New Manager

Democrat John Delaney's campaign for Maryland's 6th Congressional District has brought a new manager on board a little more than a month out from the April 3 primary, the campaign confirmed in a statement Tuesday. Justin Schall, who has previously run campaigns in Indiana, Pennsylvania and New York, will replace Max Cummings. Delaney, a Potomac banker, is running in a feisty nomination contest against State Sen. Rob Garagiola and three other Democrats. “Our campaign has grown significantly and rapidly across the Sixth District," campaign spokesman Will McDonald said in a statement.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Mike Matheny had just answered a reporter's question about the challenges of being a first-year manager when an unexpected situation presented itself. The visiting Cardinals were under the impression that the National League team could continue using a designated hitter in all exhibition games through Wednesday. Yet nearly an hour after they had arrived at Disney's Wide World of Sports, the Cardinals were informed that the host Braves wanted the pitchers to bat in Monday's Grapefruit League game.

All right, Orioles, enough with the stalling. Enough with dragging out the search for the Chosen One who will lead the orange and black back to prominence after 12 consecutive losing seasons and a 13th all but certain. Time to announce the new manager. And I mean soon. Real soon. As in the next few days. In fact, if I ran the show, I'd make the announcement Friday. That's the day the team returns from the All-Star break to begin a 10-game homestand at Camden Yards with three against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Democrat John Delaney's campaign for Maryland's 6th Congressional District has brought a new manager on board a little more than a month out from the April 3 primary, the campaign confirmed in a statement Tuesday. Justin Schall, who has previously run campaigns in Indiana, Pennsylvania and New York, will replace Max Cummings. Delaney, a Potomac banker, is running in a feisty nomination contest against State Sen. Rob Garagiola and three other Democrats. “Our campaign has grown significantly and rapidly across the Sixth District," campaign spokesman Will McDonald said in a statement.

Mayor W. Benjamin Brown Jr. broke his silence over the council's recent hiring of a new city manager, leveling criticism that the cost ofthe move was excessive.But one councilman countered that the mayor should review his math when considering the expense of the new hire.Last week, the council approved the hiring of Philip F. Hertz, a Hanover, Pa., native and borough manager in Metuchen, N.J.Hertz, who starts Feb. 19, will be paid $57,500 annually. But the mayor saida benefits package will push that figure closer to $75,000, an amount he termed excessive.

NEW YORK -- Very quickly, if the players are paying attention, the New York Mets will discover that Jeff Torborg is smarter than they are. Also better organized, more prepared and more perceptive.And they better be paying attention. That's the new manager's first rule. Or, in his words, "They won't be playing." They won't be able to blame him for their failings. Maybe he will even enable them to be better players.The people on the search committee -- General Manager Al Harazin; Frank Cashen, GM emeritus; Gerry Hunsicker, the vice president of baseball operations; and Fred Wilpon, the owner whose baseball input is greater than meets the eye -- were so impressed by him that they looked nowhere else.

FREDERICK -- They have a new manager, but 10 of the same players from a team that nearly made the Carolina League playoffs last season and two more from the preceding summer.Ticket sales, which drooped in 1996, have improved and favorable weather could push the Frederick Keys back into the 300,000-fan neighborhood they usually inhabit.The roster is not loaded with big-name prospects, but contains an interesting mix of Single-A veterans, newcomers from independent leagues, line-drive hitters and solid fielders.

Taneytown City Manager Joseph A. Mangini Jr. has taken his place at the table in the council's meeting room.And he's been on the job seven weeks already.But Friday evening was the first formal opportunity Taneytown residents had to meet their new manager. Mangini succeeded Neal W. Powell, who retired."We wanted to give (residents) an opportunity to meet the city manager," said Mayor Henry Reindollar, who along with his wife, Dean, attended the open house at City Hall. "We're very pleased with him. Things are going very well."

The Orioles have yet to formally announce the hiring of Ray Miller as the club's new manager, but he is on his way back to Baltimore and club officials already are beginning to piece together the coaching staff that will work under him in 1998.Miller could be installed officially as early as this afternoon, according to a high-ranking club source.He has been summoned to Baltimore from his Ohio home to meet with front-office officials, apparently to work out the details of his new contract and discuss the makeup of the coaching staff.

The restaurant in the Sykesville train station, the cornerstone in the revival of downtown, has a new manager.Stewart Dearie promises to make the property prosper and attract visitors to town.Dearie, 44, brings 20 years of experience in restaurant management to his new job at Baldwin's Railroad Restaurant. Most recently, he managed the Smokehouse Restaurant and the Pickwick Pub at Antrim 1844, an award-winning inn in Taneytown.Before Antrim, Dearie ran two restaurants and a $2 million catering operation at Peabody Court in Baltimore.

An airport food company warned state regulators Thursday that it is laying off 112 employees as it hands off the management of restaurants and bars at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport to another firm — which could decide to hire all the same workers. SSP America said the switchover began in early January and would be complete by the end of March, according to its notice to the state Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation. BWI spokesman Jonathan Dean said SSP had a sublease with concessions developer AIRMALL USA to operate six restaurants and bars but decided to leave.

Center Stage officials announced Tuesday that they have hired a new managing director with impressive credentials as a fundraiser — Stephen J. Richard, who planned and managed the recent $125 million campaign to renovate Arena Stage in Washington. Artistic director Kwame Kwei-Armah will continue to determine the company's overall vision onstage and off, while Richard will be in charge of the management, fundraising and organizational responsibilities that can make those ideas reality.

Following several years of tax problems, Midtown Yacht Club's landlord has taken over the business from its most recent managers. On Monday, Nathan Beveridge confirmed he repossessed Midtown earlier this month because the previous managers, J.G.J. Center, Inc., owed back taxes. He aims to re-open the bar in December with a new concept and name, Midtown BBQ and Brew. The Comptroller of Maryland also said Monday J.G.J. Center owes the state nearly $50,000 in back taxes. The company could not be reached for comment.

APG Federal Credit Union, Harford and Cecil County's largest credit union, has announced Thomas J. Arena recently joined the credit union's marketing department in the new position of product manager. Arena brings more than 10 years of product development, management and marketing experience to the credit union. As a key member of APGFCU's marketing team, he will be responsible for developing and managing new and existing products, services and making other improvements to enhance the member experience.

If the Orioles were Rick Besore's girlfriend, he would have broken off the tortured relationship long ago. Who could still love after the collapse of 2005 or the 2-16 start of 2010 or the dashing of this year's once-robust hopes? But on Monday, Besore stood with his brother Scott on the flag court at Camden Yards, shouting for his 92-loss team to spoil the playoff chances of the Boston Red Sox. Somehow, his bond with a club that will wrap up its 14th straight losing season tonight is stronger than almost any in his life.

News item: Washington Nationals manager Jim Riggleman abruptly resigned Thursday with the team on an 11-1 roll that had pushed it above .500 at the latest point in any season since 2005. He quit after an unsuccessful attempt to convince the team to pick up his contract option for next season. My take: Riggleman was looking at the writing on the clubhouse wall, and it told him that the Nats aren't going to the World Series and he would never have this kind of leverage again, but this play was a five-base error.

Here's the first reaction any thinking Orioles fan should have to the news that Buck Showalter is the team's new manager: It's about time. What was all this ridiculous foot-dragging in the Warehouse all about? C'mon, Showalter should have taken over this team right after the All-Star break. That way the Orioles would have sent a clear, strong message to both their players and their fans: "That horrible start is behind us. We're moving in a new direction. "Sure, we might not come out of this tailspin right away.

Sunlight streams through the windows of the immaculate barns at the Andover Equestrian Center, lighting up the freshly painted walls, new flooring and sliding stall doors. But the stalls stand empty. It's close to two years since the horses stabled at the Linthicum facility were moved out so the county could renovate the riding complex and look for a new manager. With construction work nearly complete, county officials say they are about to begin searching for a center operator and hope to fill the job by the end of the year.

ESPN The Magazine has unveiled its annual Ultimate Team Rankings, which measure “how much MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL franchises give back to the fans in exchange for all the time, money and emotion the fans invest in them.” The franchises were evaluated on eight criteria, including “bang for the buck,” the stadium atmosphere, the on-field product, and past championships and the prospects of winning others in this lifetime. As you can imagine, the Ravens were ranked pretty highly on this list, which will be in the magazine when it hits newsstands on Friday . The Orioles?