Angelos

Every day that passes without the Baltimore City government installing a Voice over Internet Protocol phone system, the taxpayers waste thousands of dollars. About this fact there is no dispute. The city's old phone system is wasteful and inefficient, and at a time when Baltimore is closing recreation centers and fire companies, there is no excuse for not moving forward with an investment that will serve taxpayers better at a lower cost. Both Comptroller Joan Pratt and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake share the blame in the pettiness and subterfuge that have torpedoed efforts to make the transition to VoIP.

The law firm of prominent lawyer and Orioles owner Peter G. Angelos is handling without charge Baltimore Comptroller Joan M. Pratt's lawsuit against the Rawlings-Blake administration's efforts to install a new city phone system that Pratt says illegally circumvented the competitive bidding process and wasted taxpayer dollars. "Mr. Angelos is a very public-spirited citizen who always looks out for the little guy," said Pratt's attorney, Charles Bernstein of the Angelos firm. "In this case, the little guy is the Baltimore taxpayer.

There are big political contributors, and then there are BIG contributors. Count Baltimore trial lawyer and Orioles owner Peter Angelos among the latter. Angelos has donated at least $1.22 million, mostly to super PACs backing Democrats, according to the latest filings with the Federal Election Commission. And he's not the only Marylander in this seven-figure club. J.W. Marriott Jr., executive chairman of Marriott International in Bethesda, gave $1 million to Restore Our Future, the super PAC supporting Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

The Orioles have every right to bask in the glow of a highly competitive and entertaining 2012 season that exceeded all expectation, but it's impossible to look back on their six-game playoff run without wondering what might have been - and what might be - if they had just a little more offensive potential. The five-game American League Division Series was one of the lowest scoring in the history of that format, so it wasn't like the New York Yankees were tearing the cover off the ball either.

NEW YORK - Minutes after the Orioles lost to the New York Yankees in Game 5 of the American League Division Series to end their wild and unexpected 2012 season, club managing partner Peter G. Angelos hugged center fielder Adam Jones and made a prognostication. “In another year, I predict you are going to be ahead of [the Yankees],” Angelos told Jones. Angelos, who rarely makes appearances, entered the clubhouse for the second time this series after making his first visit after the Orioles' Game 2 win at home on Monday.

After beating the New York Yankees 3-2 in Game 2 of the ALDS on Monday night, the Orioles received a surprise visitor: Principal owner Peter G. Angelos. Angelos rarely makes an appearance in the clubhouse, and it's exceptionally rare for it to happen after a game. Media members can't remember that happening in the last decade, although he did meet the team during spring training this year and a few seasons ago before an Opening Day game.     It was almost like royalty had entered the room, and several players stood around to make sure they could shake his hand.

Peter Angelos' ownership of the Orioles seemed to hit a new low last fall when two well-respected candidates spurned the chance to become his top baseball executive. Fans rolled their eyes and bit their lips when Angelos settled for Dan Duquette, who had been out of Major League Baseball for almost a decade after his demise as general manager of the Boston Red Sox. It seemed that Angelos' Orioles, losers for 14 straight years, could only get a guy no one else wanted. Who could have guessed it was the prologue to a story of redemption for both franchise and owner?

Orioles owner Peter Angelos did not make the trip to Arlington, Texas, for Friday night's game between the Orioles and Texas Rangers. He instead watched it from Café Troia, according to the Towson restaurant's owner. "He was here last night. He's here a lot," said owner Carol Troia. "When he comes in, he likes to watch the game. " Angelos appeared to be happy following the win and was congratulated by those around him. "He's not overly ecstatic. But he was happy. And then he went home," Troia said.

The record-blasting year for the Baltimore Orioles seems to be putting owner Peter G. Angelos in a generous mood. The baseball team owner has given more than $1.2 million to Democratic super PACs this year. Angelos has a long history of supporting Democrats, but his checks are usually the four-figure variety. This year he stepped up the giving, writing a $500,000 check to the Priorities USA super PAC, which has spent about $24 million opposing the Romney-Ryan ticket. He also gave $575,000 to the Majority PAC, a group dedicated to winning Democratic Senate seats.

[Following is a transcript of Cal Ripken Jr.'s speech at his sculpture unveiling ceremony Thursday at Camden Yards. ] Thank you, thank you. Just for the record, just because you stood up and clapped, I'm not taking a lap around the ball park again. Those days are over, thank you. In the beginning, I wasn't sure what to expect from these bronze statue ceremonies. Sure these statues are for pretty good Oriolesbaseball players, but at the same time a familiar kind of Orioles magic started to appear, the magic of the Oriole Way. A deep-rooted connection developed over generations, made up of people who dedicated their lives to baseball in Baltimore.