Contract

The Orioles have signed left-hander Dontrelle Willis to a minor-league contract, according to an industry source. It is a split contract, which would pay him $700,000 if he remains in the major leagues all season. He is scheduled to report to Sarasota on Wednesday, the source said. Willis, 30, was released by the Phillies last week. He had signed a one-year, $1 million deal with Philadelphia in December. He was auditioning for a bullpen spot this spring, allowing five runs in 2 2/3 innings and recording a 16.87 ERA in three appearances, walking four and striking out none before being released on Friday.

Prestige Maintenance warned state regulators Friday that it will lay off 54 janitors over the next several months because its contract to provide cleaning services to Target stores across the state has ended. Texas-based Prestige said Target's new vendor would begin to provide services next week in some stores, with a full transition by October, according to its layoff-warning notice to the state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. Prestige did not return a message seeking comment.

In his brief comments to the media following the Orioles' ALDS Game 5 loss to the Yankees in New York, club managing partner Peter Angelos opened the door to the idea of a contract extension for manager Buck Showalter. “If they're interested in staying,” Angelos said of Showalter and executive vice president Dan Duquette, “nobody's more interested in keeping him than I am. And certainly I speak for everyone in the organization.” Showalter's contract runs through the end of the 2013 season, but speaking with reporters on Saturday, he indicated he was fine with the status of his deal.

A day after Ray Rice broke the silence about his contract status by saying he had outplayed his rookie deal, Ravens general manger Ozzie Newsome agreed with the Pro Bowl running back and indicated that he is happy with the progress the organization has made in long-term contract talks with Todd France, the agent for Rice. But Newsome said Wednesday at the team's annual draft luncheon that a potential holdout is something that he and other team officials always discuss before designated a player as their franchise player, including Rice.

The Houston Texans have reportedly agreed to a contract extension with running back Arian Foster, a deal that will surely be discussed in the ongoing contract negotiations between the Ravens and running back Ray Rice. Both are 25, Pro Bowl players and key offensive contributors on teams that won their divisions in 2011. According to ESPN, Foster's new five-year deal is worth $43.5 million with $20.75 million guaranteed . ESPN is reporting that Foster will make $18 million during the 2012 season and $30 million in first three years of deal.

The Orioles are purchasing the contract of utility man Bill Hall from Triple-A Norfolk, an industry source has confirmed. Hall will report to Baltimore on today and will be available for tonight's Orioles' game against the Rays at Camden Yards, the source said. Signed to a minor-league contract on April 23, Hall became a free-agent  when he didn't make the Yankees' 25-man roster this spring. In 15 games at Norfolk, Hall put up a .222/.269/.381 line with four doubles, two homers and seven RBI. Hall has had success against left-handed pitching at Norfolk, hitting .444 (8-for-18)

The Ravens' blockbuster $120.6 million contract with quarterback Joe Flacco is an arrangement banking on his future potential and not just how he engineered a Super Bowl victory. Because Flacco is entering the prime of his career at 28 years old, the New Jersey native is now expected to maintain the Ravens' competitiveness. The structure of his deal, which has been agreed to in principle and not signed, reflects that hope as it would make him the highest-paid player in the game.

Below is the text of the University of Maryland's news release on Terps football coach Ralph Friedgen's buyout. National search for next Maryland Football Coach to begin immediately; buyout effective following the Military Bowl The final year of Head Football Coach Ralph Friedgen's contract will be bought out by the University of Maryland Department of Athletics, Director of Athletics Kevin Anderson announced Monday afternoon. The buyout is effective January 2nd, 2011, and will cover all of the approximately $2 million in guaranteed compensation and benefits owed to Friedgen through January 2nd, 2012.

The Orioles added pitcher Zach Clark to their 40-man roster, the club announced Wednesday. Clark -- who pitched at UMBC -- had a breakout season that largely went under the radar, going 15-7 with a 2.78 ERA in 28 games this past season at Double-A Bowie and Triple-A Norfolk. He was signed in 2006 as an undrafted free agent by local scout Dean Albany and has compiled a 49-44 record with a 3.68 ERA in seven minor league seasons in the Orioles farm system. Clark, a Wilmington, Del., native was a dominant pitcher at Norfolk, going 5-2 with a 1.75 ERA there in eight games (seven starts)

Baltimore officials plan Wednesday to extend the contract of two firms that provide many of the city's information technology workers, saying they need more time before allowing other companies to compete for the work. Under the terms of a $2.4 million deal, Digicon Corp. will continue to provide the Mayor's Office of Information Technology with staffers for an additional six months. The administration also is moving to extend the contract of another IT staffing firm, Telecommunication Systems Inc., for $2.7 million over six months.