According to ESPN's Buster Olney, the Orioles balked at signing Grant Balfour because of knee and wrist issues. It was largely assumed that the deal fell apart because of a shoulder concern. Balfour agreed to a two-year, $15 million free agent contract with the Orioles on December 17 but the veteran right-hander then failed his pre-signing physical exam a couple days later. He is still on the open market.

Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the Giants have had conversations with Grant Balfour. However, Schulman adds that the odds of them signing Balfour are "meh," which is no surprise since they don't have a closer job available. Balfour's contract with the Orioles fell apart, but he should be able to land a ninth inning gig somewhere before long.

Grant Balfour told Jim Duquette of SiriusXM Radio Sunday that four teams have expressed interest in him and he has "at least one offer on the table." Balfour also added that, to his knowledge, all four clubs would want him as their closer. It's not clear who the offer came from, but Jim Bowden of ESPN and SiriusXM Radio reported Friday that the Rays are interested in the reliever. Balfour's two-year deal with the Orioles fell apart due to concerns about his shoulder, but he's since been given a clean bill of health by two different doctors.

The Rays are in on Grant Balfour, sources tell Jim Bowden of ESPN and SiriusXM Radio. Balfour seemed to be off the market after he came to a two-year, $15 million agreement with the Orioles, but some concerns about his physical caused the Orioles to nix the deal at the last minute. The Rays are in the market for a closer after losing Fernando Rodney to free agency, so it's not surprising that they'd have renewed interest in the soon-to-be 36-year-old. It's unclear what the Orioles' concerns will do to Balfour's price tag, as the Rays are notoriously thrifty when it comes to free agent signings.

FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reports that Grant Balfour will discuss with the player's union whether to file a grievance following his contract fallout with the Orioles. The O's pulled Balfour's two-year, $15 million offer due to concerns about his shoulder, but the reliever has since been given a clean bill of health by two doctors. However, since Balfour never signed anything, he probably doesn't have much of a case. That doesn't mean he didn't get a raw deal here.

Grant Balfour told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle after the Orioles pulled their two-year offer that he's "100 percent fine" physically. The O's called off the $15 million deal due to concerns about Balfour's right shoulder, but the reliever said MRIs on the shoulder look the same now as they did three years ago. "I'm the All-Star pitcher I was last season," Balfour said. "My shoulder is fine, everything is fine. I'm ready to come out there in the ninth inning, do what I do." Baltimore is known for putting players through extremely extensive physicals prior to signing them, so this could be a case of them being overly cautious. Still, it might wind up costing Balfour a decent chunk of change.

Orioles executive VP of baseball operations Dan Duquette announced Friday that the club has called off its two-year, $15 million deal with Grant Balfour. Duquette noted that he's "disappointed" something couldn't be worked out, but the O's weren't satisfied with how Balfour's shoulder looked during his physical and will "turn (their) attention elsewhere." Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun reported previously that Fernando Rodney is next on the Orioles' wish list. It will be interesting to see what kind of deal Balfour gets now given the injury red flag.

Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun reports that the Orioles' concerns over Grant Balfour's physical have to do with his right shoulder. Balfour had surgery in September of 2005 to repair his labrum and rotator cuff but hasn't had any issues with his shoulder since. Evidently, though, the Orioles' doctors saw something they didn't like. Both Connolly and Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com have reported that there's a real chance Balfour's two-year, $15 million contract will fall apart. A resolution is expected to come Friday.

Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports that Grant Balfour's two-year deal with the Orioles is in "serious jeopardy" due to issues with his physical that "need to be resolved." There's no word on what the physical issue is. Kubatko says the two-year, $15 million deal was supposed to be officially announced on Thursday, but it's now "very possible" it will fall through. He expects a resolution to come sometime on Friday. It's possible the O's could re-work the deal in order to protect themselves, or they might have to find another closer.

Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com reports that Grant Balfour will sign a 2-year, $14 million contract with the Orioles. Half a million dollars will be deferred in each season. Balfour reportedly had a better offer on the table but spurned it to join what he considered to be a better situation. Baltimore ended up doing pretty well in its nifty game of closer arbitrage this offseason. First, it dumped Jim Johnson and the eight-figures it would have been forced to pay him on the A's for Jemile Weeks. Then, with the savings, the O's were able to sign both Balfour and setup man Ryan Webb (two-years, $4.5 million).