FanFest tickets on sale now; Individual Game tickets on sale January 21 The kickoff to the 2012 baseball season will begin on Saturday, January 21, as the Orioles host their annual FanFest event at the Baltimore Convention Center. 2012 FanFest, presented by the Sarasota Convention & Visitor's Bureau, 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...

The Orioles have designated left-handed reliever Pedro Viola for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for new catcher Taylor Teagarden. The Orioles made the trade official by sending out a press release a few minutes ago. The Rangers acquired minor league pitcher Randy Henry and a player to be named in exchange for Teagarden. Teagarden, who turns 28 on Dec. 21, has appeared in 118 games for the Texas Rangers over the last four seasons, batting .220 (77-for-350) with 16 home runs and...

The Orioles today announced that they have acquired catcher Taylor Teagarden from the Texas Rangers in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher Randy Henry and a player to be named later. Teagarden, who turns 28 on December 21, has appeared in 118 games for Texas over the last four seasons, batting .220 (77-350) with 16 home runs and 49 RBIs. He has a .985 career fielding percentage in the major leagues and has thrown out 30.5 percent of runners attempting to steal (25-82). "Taylor is...

I just returned home from today's video chat with Steve Melewski at the MASNsports.com Web studio, and I wanted to pass along a quick update on the Orioles' catching situation. The Orioles are on the verge of trading for a backup, and it appears to be Taylor Teagarden, a former third-round pick of the Texas Rangers who's a career .220 hitter in parts of four major league seasons. Manager Buck Showalter has ties to Teagarden, who turns 28 later this month, from their days together in...

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"You want to talk Bryce? He is sitting right here", then-College of Southern Nevada coach Tim Chambers said to me over the phone a couple of years ago. Bryce Harper was getting ready for his first and only season of collegiate baseball for the Las Vegas-based junior college and regularly sat in his coach's office talking baseball or reading books. That day, Harper was reading a biography of Willie Mays. He was pleasant, positive and soft-spoken. Harper would talk about baseball and his...

At first glance it appears the new rules for the First-Year Player Draft in baseball's new collective bargaining agreement do not enhance competitive balance at all or provide a new system where the have nots can gain on the haves in Major League Baseball. But after an interview this week with Baseball America's Jim Callis, I don't think the new rules are quite as bad for second-division teams like the Pirates, Royals and, yes, the Orioles that can no longer dump any amount they want into...

The Winter Meetings begin Monday in Dallas, and the common perception among reporters is that Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette is more likely to swing a trade or two than sign a free agent. "Well, I hope we do both," Duquette said yesterday. "I hope we can make some trades to help our team, and then also sign some free agent players to help our team. Hopefully, we can do both next week." Duquette indicated during his introductory press conference that the Orioles wouldn't...

Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette confirmed today that the Orioles are interested in Cuban outfielder Yoenis Cespedes and will watch him work out in the Dominican Republic. A date hasn't been set for the workout, but it's on the club's agenda. Cespedes worked out yesterday for Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo and international scouting director Johnny DiPuglia. Several other teams have watched him, including the Yankees and Marlins. Cespedes is a 26-year-old right-handed...