Neck Injury

Now that Nate McLouth has re-signed with the Orioles, agreeing to a one-year, $2 million deal with $500,000 additional available in bonuses based on plate appearances, what does it mean for the club this offseason and for the 2013 season? (For the record, McLouth will get $50,000 each for reaching 300 and 350 plate appearances; $100,000 each for 400, 450, 500 and 500 plate appearances). First, McLouth will get a chance to play a lot - potentially every day if he displays the same ability he did in his two months with the Orioles.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Orioles are pushing to add another outfielder, and if they can't re-sign free agent left fielder Nate McLouth, they are trolling for other options, including former New York Yankees first baseman-outfielder Nick Swisher and former Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Nate Schierholtz. During the second day of baseball's annual winter meetings at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel, Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette said he met with about a half dozen representatives of free agents and another five teams about potential trades.

During a phone interview with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin today promoting WWE '13 and Redneck Island on CMT, I asked “The Rattlesnake” for his thoughts on the controversial moment on Monday night's Raw involving Paul Heyman faking a heart attack (in case you missed it, detailed info can be found in my Raw recap here ). Austin, the most popular superstar from WWE's Attitude Era -- an Era that prided itself on  pushing the envelope and creating controversial situations that would have fans talking -- had an interesting response: "I believe in pushing the envelope in an aggressive fashion.

As a wide receiver, Darrius Heyward-Bey is expected to go to the middle of the field, catch passes, and brace for the impact that comes when a defensive back or linebacker crashes into him. But the sight of the Silver Spring native and McDonogh graduate absorbing a blow from Pittsburgh Steelers strong safety Ryan Mundy in the fourth quarter of the Oakland Raiders' 34-31 win still caused many to grimace. The top of Mundy's helmet appeared to strike Heyward-Bey in the facemask, and the former University of Maryland product had to be carted off the field.

One of the many tough decisions the Orioles must make this offseason is whether they will make an effort to resign outfielder Nate McLouth, who was an instrumental part of the team's playoff push and arguably their best player in the postseason. McLouth might have been the best comeback story in baseball. He was released by the Pirates in May after hitting just .140 in 34 games in limited playing time. After signing a minor league deal and spending two months at Triple-A Norfolk, the Orioles selected McLouth's contract when he could have exercised on out clause in early August.

Baltimore Police have launched a criminal investigation into Friday's in-custody death of a 46-year-old man in East Baltimore, who police initially said was believed to have died from choking on drugs.  Relatives of the man and eyewitnesses have come forward to say the man, identified by family as Anthony Anderson, was assaulted by police. Police confirmed that they have interviewed those witnesses, and say a preliminary autopsy shows that the man did not die from choking on drugs.  However, they the medical examiner has not yet determined whether he died from a drug overdose or some other type of injury.

[ Down the stretch is a daily Orioles Insider blog that will set up the coming night for the O's and their American League competition as the push for the postseason continues. ] About last night Orioles pound Mariners, 10-4 Machado won't be a rookie next year Jim Thome could be back in a week Showalter optimistic Hammel can return Monday's full scoreboard AL East Standings NYY       83-63     -- BAL       83-64     0.5 TB        78-69     5.5 AL Wild-Card Standings OAK       84-62      -- BAL        83-64        -- LAA        80-67      3 TB          78-69     5 DET        77-69     5.5 Tonight's game Orioles at Mariners.

Left fielder Nolan Reimold, who hasn't played since April 30 because of a neck injury that required the removal of a bulging disk June 25, is progressing to the point that he could be released from his supervised rehab program in two weeks. And that means he could go into the offseason and work out the way he normally would. “He's got mostly all of his strength back. That's going well,” Showalter said. “He's got X percentage, I'm not gonna give it out publicly, but his strength is about X percent back, which is well above average, so he is getting there.

Designated hitter Jim Thome , who originally thought he'd be out just a few days with neck spasms, will now be lost at least until September with a herniated disk in his neck. The 41-year-old Thome said doctors told him after an epidural late last week that he won't be able to resume baseball activities for 30 days - which puts his return to the Orioles until after rosters are expanded on Sept. 1. Thome said he'll continue to do his daily exercises for his lower-back issues, and, therefore, will hopefully be ready to start swinging once given the OK. "With injuries, I don't try to put a date because that can always change for the plus and minus sides.

When Adrian Amos arrived at Penn State last summer, veteran cornerback Stephon Morris took the Calvert Hall graduate under his wing. Morris wanted to show him the ropes and how the team's secondary did things, especially since both are from Maryland. From Day One, the pair hit it off. "Ah, Amos, he's like my little puppy," Morris joked. "That's my guy. " Amos, figuratively anyway, may be like a small animal to his mentor: fun to teach new tricks and play around with. But the Nittany Lions will need Amos to be much more than that this fall, and his large frame coupled with high football intelligence and speed will only help.