The Orioles will open their first season at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota with a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, March 3, the first of 16 home games the club will play as part of their 2010 spring schedule. Next year will be the first time the club has trained in Sarasota since 1995. The team spent the last 14 seasons in Fort Lauderdale.
Baltimore will face 10 different opponents at home during the '10 spring campaign. They will host the Boston Red Sox three times at Ed Smith...
The Orioles today announced that they have acquired RHP KEVIN MILLWOOD and an undisclosed amount of cash from the Texas Rangers in exchange for RHP CHRIS RAY and a player to be named later.
Millwood, 34, was 13-10 with a 3.67 ERA (198.2IP, 81ER) in 31 starts for Texas in 2009. Millwood's 3.67 ERA in 2009 was eighth-best among American League pitchers.
In 13 major league seasons, Millwood is 155-121 with a 4.02 ERA (2,314.1IP, 1,035ER) in 383 games (375 starts). Millwood has started at...
The Orioles today selected two minor league players in the Rule 5 Draft, including LHP BEN SNYDER from the San Francisco Giants organization in the Major League phase of the draft. Following the draft, the Orioles traded Snyder to the Texas Rangers to complete Wednesday's trade which sent RHP KEVIN MILLWOOD to Baltimore in exchange for RHP CHRIS RAY.
With the trade, the Orioles have 39 players on their major league roster.
In the Triple-A phase of the minor league draft, the Orioles selected...
The Orioles today announced that they have signed free agent LHP MIKE GONZALEZ to a two-year contract through the 2011 season.
Gonzalez, 31, went 5-4 with 10 saves and a 2.42 ERA (74.1IP, 20ER) in 80 games for the Braves in 2009. Gonzalez held opponents to a .209 (56-268) batting average in 2009 and held left-handed batters to a .194 (19-98) average. His 80 appearances, 74.1 innings pitched and 90 strikeouts each set career-highs and the 90 strikeouts were seventh-most among major league...
The Orioles today announced that they have signed free agent INF GARRETT ATKINS to a one-year contract for 2010, with a club option for the 2011 season.
Atkins, 30, is a career .298 hitter over seven major league seasons, all with Colorado.
In 2006, Atkins set career highs with a .329 average, 48 doubles, 25 home runs and 120 RBI. He helped the Rockies to their first World Series appearance in 2007, where he homered in Game 4 of the Fall Classic.
In 2009, Atkins batted .226 (80-354) with...
The Orioles today announced the coaching staffs for their eight minor league affiliates for the 2010 season.
GARY ALLENSON is back for his fifth season in the organization and will manage Triple-A Norfolk for the fourth season after guiding the Tides to a 71-71 record in 2009. MIKE GRIFFIN, who pitched for the 1987 Orioles, will serve as pitching coach for the third consecutive season in the organization after his 2009 Double-A Bowie hurlers posted a 3.87 ERA. RICHIE HEBNER, an 18-year major...
The Orioles today announced that they have entered into a multi-year partnership with NewsRadio 910 WSBA to return as the club's radio affiliate in York, Pennsylvania. WSBA Radio also broadcast Orioles games in central Pennsylvania from 1988 through 2006.
WSBA will air regular season games and select spring training games beginning in March. Orioles fans will also hear game highlights, team reports and player interviews during York's Morning News. WSBA will also promote Orioles events in the...
Individual tickets for all 16 of the Orioles' spring training games at Ed Smith Stadium will go on sale this Saturday, January 16 at 10:00 a.m. This year marks the first time the club has trained in Sarasota since 1995. The team spent the last 14 seasons in Fort Lauderdale.
The Orioles will open their first season at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota with a game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, March 3, the first of 16 home games the club will play as part of their 2010 spring schedule....
Over 60 current, future and former Orioles players and coaches will participate in the team's 2010 FanFest event at the Baltimore Convention Center next Saturday, January 23. Presented by the Sarasota Convention & Visitors Bureau, 2010 FanFest will feature autograph sessions and question and answer forums as part of a day-long celebration of baseball that will also include clinics, exhibits and interactive games. The event will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with early entry for Orioles...
The Orioles today announced that they have agreed to terms with OF LUKE SCOTT on a one-year contract, thus avoiding arbitration.
Scott, 31, played in 128 games for the Orioles in 2009, batting .258 (116-449) while setting career-highs with 25 home runs and 77 runs batted in.
In 276 games over the last two years with Baltimore, Scott has a .258 average (238-924) with 55 doubles, 48 home runs and 142 runs batted in.
Over his 507 career games in the major leagues, Scott has a .264 average...
The Orioles have scheduled a variety of giveaways and promotions designed to appeal to fans of all ages during the upcoming season. Highlights of this year's giveaway schedule include a MATT WIETERS bobblehead doll giveaway presented by AT&T, a replica BROOKS ROBINSON jersey, a series of three mini-bobblehead dolls featuring outfielders NOLAN REIMOLD, ADAM JONES and NICK MARKAKIS, four cap giveaway nights and the return of T-Shirt Tuesdays. The Orioles will also bring back the popular Birdland...
The Orioles today announced that they have signed free agent INF MIGUEL TEJADA to a one-year contract for 2010. The six-time All-Star rejoins his former team, for whom he batted .311 with 102 home runs and 429 RBI in 619 games over four seasons from 2004-2007.
Traded by the Orioles to Houston on December 12, 2007 in exchange for RHP MATT ALBERS, INF MICHAEL COSTANZO, LHP TROY PATTON, RHP DENNIS SARFATE and OF LUKE SCOTT, Tejada spent the last two years with the Astros. Last season, he led the...
The Orioles today announced that RHP DENNIS SARFATE has cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk. Sarfate will be invited to major league spring training as a non-roster invitee.
Sarfate went 0-1 with a 5.09 ERA (23.0IP, 13ER) in 20 games for Baltimore in 2009. He spent most of the season on the disabled list with a circulatory condition in his right hand.
The Orioles today announced that they have re-signed free agent LHP MARK HENDRICKSON to a one-year contract for the 2010 season with a club option for the 2011 season.
Hendrickson, 35, went 6-5 with a 4.37 ERA (105.0IP, 51ER) in 53 games (11 starts) for the Orioles in 2009. In 42 relief appearances, Hendrickson was 4-0 with a 3.44 ERA (55.0IP, 21ER). Hendrickson is the only major league pitcher to make at least 10 starts and five relief appearances in each of the last four seasons.
In his...
Earlier today, longtime Orioles traveling secretary PHIL ITZOE passed away after an extended illness. Born August 26, 1937, Itzoe spent a total of 45 seasons with the Orioles, including 41 years coordinating the Orioles' travel plans, the longest tenure of any traveling secretary in any of the four major sports leagues.
Phil joined the Orioles in 1964 as assistant to the public relations director. In 1968, he took over traveling secretary duties, a position he held through the 2008 season....
The Orioles will hold open tryouts on Saturday, February 20 for public address announcer at Ed Smith Stadium for the 2010 spring training season. Applicants are asked to bring their resumes and arrive by 12:30 p.m. for registration. Tryouts will begin promptly at 1:00 p.m.
Applicants will be asked to read mock lineups and make announcements on the public address system at the ballpark. The new voice of the Orioles must be available for all 16 home spring training games from Wednesday, March 3...
The Orioles today announced that RHP ARMANDO GABINO has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk. He has also received an invitation to attend major league spring training camp.
Gabino was claimed on waivers from the Minnesota Twins on November 9, 2009. He made his major league debut last August for the Twins. Gabino is 21-17 with a 3.30 ERA (344.0IP, 126ER) in 178 minor league games with the Cleveland Indians and Minnesota.
Gabino will wear uniform #61.
The Orioles announced today that they are once again inviting all baseball fans to celebrate their birthdays at Camden Yards and attend a game for free in 2010. The "Come Free for your Birthday" promotion, this year presented by Carvel, debuted last season as part of the Birdland Stimulus Package and was wildly successful, with over 45,000 fans participating and receiving a free ticket voucher for their birthday.
The promotion is part of the team's effort to continue to offer Orioles...
The Orioles have announced they will conduct interviews on Saturday, March 6 to find ballgirls and ballboys for the 2010 season.
Outgoing and athletic men and women ages 18 and older who are interested in serving as ballboys and ballgirls for the Orioles during the upcoming season are invited to interview for a position at Camden Yards beginning at noon on March 6. Candidates should be personable, customer-service oriented and available to work the entire 2010 season.
Those interested should...
The Orioles will open their first spring training season at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota tomorrow, Wednesday, March 3 against the Tampa Bay Rays at 1:05 p.m. The entire ballpark will open at 11:00 a.m. for fans to come early and enjoy batting practice and pregame preparations.
Tickets are still available by visiting www.orioles.com, by calling (888) 329-3365 or by visiting the Ed Smith Stadium box office.
NATIONAL ANTHEM AND COLOR GUARD
American tenor Joshua Kohl will perform the National...