OK, I’m sorry. There I said it.

And it has nothing to do with the hike in fake drink prices. I was hoping you wouldn’t pick up on that. No, I’m apologizing for the baseball industry and us supposedly tapped-in scribes. I thought this offseason would have a little more action. So did, well, everyone else. We were wrong.

Here we are 10 days into January and the majority of free agents are still waiting on jobs. This keeps up, I’m gonna have to start waiting fake tables. Along with fake barkeeping.

I promise you this: The Orioles will add a free agent at some point this winter. It may not be flashy – in fact, it won’t be – but it will happen.

I’m keeping tabs on the organization and talking to agents, and the sense I am getting is that there is plenty of talk going on industry-wide and players are starting to narrow down their choices. But not a lot of concrete numbers are being thrown around – yet.

A flurry is coming to break the thaw. Or something like that.

So, let’s have a little fun with this slow market.

Not only is this your Tap-In Question for the day, it’s also a contest.

I want you to predict who will be the Orioles’ first free agent signing of 2018. It has to be a big league deal. It has to be someone who is presumed to be a contributing member of the 25-man roster in 2018.

The winner or winners will get a prize from the Tap Room closet (maybe a shirt, maybe a book, maybe a melted mug from 1978’s tankard night. I’m kidding about that last part. I think).

Anyway, answer the question and then keep your fingers crossed, you may be a winner. And winning is what it’s all about here in Baltimore … So …

It’d be nice if you explained your reasoning, too. But a name is all I need. And, again, it has to be the Orioles’ first signing of this calendar year – doesn’t count if Dan Duquette rescues the guy from the abyss in late February after the club has already signed others. First come, first served. All the rest are losers.

Tap-In Question (and contest): Who will be the Orioles’ first free-agent signing of 2018?