(DRAFT) SARASOTA, Fla. - ESPN broadcaster Kevin Brown is joining the Orioles Radio Network in 2019, serving as a play-by-play announcer for about 50 games this season. Brown's hiring comes on the heels of Joe Angel's retirement after 19 seasons as the radio play-by-play voice of the Orioles. Angel spent more than four decades calling major league games, including two World Series, 44 postseason games and seven no-hitters. Brown currently serves as a play-by-play commentator on ESPN's...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Chris Davis knew it was coming. He hadn't reported to Orioles camp, at least according to the media's unofficial count, after vowing to arrive early. The most critical of fans had more ammunition. Talk radio came after him, too. Davis said he's been in Sarasota since Saturday afternoon, but an illness kept him away from his teammates. He didn't want to be at the complex while contagious. His equipment arrived ahead of him. "We got in around 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Most teams have to find ways to give their No. 1 catcher days off without losing too much in production. Davey Martinez is going to have to find ways to play two No. 1 catchers as much as possible this season. The Nationals' winter acquisitions of Yan Gomes and Kurt Suzuki leave their manager in an enviable position. Few teams can boast two front-line catchers of this stature, but general manager Mike Rizzo felt it was the smart play after seeing minimal production from...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Chris Davis is in camp and he'll speak with the media in a few minutes. There seems to be an obsession over his report date. Position players aren't due until Sunday. "We've talked on the phone a few times, got to see him in person at FanFest, talked to him this morning. So it's been all positive," said manager Brandon Hyde. "I think he looks great and he sounds great and I'm ready to watch him work out." Outfielder Austin Hays has reported early and he took batting...

The Orioles have announced plans for Opening Day of the 2019 Spring Training season on Saturday, February 23, when the Orioles host the Minnesota Twins at 1:05 p.m. ET at Ed Smith Stadium. The game launches an historic season in which the Orioles will reach the milestone of one million fans attending Orioles Spring Training games in Sarasota. Within the first three games, the Orioles will celebrate the "ONE MILLIONTH FAN" to attend an Orioles Spring Training game in Sarasota. The ballclub...

SARASOTA, Fla. - More position players arrived in Orioles camp this morning, including infielder Jace Peterson and outfielders Joey Rickard, Cedric Mullins and Anthony Santander. In case I neglected to mention him earlier, third baseman Rio Ruiz also is in camp ahead of Monday's first full-squad workout. Alex Cobb showed up earlier with the pitchers and catchers, the circumstances so different from those last spring. No late signing, which contributed to a disastrous first half, and no talk of...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Jeremy Hellickson knew he pitched well for the Nationals last season. He knew he was sick of bouncing around from team to team every year. He knew the Nats wanted another accomplished starter for the back of their rotation. Hellickson's return to Washington made all the sense in the world. But he, like so many other free agents during this winter of discontent, had to sit at home and wait for the call. "I really wasn't expecting this offseason to be like last, but it...

SARASOTA, Fla. - Orioles pitcher Pedro Araujo has new eyes casting their gaze upon him in camp. This could be a good thing. This could be a bad thing. Starting with the good, Araujo couldn't handle the jump last summer from the Single-A Carolina League to the majors as a Rule 5 pick. He was overmatched and underwhelming, with the club stashing him on the disabled list on June 11. Whatever bad impression he left - and really, no one should have expected a seamless transition - mostly has...

After a 42-year broadcasting career and 19 seasons in the Orioles radio booth, Joe Angel announced his retirement last night. He appeared on the "Orioles Hot Stove" radio show on flagship station 105.7 FM The Fan. He had a quite a career broadcasting Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants, Oakland Athletics, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees and Florida Marlins in addition to the Orioles. He was at the mic for seven no-hitters and 44 postseason games, including the Marlins'...

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Max Scherzer had been through this before, four winters ago, and though his free agency saga still ended with a huge contract from a franchise he embraces, he also knew the process took longer and included more frustrating developments than he believed it should have included. So when the subject of Bryce Harper's ongoing slog through free agency comes up, Scherzer has no trouble speaking both passionately and intelligently about the situation. And what does he have to...