Brian Matusz

The Orioles have agreed to contract terms with right-hander Tommy Hunter on a one-year, $1.82 million deal. Hunter, 26, pitched in 33 games (20 starts for the Orioles), going 7-8 with a 5.45 ERA. He was more effective as a reliever, winning all three of his decisions while pitching to a 3.71 ERA. This was the first year of arbitration for Hunter, who made $493,500 in 2012. According to an industry source, the Orioles are also close to a deal with left-hander Brian Matusz, though it is not official.

By this time next week, Ed Encina and I will be knee-deep in Winter Meetings muck, trying to decipher what's actually going on in the lobbies, bars and meeting rooms in Nashville. So I figured I'd open up the bar today and crank up the hot stove. As our columnist Peter Schmuck wrote Sunday , it wouldn't be a surprise if Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette dangles one of the club's young starters in an attempt to land a position player with upside - someone who can play left field, first base or DH. Given what the Orioles have, and the hype that has surrounded them, you'd think Jake Arrieta, Zach Britton, Brian Matusz and Chris Tillman all maintain some value on the open market.

The Orioles have scouted Shohei Otani, the Japanese high-school right-hander who was drafted by the Nippon-Ham Fighters of Japan's professional baseball league this week. Otani made it known he'd like to play in the United States, and teams here could still attempt to sign him. No word on exactly what the Orioles thought of him, but apparently he has a pretty impressive arsenal. The problem is it's protocol to avoid players who have allegiances with Japanese teams. So although the Orioles wouldn't be doing anything wrong if they pursued Otani, it would be frowned upon in Japanese baseball circles.

Baltimore Sun writers react to the Orioles' 3-2 loss to the New York Yankees in Game 3 of the ALDS: Eduardo A. Encina, Orioles beat reporter We came to believe that the Orioles just dont lose in extra innings, but then they met Raul Ibanez. For most of the game, they kept Yankee Stadium at snooze level. This game wasn't lost in the ninth or even the 12th. The Orioles couldn't capitalize on Yankees starter Hiroki Kuroda's early control problems. Now it will take their best display of resilience yet to continue their season.

Since the start, these Orioles have been wildly unpredictable -- and I mean that in a good way -- which is why they will go down as one of the most lovable teams in Baltimore sports lore. But there have been a few constants for a team that probably had to play name games once a week to stay familiar with an endless parade of new faces. There was Buck Showalter, the manager who has mostly made all the right moves. There was Adam Jones, who brings toughness and swagger every night.

Random thoughts as the Orioles go into tonight's game against the Rays with their backs against the wall, one game behind the Yankees for the AL East crown with two to go: ** Was that a great scene in the O's dugout last night after Chris Davis hit that two-run shot in the ninth off Ray's reliever Kylle Farnsworth, the one that hit the Tropicana Field catwalk? Davis himself had no idea what happened, that much was clear. When the ball smacked what's called the C-ring of the roof's catwalk, he practically stopped in his tracks around second base, wondering why the ball had suddenly landed 100 feet or so in front of the outfield wall.

One of the most impressive things about the Orioles' turnaround under Buck Showalteris Showalter's ability to experiment in-season. And his knack on pulling the plug when it doesn't work and sticking with it when it looks like it might. How many times have we heard over the years that this guy might work out at that spot, but that's more of a spring training thing? The answer is plenty. Yet Showalter isn't afraid to try things and see if they stick - even if it means losing a game or two. Because the result could also win you a game or two. There have been some duds, like the revolving door of infielders in the outfield earlier this year.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter describes Brian Matusz's exuberance to pitch out of the bullpen like this: “It's like he's found a new toy, got some real positive thoughts going and is real aggressive,” Showalter said. “He's served a need at the time that we really were in need of with (Troy) Patton out.” When the Orioles made Matusz the fourth overall pick in the 2008 draft, it wasn't with the idea that he could become a good lefty reliever. He was supposed to be a mainstay of the future rotation.

Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he didn't go old school by design. It was purely by necessity and circumstance that four of his young, inexperienced starters have ended up in the bullpen in September. "That's the way it used to be done," Showalter said. "You used to come up as a reliever, you build up all your innings as a starter in the minor leagues and then you came up. Ask Jim Palmer and those guys, you started out that way. You'd give them a little and see how much they could take.