SARASOTA, Fla. -- With J.J. Hardy still sidelined and not available to play until at least March 10 and Manny Machado leaving next Sunday for the World Baseball Classic, the Orioles signed another shortstop.
For the third straight season, the Orioles signed Paul Janish to a Minor League contract with an invitation to Spring Training. In the first two years, Janish was signed before the end of the previous calendar year. This time, it waited until last Saturday.
Janish was thinking that a deal wasn't going to happen.
"For sure, but fortunately it did, right?