O-R-I-O-L-E-S: Millar & Hawkins are now free agents

BALTIMORE -- Kevin Millar and LaTroy Hawkins filed for free agency on Monday, rounding out Baltimore's list of eligible players. Both veterans played with the Orioles for one season, and both may still be in the team's plans for next season.
Millar signed with Baltimore last winter and started at first base for most of the season. He surged in the second half and finished with the second-highest on-base percentage (.374) of any Baltimore regular. Millar had spent the previous three seasons with division rival Boston.
Hawkins, meanwhile, was one of the only veterans in a youth-laden bullpen last season. Baltimore leaned on him heavily late in games, and he responded with a 3-2 record and a 4.48 ERA. Hawkins served as a role model for many of his younger teammates and was popular inside the clubhouse.
Three Orioles filed for free agency over the weekend, which was the earliest possible time under the league's basic agreement. Utilityman Chris Gomez and reliever Russ Ortiz filed Saturday, the first day after the World Series, and backup catcher Chris Widger followed suit on Sunday.
Gomez spent two seasons with Baltimore, but the other two were relative newcomers. Ortiz joined the Orioles after getting released by Arizona, and Widger was a late signing after Baltimore traded Javy Lopez to Boston. Neither player contributed much in their brief auditions.
Widger got just 17 at-bats with the Orioles before a pinched nerve cut his season short. Ortiz, on the other hand, made five starts and 15 relief appearances for the Orioles. The right-hander went all season without a win and allowed 18 home runs in 63 innings as an Oriole.
Gomez missed two months with a broken bone in his right hand and only had 14 hits when September started. But he had a huge month, batting .437 (31-for-71) and finishing his season with a career-best 18-game winning streak. Gomez can still play all four infield positions.