Chong Tae-Hyon

A few notes to share from around the AL East, where the soon-to-be officially retired Pedro Martinez spent the prime of his career with the Red Sox.

• Korean right-hander Tae-Hyong Chong is still mulling a contract offer from the Orioles, as well as one from a team in the Korean Baseball Organization, according to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. The O's have offered Tae-Hyon a two-year, $3MM deal, Connolly hears.
• Having acquired a backup catcher in Jeff Mathis, the Blue Jays will focus on adding a starting pitcher, a closer and a second baseman at the Winter Meetings, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca. For second base, Davidi suggests the Jays could target Alberto Callaspo or Maicer Izturis if the Angels make one or both of them available, and they will keep tabs on the White Sox's Gordon Beckham, whom "they have long admired."
• The Yankees may be in the market for a second lefty out of the bullpen to go along with Boone Logan, and Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News suggests White Sox southpaw Matt Thornton could be a good fit. Thornton is under contract through 2013 and owed $11MM, with a $6MM club option or a $1MM buyout for 2014, and would probably only cost a fringe prospect at best to acquire, as the South Siders are looking to offload his salary.

4:40pm: The Orioles are trying to sign Tae-Hyon, according to Knobler (on Twitter).  GM Dan Duquette acknowledged the team's interest, but wouldn't say that the sides have completed a deal, according to MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli (on Twitter).

12:45pm: The Orioles have been talking to Korean free agent reliever Chong Tae-Hyon, tweets Danny Knobler of CBS Sports.  According to Korean reports, Tae-Hyon has stopped all talks with his old team, the SK Wyverns, and wants to come to MLB.  Stories of the Orioles' interest first surfaced last week in Korean newspapers, which you can read here and here.  Click here to see a video of Tae-Hyon facing the Dodgers in a pre-World Baseball Classic warmup game in 2009.