40 Man

The Orioles added eight players yesterday to their 40-man roster, including a former first-round draft pick and the organization's top hitting prospect, Nick Markakis. Markakis, an outfielder who won the Orioles' Brooks Robinson Minor League Player of the Year award in 2005, hit a combined .310 with 15 home runs and 92 RBIs this past season for Single-A Frederick and Double-A Bowie. He is expected to get a shot in spring training to earn a spot on the Orioles' major league roster. Shortstop Brandon Fahey, who hit .291 and led Bowie with 146 hits, was the only other field player added to the 40-man roster.

The Orioles today announced that they have signed free agent left-handed pitcher Franklyn Gracesqui and added him to the 40-man roster. Gracesqui appeared in 19 games last season between the Rookie-level Gulf Coast Marlins and Triple-A Albuquerque, going 0-1 with one save and a 4.40 ERA. He began the season on the disabled list and made 3 rehab appearances for the Marlins before being activated on July 22 at Albuqueurque. Originally drafted by Toronto in 1998, Gracesqui appeared in 7 games with Florida in 2004, going 0-1 with one save and an 11.25 ERA (4.0 IP, 5 ER)

Needing room on their 40-man roster, the Orioles have removed backup infielders Jose Leon and Luis Lopez, and reserve catcher Robert Machado. All three players passed through waivers, refused outright assignments to Triple-A Ottawa and became free agents. Leon didn't play after Sept. 26 because of a strained left calf muscle that he's rehabbing in Puerto Rico. He batted .322 with 17 homers at Ottawa, but only .182 with two homers in 31 games with the Orioles. Lopez spent the entire season with the Orioles after beating out Clay Bellinger for the utility job in spring training.

Finding it easier to reconstruct part of their bullpen than plug a hole at first base, the Orioles signed veteran reliever Steve Reed to a one-year, $1.05 million contract yesterday with an option for 2006. Reed, who turns 39 in March, led the Colorado Rockies with a 3.68 ERA last year, going 3-8 in 65 games. He tied former Oriole closer Lee Smith's record by appearing in 50 or more games for the 12th consecutive season. In 13 major league seasons, Reed is 48-42 with a 3.51 ERA and ranks 29th on baseball's all-time list 803 career appearances.

To make room on their 40-man roster for a quintet of injured pitchers, the Orioles released 2002 first-round draft pick Adam Loewen yesterday and outrighted five players to Triple-A. Loewen's release essentially terminates the left-hander's major league contract but almost certainly does not mean the end of his relationship with the organization, club president Andy MacPhail said. "This was something that was talked about ... and was expected by both the player and his representative," MacPhail said.

On a day major league teams had to set their 40-man rosters, the Orioles set theirs at 35 yesterday, adding some top pitching prospects, but leaving room for some important moves to come. A slew of players came off the roster when their contracts expired - a group including Albert Belle, Scott Erickson, Tony Batista, Brook Fordyce and Pat Hentgen - and the Orioles are in the process of finding their replacements. "We feel we've got some flexibility within this roster," said Orioles executive vice president Jim Beattie.

Baseball ANGELS: Named Abe Flores manager of baseball operations. ATHLETICS: Purchased the contracts of P Franklyn German, P Tyler Yates, IF Mark Ellis, IF Esteban German and OF Ryan Ludwick to the 40-man roster. Agreed to terms with free-agent OF Mike Colangelo on a minor-league contract. Released IF F.P. Santangelo and OF Billy McMillon. BLUE JAYS: Added P Chris Baker, P Scott Cassidy, P Gustavo Chacin, IF Orlando Hudson, OF Reed Johnson and P Joe Orloski to the 40-man roster. BREWERS: Added IF Bill Hall, OF Jeff Deardorff, OF Cristian Guerrero, P J.M. Gold, P Brian Mallette and P Luis Martinez to the 40-man roster.

The Orioles released reliever Chris Brock and three other players yesterday and placed Calvin Maduro on outright waivers in an effort to clear space on their 40-man roster for players who need to come off the 60-day disabled list. The club also released left-handed reliever Yorkis Perez, infielder Luis Lopez and catcher Raul Casanova. The Orioles need to make room on the 40-man roster for players such as Albert Belle, David Segui and Erik Bedard. Belle, whose five-year, $65 million contract expires after next season, is being kept on the roster so the Orioles can collect on his insurance policy.

BaseballAthletics: Selected P Juan Perez from Triple-A Edmonton and placed him on the 40-man roster. Outrighted P Willie Adams, P Bill King, P Dave Telgheder, P Tim Kubinski and OF Mike Neill to Edmonton.Blue Jays: Named Sal Butera third-base coach and Marty Pevey bullpen coach and catching instructor. Retained Jim Lett, bench coach; Mel Queen, pitching coach; and Gary Matthews, batting coach; for 1999.Indians: Released former Orioles IF Jeff Manto and IF Ricky Gutierrez.Marlins: Claimed OF Bruce Aven off waivers from Indians.

Baseball ANGELS: Purchased contracts of IF Alfredo Amezaga and P John Lackey; added them to 40-man roster. ASTROS: Purchased contracts of OF Jason Lane, P Ryan Jamison, P Brandon Puffer, P Rodrigo Rosario, P Thomas Shearn, C John Buck and C Raul Chavez from Triple-A New Orleans. BRAVES: Added P Jung Bong, P John Ennis, IF Nick Green, OF Ryan Langerhans, P John Foster and IF-OF Travis Wilson to 40-man roster. CUBS: Agreed to minor-league contract with 3B Kevin Orie. Added P Ben Christensen and P Steve Smyth to roster.