World Champions 1983, 1970, 1966 American League Champions 1983, 1979, 1971, 1970, 1969, 1966 American League East Division Champions 2014, 1997, 1983, 1979, 1974, 1973, 1971, 1970, 1969 American League Wild Card 2012, 1996 Wednesday, December 10, 2014 Columns: Buck Showalter has a lineup in mind if Orioles' season started today The Sun 12/10 'This isn't a goodbye,' Nick Markakis says in two-page advertisement The Sun 12/10 Despite departures, Orioles' Buck Showalter hopes to keep 'same morale' The Sun 12/9 Orioles have 'three or four' good candidates for hitting coach, Buck Showalter says The Sun 12/9 Orioles have shown interest in outfielder Jonny Gomes, source says The Sun 12/9 Orioles continue to seek outfield help during winter meetings Tuesday The Sun 12/9 Orioles out of the running for Matt Kemp, sources say The Sun 12/9 Orioles' Dan Duquette appears to be staying, at least for now The Sun 12/9 Speculation of Dan Duquette's departure quiets with latest Blue Jays report The Sun 12/9 Orioles looking for a lefty, but don't expect them to join high-priced reliever trend The Sun 12/9 Showalter doesn't want retooled O's to miss a beat MLB.com 12/9 O's hope to leave Meetings with 'couple of players' MLB.com 12/9 Jones, Reynolds host more than 300 youngsters at RBI clinic MLB.com 12/9 Orioles' auction items garnering numerous bids MLB.com 12/9 Day Three of the Winter Meetings MASNSports.com 12/10 Showalter meets the press MASNSports.com 12/9 Hearing from Duquette at the Winter Meetings MASNSports.com 12/9 Duquette confident Orioles will leave meetings with a couple of players MASNSports.com 12/9 Duquette meeting with Young's agent MASNSports.com 12/9 The lobby buzz on Matusz MASNSports.com 12/9 Showalter on Red Sox/Yankees spending: "They run out of money yet?" MASNSports.com 12/10 Duquette talks up Alvarez and Yastrzemski during one-on-one interview (with video) MASNSports.com 12/9 Baseball America's John Manuel on honoring Showalter and Duquette tonight MASNSports.com 12/9 Video interview with ESPN's Keith Law talking Orioles MASNSports.com 12/9 Talking clubhouse chemistry and more with ESPN's Aaron Boone MASNSports.com 12/9 Scout that signed Jon Lester now drafts players for Orioles MASNSports.com 12/9 Showalter counting on Chris Davis for good year SI.com 12/9 Orioles out on Matt Kemp? ESPN.com 12/9 Showalter knows he'll have to move on without Markakis CSN Baltimore 12/9 Could Orioles put together a Byrd trade with Phillies? CSN Baltimore 12/9 Orioles won't be repeating last winter's strategy CSN Baltimore 12/9 Duquette staying put as Beeston stays in Toronto CSN Baltimore 12/9 The Orioles, Rangers, and Mariners are all out on Matt Kemp NBCSports.com 12/9 O's skipper Showalter to speak at Hot Stove Banquet DelmarvaNow.com 12/9 Report: Orioles interested in OF Jonny Gomes CBSSports.com 12/9 http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-buck-showalter-has-a-lineup-in- mind-20141210-story.html Buck Showalter has a lineup in mind if Orioles' season started today By Eduardo A. Encina / The Baltimore Sun December 10, 2014 As manager Buck Showalter held court during his winter meetings media session Tuesday, he admitted that the Orioles have their work cut out to defend their American League East title. The Orioles have stood idly this offseason -- watching key cogs like Nelson Cruz, Nick Markakis and Andrew Miller leave -- while their division rivals have opened up their checkbooks and beefed up their rosters. "God bless them," Showalter said. "That’s the system. If we were in their shoes, we’d do the same thing. What are you going to do? Throw your hands up in the air? It’s all right. It can be done. You’ve just got to be good at some things that will allow us to compete with them. ... We’re not going around trying to emulate them. If it works for them, God bless them. If we were in their situation, we’d do the same thing.” Despite the holes the Orioles have to fill, Showalter said he'd be able to fill out his lineup card with his existing players. "Really the only thing we don't have, even though we've made three subtractions, is who's going to DH?" Showalter said. "Other than that, I could tell you what we'd break camp with right now as starters." Showalter said if the season opened today, Steve Pearce would be in right field replacing Markakis. The Orioles are also high on Cuban defector Dariel Alvarez, especially his defensive skills, after a breakout season in Double-A and Triple-A. And even though he's been forgotten to a degree, fellow Cuban Henry Urrutia could "jump out on us this spring," Showalter said. "We still have some other players we’re looking at," Showalter said. "I probably missed a couple of players, but it’s something we’ve talked about, kicked around. We’ve kind of got it prepped around upstairs. A lot will depend on what it costs, what kind of commitment. It’s not about the money, it’ll probably be about the money.” Showalter said establishing pitching depth will be important. The Orioles have six starters already, but they will be prepared to use more. "I do know that we plan to be seven, eight pitchers deep by the time we break camp with our what ifs," Showalter said. "We have some people at [Triple-A] Norfolk that we feel like can come up and help us. Same way in the bullpen. That's something we've been attacking daily. It may not be up on the stage announcing it, but they're key moves for us. You saw some we made last year that nobody really paid much attention to that came into it. I really feel like we've got to stay on top of our bullpen in the offseason to make sure it's still a strength for us." Showalter said right-hander Kevin Gausman won't be penalized because he has minor league options as he competes for a rotation spot this spring. "We're not going to pick our pitching staff according to who has options and who doesn't," Showalter said. "We're not going to use that against Kevin. If he's one of our best 11 or 12 or whatever we break with, he'll be on our club. And it doesn't always mean they're going to be in the same capacity." Showalter said that he's optimistic that right-hander Ubaldo Jimenez, who has three years remaining on his contract, can rebound from a rocky 2014 season. Jimenez made a slight adjustment to his delivery late in the season -- no longer lifting his arms over his head and behind him when working from the windup -- that Showalter said showed promise for next season. "There were a couple little adjustments that he finally kind of took to, especially with his hands that really made us kind of feel very positive about next year," Showalter said. "He's just had too good of a track record at a young age. ... Let's face it, he had an ERA that in years past for us would have been good enough in a lot of cases, but we have five guys pitching a little better than him and we were in a very competitive situation that we had to put our best foot forward. We think this year he's got a good chance to be part of putting our best foot forward. I think he's going to have a big year." http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-nick-markakis-baltimore-sun- advertisement-20141209-story.html 'This isn't a goodbye,' Nick Markakis says in two-page advertisement By Dan Connolly / The Baltimore Sun December 10, 2014 Outfielder Nick Markakis, who had been the longest tenured member of the Orioles before signing a free-agent deal with the Atlanta Braves last week, has taken out a two-page advertisement in Wednesday’s Baltimore Sun to thank fans, the city and the organization for his nine seasons with the club. The ad includes a large “Thank You,” on one side and an open letter to Orioles fans from Markakis on the other, which begins with, “This isn’t a goodbye.” The letter is signed by Markakis, his wife, Christina, and their three sons. Within the text, Markakis says the family has every intention of continuing to live in northern Baltimore County and maintaining their extensive charitable endeavors. Besides acknowledging the fans in multiple references, Markakis specifically thanks Orioles principal owner Peter G. Angelos and his family, manager Buck Showalter, his former Orioles teammates and coaches, as well as stadium, clubhouse and organizational employees. Markakis, who will return to Camden Yards as a member of the Braves for a three-game series beginning July 27, ends the message by saying the fans have provided him and his family with so many memories that it’s easy for them to want to continue calling Baltimore home. Markakis, 31, was drafted out of a Georgia junior college by the Orioles in the first round in 2003 and made his major league debut in 2006. Through the 2014 season, Markakis repeatedly mentioned his interest in remaining with the Orioles for the rest of his career.