Trade in the Works & Chapman

From the Baltimore Sun...

It seems like Orioles officials are getting more confident that they can complete a deal for Texas Rangers veteran pitcher Kevin Millwood. Conversations have been going on between the Orioles and Rangers throughout the Winter Meetings and a possible scenario has developed in which the O's would send reliever Chris Ray to Texas and pick up most of Millwood's $12 million guarantee for next year.

Don't know if it can get done here over the next 24 hours, but it remains a real possibility.

If getting Millwood means trading Ray, I'd pull the trigger and do it. Well, I don't know if Millwood is exactly the ace we need, but he's a lot better than some of the alternatives on the roster. He'll provide experience, take a bit of pressure of Guthrie and also hopefully keep the Orioles in most games with his performance on the mound.

If the Orioles get Milwood, they SHOULD NOT stop with him. Get as many arms as possble, including reclamation projects like Ben Sheets, Erik Bedard and Rich Harden (to an extent).

Of course, Baltimore is still looking for a third baseman (at least for a stopgap until Josh Bell is ready)...

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Plus, in other news, the Orioles are looking to meet again with the representatives for Aroldis Chapman...

The Orioles are expected to take the next step in their wooing of free-agent pitcher and Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman next week when international scouting director John Stockstill travels to Houston to meet with the pitcher's agents, Alan and Randy Hendricks.

"The next step for us is we'll meet with them some time again next week," Stockstill said. "That probably involves a trip to Houston."

Stockstill and Orioles president of baseball operations also met with the Hendricks brothers on Tuesday during Day Two of the winter meetings. It was the Orioles' first extensive opportunity to express their interest to the Hendricks Brothers, who took over the representation of the pitcher after Chapman left Edwin Mejia last month.

"They are sort of starting and collecting the information for themselves at this point," MacPhail said. "I think that process has sort of restarted. They're just starting to get their feet on the ground. They kind of have to get up to speed."

I don't know if the Orioles can land him -- or if they should considering his monetary demands; however, the fact that Baltimore is making an attempt to after some international young talent shows some imitative. At least they are not sitting back and not doing much of anything...

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