Oriolesfan44

I know that we just talked about Jay Payton, but with Aubrey Huff now "expected to start in left field," where does that leave Payton?
-- Chris K., Chicago
Huff won't be shackled to any one spot, and that was part of his appeal for Baltimore. He'll likely play at least three positions -- first base, third base and left field -- which would allow Payton to shift over and spell lefty-hitting outfielders Corey Patterson and Nick Markakis whenever they need a day off. In that respect, Huff was a perfect fit.

But make no mistake: He was signed for his bat, not his glove. The Orioles were looking for a high-powered bat all offseason, and marquee types like Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Lee spurned them for huge deals with other teams. Huff may not have the same track record, but he should produce admirably at less than half of their price tag.

Huff peaked back in 2003, when he set career highs in home runs (34), on-base percentage (.367) and slugging (.555). He had a slight dip the next season and a true off-year in 2005, when his numbers dropped all the way across the board. His statistics were back to a decent level last year, though, when he hit 21 homers in 131 games.

He may not be an All-Star, but he is a fairly consistent hitter who has been pretty durable throughout his career. Huff has played more than 150 games three times in the last four years, and Baltimore expects to write him into the lineup every day. At 30 years old, he's still young enough to return to the peak form he displayed four years ago.

Even if he doesn't, he represents a huge upgrade over the bats Baltimore had last year. Offensive ciphers Brandon Fahey, David Newhan and Luis Matos combined for more than 500 at-bats for the '06 Orioles, and that number doubles if you include Jeff Conine, Ed Rogers, Luis Terrero and Fernando Tatis. Huff should outhit them all by himself.

The Rodrigo Lopez situation has been awfully quiet. What's the status on that?
-- Steven M., Ellicott City, Md.

It has been quiet, and that's largely because there's nothing new to report. Several teams inquired about Lopez earlier in the offseason, but many of them moved in different directions to fill the holes in their rotation. The Brewers seemed to be a strong suitor early in the process, but signed Jeff Suppan and dropped out of the bidding.

The Mets and Rockies remain interested, but only at their price. Baltimore had been hoping for Major League talent and shopped Lopez around the league. The most promising early lead appeared to be an effort to land Detroit's Marcus Thames in a three-way trade, but the twin signings of Huff and Payton have likely killed that pursuit.

Now, it comes down to how badly Baltimore wants to move him. He'll likely receive a payday approaching $5 million via arbitration, but in this market, that's well below average for an experienced Major League starter with a .500 record. Of course, Lopez lost 18 games last year and appears to be crowded out of the team's youth-laden rotation.

Even if he can't start in Baltimore, he'd provide a strong insurance policy in case any of the starters got hurt. And failing that contingency, he could be effective and cost-efficient in a long relief role. That's the most likely scenario at this point, but that could change in a heartbeat if the Orioles can get a prospect who interests them.

Wouldn't it be more valuable to the Orioles to have Hayden Penn gain experience an inning or two at a time at the Major League level and fill a bullpen spot rather than have him in Triple-A Norfolk?
-- Craig M., Clarksville, Md.

Penn's status is tied to Lopez. If the veteran sticks around, Baltimore will send Penn back down to Norfolk to keep working every fifth day. If Lopez is successfully dealt, then Penn would likely serve as a swingman. It's really a toss-up as to what's better at this point for Penn, who's been great at Triple-A and hit hard in the big leagues.

The right-hander was rushed through the organization -- and he's earned every promotion, but he pitched 130 innings at Double-A and less than 90 at Triple-A. In other words, he could still use some more seasoning. At 22 years old, there's no reason to rush him if there's no rotation spot available. Another 14 starts at Triple-A can't hurt him.

Then again, some feel he's already proven that he doesn't belong in the Minors. Penn went 7-4 with a 2.26 ERA at Triple-A Ottawa last year, but he cratered to an 0-4 record and a 15.10 ERA in Baltimore. It may make sense to bring him along slowly as a reliever and let him experience some success, but it's by no means a no-brainer.

Whatever happened to Javy Lopez?
-- Stephen M., Scotts Valley, Calif.

Lopez was traded to Boston last August for a player to be named later, but the Red Sox ended up releasing him a month later. He's still looking for a place to latch on for next season, and his name has been linked to the Rockies. A return to the National League -- and to homer-haven Coors Field -- may be exactly what he needs.

The player to be named later was Adam Stern, who officially became an Oriole soon after the season ended. Stern appears to be frozen out of a reserve job at the moment, largely because of Payton's arrival and a trade for utilityman Freddie Bynum. At the very least, he provides Baltimore with some defensive depth for Spring Training.

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Cal Ripken HOF 2007