First Baseman

Going into the offseason, Chris Davis hoped next year would bring another opportunity to be the Orioles' everyday first baseman - along with a chance at redemption. Despite having his best season at the plate - Davis set career highs in homers (33) and RBIs (85) - some early-season struggles at first led to his move from the position in late May. The Orioles used him as their designated hitter, and experiments in right field and left field worked well. But earlier this month, just after the Orioles non-tendered first baseman Mark Reynolds, Davis received a phone call from Orioles manager Buck Showalter.

The Winter Meetings are officially underway today in the Music City, with everyone from baseball executives, agents, media members and job seekers wandering the halls of the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. As advertised, this place is humongous. There are five different lobby areas here, but most people have cavorted toward the hotel's main entrance. I've finally found a shortcut to that lobby from the media room. Over the course of the next two days, every manager will have a media session here in the media workroom.

With less than 12 hours before tonight's midnight tender deadline, Orioles first baseman Mark Reynolds said he hasn't heard from the club regarding his future with the team. The Orioles have until midnight to tender the 29-year-old Reynolds a contract in his final year of arbitration eligibility. If they don't, he will become a free agent, open to negotiate with any team. The Orioles could still negotiate with him, but would risk losing him amid a weak first baseman free-agent market.

First baseman Joe Mahoney, who was designated for assignment by the Orioles earlier this week, has been claimed off waivers by the Florida Marlins. Mahoney was designated on Wednesday to make room for newly acquired third baseman Danny Valencia. The Orioles acquired Valencia from the Red Sox for cash considerations. “You're surprised when something like that happens,” Mahoney said. “But when it happened I was hoping I would get another opportunity from another team and I did, so I'm looking forward to turning the page and getting an opportunity to play down south.” The 25-year-old Mahoney was called up to the Orioles twice last season, making his major league debut on July 7 in Anaheim.

Tonight at 11:59 p.m. is the deadline for the Orioles to tender contracts to their 14 players that are arbitration eligible. What that means in simpler, non-baseball language is that the Orioles have 14 players who are under team control, but have compiled at least three years of service in the majors and, therefore, have the right to have their 2013 contracts determined by an independent arbitrator. In most cases, these types of players receive significant bonuses in arbitration from their previous years.

Now that the Orioles have declined the $11 million option for next year on Mark Reynolds, the club has two options to try to keep the 29-year-old first baseman. Since Reynolds has one year of arbitration eligibility remaining, the Orioles could tender a contract to Reynolds and hope to sign him for less through the arbitration process. Reynolds made $7.5 million last season, and it's very rare to see players take a pay cut going through arbitration. So even though Reynolds had a down year offensively, he would still figure to make in the $9 million range through the arbitration process.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Orioles first baseman Mark Reynolds said it will take more than a painful foul ball off his left foot to keep him from playing in Friday's American League wild-card playoff game against the Texas Rangers. Reynolds fouled a ball off a bone in his left big toe in the fifth inning of the Orioles' 4-1 regular season finale loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, but he remained in the game. X-rays on Reynolds' foot were negative and he expects to play Friday. “No problem once you get under the lights and get a little adrenaline flowing,” Reynolds said.

BOSTON -- There's something about playing the Red Sox that has brought out the best in Orioles first baseman Mark Reynolds. After Reynolds' solo homer in the fourth inning of Saturday's game at Fenway Park, Reynolds is 16-for-36 (.444) in 11 games against Boston this season with four doubles, six homers, nine runs and 16 RBIs. He took a 2-0 sinker from Boston starter Aaron Cook over the Green Monster in left field to give the Orioles a brief 3-1 lead. Reynolds also had two hits and drove in a run in Friday's series opener against the Sox, a 4-2 Orioles win. He entered Saturday's game hitting /435/.563/.826 with two homers and eight RBIs in seven games this season at Fenway Park Sixteen of Reynolds' 22 homers and 40 of his 67 RBIs have come against the AL East.

SEATTLE - Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette never revealed his specific expectations for the season when it began in April. But now his immediate goal is clear. And it's not winning an American League wild-card spot. "We're in a position now that we have the kind of ballclub that we could win the division," Duquette said Tuesday. "We have an opportunity to win the division, that's like advancing a round in the playoffs. " Heading into Tuesday night's game in Seattle, the Orioles held the second AL wild-card post but were also just a half-game behind the New York Yankees in the AL East race.

The Orioles' 5-4 win over the Yankees Saturday night had its share of controversy until the final out. While the story of the night was the loss of right fielder Nick Markakis for the rest of the regular season -- at least six weeks -- with a broken left thumb, the Orioles bullpen made the game exciting to the end. Leading 5-3, closer Jim Johnson allowed three singles to open the inning, with Derek Jeter's bunt single loading the bases....