Since the Ravens won Super Bowl XLVII (that's 47 to you and me), they're expected to host the first Thursday night game of 2013 on Sept. 5. The Orioles are supposed to play the Chicago White Sox on that same night at Camden Yards. Yes, we have a conflict, and fans already are asking whether the Orioles will move their game to another time or date. No decision has been made, but there are a few options. None of them include playing the two games at the same time. It just won't work....

The minor league deals are coming fast and furious now. And this one's pretty interesting. The Nationals have agreed to terms with first baseman Micah Owings on a minor league deal with an invitation to big league spring training. Yes, you read that correctly. Owings, a former starter turned reliever who went 8-0 with a 3.57 ERA in 2011 and picked up a win in the postseason, is now a position player. The 30-year-old Owings, who was drafted by the Diamondbacks when Nats general manager Mike...

The Orioles recently announced their radio and television broadcasts for the 2013 spring training season, providing the Sarasota area exposure to millions of households in the Mid-Atlantic region. "Not every Orioles fan is able to attend Spring Training in Sarasota County each year, so we are thankful that many of the games are broadcast back to the Mid-Atlantic market," said Virginia Haley, President of Visit Sarasota County. "Fans watching on television are exposed to the beauty of our...

Just a couple of hours after the Nationals announced that they had signed veteran catcher Chris Snyder to a minor league contract yesterday, a deal that provides even more depth should Wilson Ramos' surgically repaired right knee not allow him to be ready opening day, Ramos sent out a couple tweets. One of the tweets, written in Spanish, roughly translates to the following: "Almost green-lighted to enter action, thank you my God." No, I didn't translate that myself. The Internet helped....

Outfielder Corey Brown is vying for a spot on the Nationals' 25-man roster this spring. The 27-year-old showed well in last season's call-up. He got attention with a nice series in Milwaukee in late July. Brown went 3-for-9 with three runs, one double, one homer and one RBI on July 28-29. His first major league hit was a home run,a solo shot over the left-center field wall in Miller Park, contributing to a 4-1 win over the Brewers. The Oklahoma State product appeared in 19 games last...

Orioles infielder Danny Valencia has issued a statement regarding the Yahoo! Sports report linking him to the Biogenesis clinic. ESPN's Jerry Crasnick passed it along a few minutes ago: "As any innocent person would be, I am shocked and troubled that my name is in any way connected to this story. I have never met or spoken to anyone connected with Biogenesis, in fact I had never even heard of this company prior to the New Times' story. I take tremendous pride in the hard work and dedication...

If the Orioles produce a video of the 2013 season, I suggest that they call it "Platoon." I'm aware that there's a film of the same name, but this one won't include Charlie Sheen. Yesterday's waiver claim of Russ Canzler provides manager Buck Showalter with more platoon possibilities in left field, at first base and at designated hitter. Of course, Canzler has to make the team out of spring training. He has to make it down to Sarasota. He has to make it through today without being taken...

Brian Graham is not new to the Orioles. But as of Jan. 25, he has a new position with the Orioles. Graham was promoted from coordinator of minor league instruction to director of player development. Graham is now the man in charge of the Orioles' minor leagues. Graham joins a newcomer to the organization, Kent Qualls, who has been named director of minor league operations, as the top brass heading up the minors. Graham is beginning his sixth season with the Orioles and has been a...

Mychal Givens, the Orioles' second-round draft pick in 2009, is officially moving to the mound. After playing three seasons in the club's minor leagues as an infielder, Givens will begin his life as a pitcher when spring training begins in Sarasota, a club official confirmed this afternoon. Givens, drafted 54th overall by the club out of Plant High School in Tampa, Fla., and signed to an $800,000 bonus, had just not progressed much as a hitter. Save for a few at-bats, he had not advanced...

With the news that right-hander Chris Carpenter is unlikely to pitch in 2013, one of the toughest pitchers in the majors the past 15 years might be close to retirement. Carpenter has pitched in 350 games with 332 starts, winning 144 games with a consistent .605 winning percentage. How consistent? According to Baseball Reference, Carpenter's winning percentage was exactly .605 for the first half (75-49) and the second half (69-45) of each season. Incredibly, he also had a better winning...