FanFest set for Jan. 29 at Convention Center

FanFest set for Jan. 29 at Convention Center
The Orioles have released details for their annual FanFest on Jan 29 at the Baltimore Convention Center. The event will be held from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., with early entry for Orioles season plan holders to begin at 10 a.m. In addition to FanFest activities, individual game tickets for the 2011 season will go on sale at 10 a.m. on the same date. Fans may purchase tickets throughout the day at the Convention Center or the Orioles' box office at the north end of the warehouse. Tickets also will be...
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Alomar on Alomar

Alomar on Alomar
Made available in a conference call that ended a few minutes ago, former Orioles second baseman Roberto Alomar told reporters he was surprised that he received 90 percent of the votes this year after getting 73.7 percent last winter. "I didn't expect to get so many votes," he said. "I know last year was a little bit disappointing, but on the other hand, I feel happy with what happened this year and I'm real excited. It's a real exciting moment for me. "It's something that's out of...
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Ripken on Alomar's election to HOF

Ripken on Alomar's election to HOF
Cal Ripken passed along the following comment regarding former teammate Roberto Alomar's election into the baseball Hall of Fame: "I was happy and excited to see that Robbie was elected to the Hall of Fame. He is one of the most talented guys I ever played with and against. He was great at the plate and in the field and made plays at second base that I never saw anyone else make. Congratulations to Roberto. I look forward to welcoming him to Cooperstown." For anyone who questions whether...
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Alomar and Blyleven headed to HOF; Raffy denied (updated)

Alomar and Blyleven headed to HOF; Raffy denied (updated)
Former Orioles second baseman Roberto Alomar and pitcher Bert Blyleven will be inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame in 2011. Former Orioles first baseman Rafael Palmeiro, trying to be recognized through the cloud that remains from his failed drug test, didn't receive enough votes in his first year on the ballot. Alomar, a 12-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove winner, totaled 523 votes, giving him a whopping 90 percent. He fell eight votes short last winter. Blyleven received 463 votes,...
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Izturis signing official

Izturis signing official
It's been weeks since the Orioles confirmed that they reached a verbal agreement on a one-year contract with infielder Cesar Izturis. Well, Izturis finally took and passed his physical, so the deal is official. You can blow out your candle. Izturis will serve in a utility role in 2011, backing up shortstop J.J. Hardy and second baseman Brian Roberts. Considering their past health issues, he might stay busy. Let's hope not. Izturis, 30, batted .230 in 150 games last season, his second...
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Kranitz on Gregg and other roster moves

Kranitz on Gregg and other roster moves
The results of the Hall of Fame voting will be announced at 2 p.m., and I fully expect Roberto Alomar and Bert Blyleven to receive the necessary 75 percent for induction. I've never seen a better defensive second baseman than Alomar, and he was the best all-around player in baseball for a period of time. Unfortunately, Robbie had that on-off switch. If he lost interest, which happened when his team lost ground in the standings, he could look quite average. Case in point: the 1998 season. But...
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Preliminary ballistic report could clear Simon (updated)

Preliminary ballistic report could clear Simon (updated)
While Orioles pitcher Alfredo Simon remains in police custody tonight in Santiago, Dominican Republic, his agent says that a preliminary ballistic report shows that the bullet that killed a 25-year-old man on New Year's Eve doesn't match the reliever's gun. Phil Isaac of the Para Sports Group just passed along the news in a text message. Meanwhile, one of Simon's lawyers, Carlos Olivares, told CNN that "The ballistics tests have been favorable. We are waiting for the formal...
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Gregg's agent: "Baltimore, for Kevin, has a lot of pluses"

Gregg's agent: "Baltimore, for Kevin, has a lot of pluses"
The Orioles' two-year deal with reliever Kevin Gregg includes a vesting option for 2013. Gregg's agent, Danny Horwits, said six or seven teams were involved in serious negotiations at various points during the winter. "Baltimore, for Kevin, has a lot of pluses," Horwits said. "One is all the acquisitions that they've made. Kevin is real excited about Mark Reynolds and J.J. Hardy and Derrek Lee. He wanted to be part of that. And he's familiar with the team from pitching in the...
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Reliever Gregg, Orioles agree on two-year deal (updated)

Reliever Gregg, Orioles agree on two-year deal (updated)
A team source has confirmed that the Orioles have reached an agreement today with free agent reliever Kevin Gregg on a two-year contract. The deal will become official once Gregg passes his physical. Various reports have placed the value of the deal from $8-$10 million. Manager Buck Showalter must choose between Gregg and Koji Uehara to be the team's closer in 2011. Gregg wanted to sign with a team that would give him that opportunity and he'll go into the camp as the early...
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This and that

This and that
Let's get this out of the way first: Nothing new to report on Alfredo Simon, but I haven't been awake for that long. It's believed that he's incarcerated while police try to determine whether the bullet that killed a 25-year-old man on New Year's Eve came from his gun. The story grows more complicated by the day, including the revelation that the victim, Michael Esteban Castillo, was Simon's cousin. Simon has stated that he was close friends with the victim and the fatal shooting was...
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Latest Simon update (with update)

Latest Simon update (with update)
According to this tweet from The Associated Press' Dionisio Soldevila, Orioles pitcher Alfredo Simon could be held without bail for one year in his native Dominican Republic until his case goes to trial. Simon's lawyers reportedly will appeal the decision, according to Soldevila. Simon met with law enforcement officials today at national police headquarters in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where he was questioned about the shooting that left one man dead and another injured. Simon...
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CNN report: Simon claims shooting death was accidental (updated)

CNN report: Simon claims shooting death was accidental (updated)
According to this report on CNN, Orioles pitcher Alfredo Simon claims that the shooting death of a 25-year-old man in the Dominican Republic was accidental. Simon also states that he was friends with the victim. "In truth, that young man was my friend, like a brother," Simon said of Michael Esteban Castillo. "It wasn't a thing like we began arguing and I started shooting. It was some accident; it happened by accident. That's why I came here - to open my soul." Puerto Plata District...
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Simon's agent remains optimistic, awaiting word

Simon's agent remains optimistic, awaiting word
Phil Isaac, one of the agents who represents Alfredo Simon, is waiting to hear back from the Orioles' reliever after this morning's meeting with law enforcement authorities in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. According to published reports, Simon is the primary suspect in the shooting death of a 25-year-old man on New Year's Eve. Isaac, of the Para Sports Group, said by phone earlier today that he remains optimistic that "this thing will get resolved in his favor." "Again, we're...
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Simon surrenders to Dominican police

Simon surrenders to Dominican police
Orioles reliever Alfredo Simon reportedly has arrived at national police headquarters in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where he will be questioned about the shooting that left one man dead and another injured. According to this wire story, Simon was accompanied by his mother and lawyer, who gave detectives Simon's gun as part of the investigation into the killing of a 25-year-old man on New Year's Eve. Simon claims that he fired two shots into the air. The Orioles won't issue any...
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Awaiting word on Alfredo Simon

Awaiting word on Alfredo Simon
So much for a quiet Sunday. Let's see what Monday brings. If more details unfold, I would expect the Orioles to issue a statement today regarding reliever Alfredo Simon. He's the primary suspect in a shooting in the Dominican Republic that left one man dead and injured another. A team spokesman said yesterday that the Orioles wouldn't comment until more information became available. I was told that Simon would most likely meet with law enforcement officials later today in the Dominican....
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Disturbing report on Simon (updated)

Disturbing report on Simon (updated)
I've been alerted to a report coming out of the Dominican Republic concerning Orioles reliever Alfredo Simon that has left me speechless. According to this tweet from the Associated Press' Dionisio Soldevila, Simon is accused of murder in his native Dominican Republic. I'm told that a few of his teammates are aware of the story and are "in shock." I'll obviously have more to report later. Here's more on the incident. Simon is the primary suspect in a shooting that killed...
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Looking back and ahead

Looking back and ahead
This was my last morning to sleep late before school starts up again and I'm rolling out of bed at 6:30 a.m. I think the Christmas break should start the day after Thanksgiving and last until the day after the Super Bowl. If I were king... Not much to report today. The Orioles have scheduled a physical for Derrek Lee this week and will make him available to the local media once he's passed it. He'll say all the right things about the organization and the city of Baltimore. He won't...
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Policing the lineup

Policing the lineup
Happy New Year. I'll try to type quietly this morning in case your head is pounding. I'm perfectly fine, but it seems appropriate on this day to post a few hangover remedies, so feel free to share them with the rest of the class. I know greasy McDonald's has been recommended in the past - as if there's any other kind of McDonald's. At least one person will suggest that you keep drinking, but I'm more inclined to suggest fast-food. Like many of you - at least the conscious ones -...
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Lee agrees to terms

Lee agrees to terms
A team official has confirmed that the Orioles reached verbal agreement with free-agent first baseman Derrek Lee on a contract for 2011. The signing will become official once Lee passes a physical. Various reports have placed the Orioles' offer at one year for around $8 million. Lee was willing to accept a one-year deal, while Adam LaRoche continued to seek three guaranteed years. The Orioles decided recently to move on without LaRoche and intensified talks with Lee's agent, Casey...
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Examining a few pitching options

Examining a few pitching options
I want to begin by wishing everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year. Be careful if you're driving later. The roads will be filled with amateurs. I feel like I already rang in the New Year at Camden Yards each time a ball dropped in shallow left-center field. If the Orioles add a starting pitcher as expected, they won't necessarily shy away from a low-risk, high-reward type who's coming off an injury. However, they'll need to feel comfortable that he's healthy and ready to compete for a job...
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