I'm back from my mini-vacation through Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana, three states that I hadn't ever visited prior to last week. I ate lots of fantastic food, heard some excellent live music and drank one or two adult beverages. I could say that I'm happy to now be home, but that would be a bit of a lie, and I wouldn't dare lie to you fine folks. While I was gone, the Nationals' signing of Dan Haren became official. Both the veteran right-hander and his new team claim that...

Tickets for FanFest, which will be held at the Baltimore Convention Center on Saturday, Jan. 19, are now on sale. You may purchase tickets online at www.orioles.com/fanfest, via phone at 1-888-848-BIRD, at the Oriole Park box office and at the Official Team Store at the York Galleria in York, Pa. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 14 and under and those over 55. On the day of the event, FanFest tickets will be sold at the Convention Center and the Oriole Park box office....

The kickoff to the 2013 baseball season will begin on Saturday, January 19, as the Orioles host their annual FanFest event at the Baltimore Convention Center. 2013 FanFest, presented by Visit Sarasota County, will feature appearances by current and former Orioles players and coaches 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 Season Plan Holders to...

So what should we read into the Orioles' total lack of interest in bringing back first baseman Mark Reynolds, who has agreed to terms on a one-year deal with the Cleveland Indians? Several people at the Winter Meetings suggested that money wasn't the issue. The Orioles simply felt that they could upgrade at first base. Reynolds' contract with the Indians is for a guaranteed $6 million. He reportedly can make another $1.5 million in bonuses based on plate appearances. He made $7.5 million...

Well, with not millions, but billions pouring in through their megabucks television contract, the Los Angeles Dodgers had to put that money somewhere. They could have used it instead on firewood to warm themselves, but I guess this seemed like a better plan. The Dodgers agreed to give pitcher Zack Greinke a six-year deal worth $147 million on Saturday. Last season, they acquired a total of $260 million in contracts when they added Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett and Carl Crawford. It wasn't...

What a difference a year makes. Or three years. Remember those days when free agents shied away from D.C. as a preferred destination? Zack Greinke turned down the Nationals a couple of years back (that worked out for him with the Dodgers this year, but that is not my point). There were a few seasons where high-priced free agents couldn't be persuaded to consider the Nationals. Not anymore. After two miserable seasons, the Nationals grabbed Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper with the...

Orioles manager Buck Showalter has a pretty good idea of which player will bat leadoff next season if all the candidates are healthy, but he'll allow the process to play itself out in spring training. Showalter doesn't think he can go wrong with Brian Roberts, Nate McLouth or Nick Markakis sitting atop the order. "I feel comfortable that we have people who are capable of doing it," he said. "One guy (Roberts) has a great track record if he's healthy. I hope all three do well and are...

At a time when many Americans are struggling to pay their bills, the salaries for pro athletes continues to rise and dwarf the rest of us. This story indicates that the average salary of a big league baseball player was $3.2 million in 2012. Can the average fan relate to that? The answer is probably no, but also I think we are desensitized somewhat to all the money in the sport because this is not new. Ballplayers have been making the big bucks for years. Now we throw around those figures...

If you're not an aficionado of Rotisserie League Baseball - yes, capitalized and trademarked, to distinguish it from the generic and bastardized forms of fantasy sports not invented by founding father Dan Okrent - you might be wondering why the Nationals are being so frugal when they've obviously got money to spend and needs to fill. The $13 million they shelled out for one year of Dan Haren is way less than the $100 million-plus that Zack Greinke will command, and it's not like the...

As it turns out, Matt Wieters is not any switch-hitting Jesus or Joe Mauer with power. But he is an All-Star catcher and Gold Glove winner that the Orioles are thrilled to call their own. He has turned into one of the game's top young catchers. But how good can Wieters get on offense? In 2011, he batted .262 with 22 homers, 68 RBIs and an OPS of .778. Last season, he batted .249 with 22 homers, 83 RBIs and a .764 OPS. Could Wieters ever hit 30 homers and drive in 100 runs? That may be...