In an e-mail this morning, O's president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail responded to a report that the Orioles are close to signing slugger Vladimir Guerrero. "Report is not accurate," MacPhail wrote to MASNSports.com. Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio reported last night, via Twitter, that Guerrero was close to accepting a deal from the Orioles. Guerrero, who turns 36 in February, hit .300-29-115 last year with Texas and is a free agent. He finished fourth in the American League in...

Nationals first baseman Adam LaRoche has been known as a very consistent hitter and a solid defensive performer who had trouble at the plate early on each season. That was the trend until last season when he had an unusually strong start with the Arizona Diamondbacks. So what did he change last year to get off on the right foot? "Absolutely nothing," LaRoche said last week. But LaRoche is definitely aware of his career numbers. "Obviously, early on, it got frustrating having a slow start...

On Monday, the Nationals will open up spring training ticket sales to fans who've registered to receive "Nationals Insider" e-mail updates. The opportunity allows fans to purchase spring training tickets a week before the general public. The presale starts on Monday, Jan. 24 at 10 a.m. and ends on Wednesday, Jan. 26 at noon. A limited number of tickets for the March 12 game against the Yankees will be available in the presale. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Saturday,...

So I'm back in the Carroll County Public Library this morning, not far from the Military History section. I also see a Graphic Novels section. I just wonder how graphic we're talking here. My laptop worked for a few hours last night. Like brand new, actually. But sure enough, it's back to its old tricks today. It's playing dead. I shot down the Vladimir Guerrero rumor last night, which might put my entry in the Military History section. However, I expect to field more questions about...

It doesn't seem like it was that long ago that the Orioles moved to lock up two of their better home-grown players and signed Nick Markakis and Brian Roberts to long-term contracts. Who will be the next Oriole, home grown or not, to sign the next megabucks deal? The Orioles have signed four of their six arbitration-eligible players to 2011 contracts but there hasn't been any indication the club is moving to lock up any of them to longer deals, at least not right now. After three seasons...

Think you've got what it takes to be a member of the 2011 Nat Pack, the energetic band of baseball-minded entertainers who whip up the crowd at Nationals Park into a frenzy and represent the guys with the curly Ws on their caps at events in and around the District? Well, if so, the Nationals want you. The Nationals are now accepting applications for the Nat Pack, hoping to find a new bevy of fan ambassadors before the first pitch is thrown March 31. Athletes, gymnasts, dancers, cheerleaders...

Before my time runs out on this library computer - 19 minutes and counting - I wanted to address the report that the Orioles have the inside track on signing free-agent outfielder Vladimir Guerrero. I just checked with a team official to see whether something had changed since I was told recently that the Orioles didn't expect to add a designated hitter, and certainly not Guerrero unless his price came tumbling down. I received a text back saying "nope." At this point, it doesn't sound...

I'm having serious laptop issues. And by "serious," I mean that it stopped working. It does make a neat grinding sound once in a while, but that's about it. So do I, but it depends on the meal. I'm currently using a computer at the Carroll County Public Library. Just seemed easier than blogging on my Blackberry. And yes, it took a busted laptop to get me inside a library. Ewwww, what are all these books doing here? Anyway, I'm getting assistance from the Web studio in moving...

Need a comforting, warm thought to take the chill off a mid-winter's day? Orioles spring training tickets go on sale Saturday, Jan. 22 at 10 a.m. So, if you want to ditch snow, ice and cold for the sunny shores of Sarasota and the new-look Ed Smith Stadium, you'll want to know all the details for how to acquire tickets for the Birds' 16-game Grapefruit League slate. Play starts March 1 with a home game against Tampa Bay. Individual game tickets can be purchased by phone by calling...

Yes, it's true that the Orioles are raising non-prime single-game ticket prices at Camden Yards for the second time since 2003. You can go to www.orioles.com and get the breakdown of the prices. Though math isn't my strong suit, the average increase for 2011 works out to $3 a ticket. The left field upper-reserve seats still can be purchased for $9, and the cost for season-tickets remains the same. Otherwise, you'll have to dig a little deeper. The average price for non-prime,...