, as well, but he would slot in very nicely as a No. 2 starter behind Brian Matusz, or as an outstanding No. 3 behind Matusz and Chris Tillman.

His thoughts on Bell: Bell's 2008 ended with knee surgery, but his 2009 ended with his being traded to Baltimore, where he's now the heir apparent at the hot corner. Bell is here because when he hits left-handed, he rakes, hitting .340/.419/.625 against right-handed pitchers in 2009, even after crossing the chasm to Double-A, where weaker hitters are exposed quickly by pitchers with better command or off-speed stuff. He has excellent bat speed from the left side, accelerating his wrists very quickly from the set position, although his swing is a little flat and might be more geared to doubles than home runs. On the negative side, he's futile from the right side, and he's reaching the point where the Orioles may have to consider having him give up switch-hitting if he doesn't improve in the next year. He's improving at third base and projects as an average glove there, with solid hands and an above-average arm. He should be able to take over in Baltimore sometime between midyear 2010 and the start of 2011 depending on how well he fares against left-handed pitching, regardless of how he does it.

His thoughts on Arrieta: Arrieta finished his second full season in pro ball in Triple-A after showing improved control at Double-A in the first half of the year. Beyond the significant improvement in his control, he remains what he was: a four-pitch guy with no plus pitch but nothing below-average. His arm path is long but he repeats it well enough to throw strikes, although his command remains fringe-average at best. He knows how to change speeds and keep hitters off-balance, which may help him play up above the average repertoire. Two scouts with whom I spoke saw Arrieta in 2009 and tabbed him a No. 4 starter, but I wouldn't rule out him becoming a solid No. 3 with some command improvements and his feel for adding and subtracting from his fastball.

The deal has been in the works for a while, but it looks like Mark Hendrickson will be back in Baltimore on a one-year deal. He will be the second lefty in Baltimore's bullpen aside from Mike Gonzalez.

In a long awaited move, the 35-year left-hander agreed to a one-year, $1.2 million deal with a $1.2 million team option for 2011 that includes a $200,000 buyout, according to an industry source.

The signing is pending a physical, which has not yet been scheduled.

Hendrickson, who served various roles for the Orioles last year but is targeted for relief in 2010, would earn an additional $100,000 each year in escalating bonuses for starts made ($25,000 each for his 10th start, 12th start, 14th start and 16th start).

He earned $1.5 million in 2009, when he went 6-5 with a 4.37 ERA in 53 games (11 starts). The year-round resident of nearby York, Pa., made it no secret that he wanted to remain with the Orioles, and club president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail echoed the interest but said that he expected to fill out other parts of his roster before turning his attention to the 6-foot-9 veteran.

He didn't do much as a starter, but in relief, Hendrickson might have been the best pitcher in the bullpen. Good to see him back.

Melvin Mora's tenure in Baltimore came to end in Baltimore after eight season in October; however, it looks like he may have a new home soon enough. He lives in the area -- I think -- for now, but he may have a new team to play for in the Colorado Mountains.

For now, Mora's still on the market, but the Rockies have an interest in him.

From the Denver Post: The Rockies’ front office met early this offseason and identified the players it would like in a bench role. The executives calculated that a handful of players could fall into their laps if they exercised patience. One of those is still sitting on the market — Melvin Mora. He likes the Rockies. Wants to play on a contender. There could be a match here.

Melvin has long been on the Rockies’ radar, but makes more sense now that the Rockies have limited some of their bench flexibility by bringing back Jason Giambi.

“Melvin likes it there. He’s definitely interested,” said agent Eric Goldschmidt, who has roughly five teams interested in his client.

Furthermore, he may be returning to his roots -- as a ulitity player.

Which is where Mora comes into play. He is a right-handed hitter who could spell Ian Stewart at third base. And Mora could also take groundballs at second if necessary. Mora is also playing outfield in Venezuela. Mora, 37, hit .260 with eight home runs and 48 RBIs last season in 125 games for the Orioles. He could make decision on his next team this week.

Good to see him gain employment somewhere. It's too bad he could not finish his career as an Oriole; however, maybe down the road, he'll be inducted into the team Hall of Fame and have some type of role in the organization.

Here's a round-up of links today. I may add more as the day goes on...

• It looks like Miguel Tejada will be number nine for the Orioles this season, rather than requesting his old one from Adam Jones. Roch also has more thoughts and words from Tejada from the activies on Tuesday.
• The Baltimore Sun has more coverage of the Miguel Tejada press conference from yesterday. Meanwhile, Peter Schmuck looks at what the signing means for the team realistically.
• Steve Melewski also gets some input from Tejada on Tuesday. He also looks at Luke Scott and comments about him from Andy MacPhail at Fanfest.
• ESPN's Keith Law has his rankings the 30 organizational farm systems in MLB, and he's got the Orioles ranked as number six. If you're curious, Texas is ranked number one while the White Sox are last.
• Scott Hoffman of Orioles Hangout has a report from the Tejada press conference.
• The Orioles have made an offer to reliever Will Ohman, while they are *still* trying to ink a deal with Mark Hendrickson. Also could Dennis Sarfate be designated for assisgnment (thanks to MLB Trade Rumors).
• Note: Sarfate was designated for assisgnment.
• The Royals Review looks at the Orioles...
• Yahoo Sports thinks the Orioles are moving on up...
• Check out the 'Birds on a Wire" podcast at the Baltimore Sports Report.
• Camden Depot looks at more moves the O's could make...
• The Oriole Report looks at the return of Miguel Tejada...
• Stan Charles of Pressbox has his thoughts on the 'game-day' ticket price increase.

For fans of the Orioles, this time of the year serves as the most exciting.

Even though there have been no games played as of yet, hope truly springs eternal when you talk about the potential opportunities out there for Orioles. Now, everything is hypothetical and make for good chatter, but at this time of year, it's all just talk.

With the re-introduction of Miguel Tejada yesterday, it looks like the Orioles are certainly done with improving the offense and will certainly focus on the pitching -- especially a left handed arm (more likely a reliever).

Again, I guess the question most are asking is -- have the Orioles improved? I'll say this -- we all should be happy what the Orioles have done in terms of their acquistions so far, but the team does need more (but, in reality, one can only do so much).

With the exception of Gonzalez -- who has proven to be a decent releiver, at least in the National League -- the organization has Tejada, Garrett Atkins and Kevin Millwood for a season (if not less). After the 2010 season, more than likely, there may be even more turnover.

Right now, it looks the team is  hoping to win more than they have done previously; however, the larger plan in place is to give the talent in the minors enough time to develop and improve before being promoted to the majors. Obviously, since the Orioles cannot go out and purchase every free agent out there like the Red Sox or Yankees, their plan is a prudent one.

Build from within and develop your own players. Plus, hope for the best.

While the pitching has been upgraded - somewhat - I still think the team needs to acquire another starter. Right now, it looks like the potential rotation out of camp will consist of Kevin Milwood, Jeremy Guthrie, Brad Bergesen, Brian Matusz and possibly Chris Tillman. However, if Tillman fails, who picks up the void? Hernandez, Berken, or perhaps another dark horse candidate? Do the Orioles go after someone else?

Although the Orioles are certainly better, they will more than likely be trying inch closer to a .500 record than in the playoff hunt. However, the big question is can the potential with the Baltimore squad equate not only into more wins, but a brighter future?

The organization has the tools, like youngsters Matt Wieters, Adam Jones, Nolan Reimold, and mainstays such as Nick Markakis and Brian Roberts; therefore, can the next step be taken towards respectability?

If Matusz can make it through a long season, Guthrie improves on his win-loss record, Bergesen comes back healthy, Reimold improves, Pie can stay healthy, and the list can go on and on, the Orioles could certainly make things entertaining. In addition, if they could make life miserable for the Yankees and Red Sox, that would be much sweeter.

Then again, right now, most fans are going on hope and the best of wishes. It remains to be seen if the Orioles can come through and make us all happy.

Talking about stuff that may or may not happen is fun; however, in a few months from now, this same conversation may be a frustrating one if things don't improve.