Orioles Hot Stove Hearsay

All sorts of interesting hot stove boiling in the Baltimore area.  Here’s the latest.

Published reports have said that the Orioles have made a two-year offer to 35 year-old starter Paul Byrd.  My sources are saying that Byrd is very likely to sign with Baltimore, although it may take three guaranteed years.

Nomar Garciaparra at first base?  The Orioles are not likely to sign Paul Konerko according to sources, and Nomar is expected to sign a one year deal with an option with the Orioles.  Garciaparra would spell Melvin Mora at third and spend time at first and DH as well.

Erik Bedard is very much available and will probably be dealt this offseason.  The team questions his tenacity after a knee injury limited him to 24 starts in 2005.  If not packaged in a deal for Bobby Abreu, Bedard may be part of an Adam Dunn trade.  The Orioles also have interest in Wily Mo Pena from the Reds if they decide to make a trade of less magnitude.

The Orioles could also make some room at first base for 23 year-old Adrian Gonzalez.  The #1 draft pick in 2000, Gonzalez has yet to get the opportunity to translate his minor league success in the Majors.  He has just 192 Major League at-bats under his belt and nowhere to play in Texas.  The O’s would be happy to send soft-tossing Rodrigo Lopez over to the Rangers for him.  However, Lopez projects terribly in Ameriquest and wouldn’t be enough to get a deal done.