It has been pretty quite lately for the Baltimore Orioles but on Wednesday they have announced they have signed five players to one year contracts.  RHP Dennis Sarfate, INF-OF Freddie Bynum, RHP Jim Johnson, RHP Bob McCrory, INF Scott Moore were all signed to one year deals while RHP Lance Cormier signed a minor league contract that invites him to spring training.

Nothing big, but a few players like Sarfate, Bynum, and Johnson could all see time with the big league club this year.

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Phil Rogers a columnist in Chicago keeps writing that the Orioles and Cubs are still talking trade ideas for Brian Roberts and Erik Bedard.  We don’t know how true it is as it seems he is the only writing in Chicago that is still writing about it.

Rogers says that it could be a seven for two player trade.  The rumor before was that the Cubs would be sending Sean Marshall, Sean Gallagher, Ronny Cedeno, Rich Hill, Felix Pie, and two minor league players would be headed to the Orioles for Bedard and Roberts.  If I’m the Orioles I do that deal for these reasons.

1.  Felix Pie is a possible 5 tool hitter if he can learn to cut down on the strikeouts.
2.  Rich Hill is a possible #2 starter in most rotations around the league.
3.  Sean Marshall has showed he can pitch at the big league level.
4.  Ronny Cedeno and Sean Gallagher are pretty good themselves.
5.  The Orioles aren’t going to keep Bedard or Roberts much longer, so why not get something in return?

Would you do this trade Orioles Fans? 

Starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie and the Baltimore Orioles have agreed on a one year contract worth $770,000.  Guthrie will probably me the #3 starting pitcher in the Orioles rotation to begin the season.  That is if Bedard doesn’t end up getting traded.

Guthrie is a nice cheap solution for the Orioles who don’t have a ton of money to spend right now.  They really needed some pitching depth and I think they will get that with Guthrie.  Guthrie did go 7-5 last season so he is capable of helping this team out in 2008.

Orioles Blog