No Trade

NEW YORK - Once again the center of trade speculation, Orioles right fielder Brady Anderson yesterday refused to dismiss the possibility of waiving his no-trade leverage. Anderson said he would refrain from taking a stance "until they put something in front of me." Orioles vice president of baseball operations Syd Thrift, meanwhile, dismissed reports in yesterday's editions of the New York Times that cited a major-league executive as saying the Orioles were preparing to approach Anderson about waiving his no-trade protection.

The Chesapeake Bayhawks received All-Star defenseman Nicky Polanco , a two-time Major League Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year, from the Long Island Lizards for the rights to their 2012 first-round college draft pick CJ Costabile , a Duke long-stick midfielder. In addition, the Bayhawks obtained 2013 and 2014 second-round selections while the Lizards got a 2013 fifth-round pick. Fishing: Scott Martin of Clewiston, Fla., leads the Walmart-FLW Tour event on the Potomac River with a five-bass limit weighing 22 pounds, 10 ounces.

After mulling over the decision for about two days, San Diego Padres first baseman Phil Nevin decided that he'd rather stay at home than become an Oriole. Nevin last night declined to waive the no-trade clause in his contract that prohibits the Padres from sending him to the Orioles and seven other teams without his consent. As a result, the proposed deal that would have exchanged Nevin for right-handed pitcher Sidney Ponson was scuttled, and another Orioles trade that once appeared to be a formality went bust.

The Orioles have acquired left-handed minor-league reliever Mike Belfiore from the Diamondbacks as the player to be named later in the Josh Bell trade, the club announced Saturday. The 23-year-old was 0-0 with a 2.37 ERA with 28 strikeouts and just five walks in 19 innings this season with Arizona's high Class-A team in Visalia, Calif. This is the first season in Belfiore's four minor leagie seasons that he's pitching exclusively out of the bullpen. In four minor-league seasons, Belfiore is 9-16 with a 4.05 ERA and 267 strikeouts in 282 2/3 innings Bell, once seen as the Orioles' third baseman of the future, was acquired in July 2009 along with minor league pitcher Steve Johnson in the deadline deal that sent closer George Sherrill to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Melvin Mora dearly wants to remain an Oriole, but at this point of his career, he also desperately wants to be on a winning team. That's why the longest-tenured Oriole acknowledged yesterday that he would consider dropping his blanket no-trade clause if the team enters a rebuilding stage that would likely result in more losing in the short term. "I want to see what they say, and when [president of baseball operations] Andy MacPhail calls me and calls my agent, we'll go from there," said Mora, an Oriole since 2000.

PORT ST. LUCIE, FLA. -- The Orioles are not only prepared to finalize a contract extension that will keep second baseman Brian Roberts with the club through the 2009 season, but they're also willing to offer him an added sense of security. Roberts' contract will likely include a limited no-trade clause that will allow him to submit a "small" number of teams that he cannot be traded to without his consent, according to a source with knowledge of the negotiations. Nationals@Mets Today, 1:05 p.m., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Mid-Atlantic Sports Network

The Orioles' apparent abundance of outfielders has drawn interest from the New York Yankees, who have attempted to initiate trade discussions involving All-Star left fielder B.J. Surhoff and center fielder Brady Anderson in recent days, according to club and industry sources. If there is reciprocal interest, Anderson indicated for the first time yesterday that he may be willing to waive his blanket no-trade privilege, though his preference remains to finish his career with the Orioles.

Orioles right fielder Albert Belle used the occasion of yesterday's offensive breakout to address local media for the first time since spring training, and his comments during a third-floor news conference included a denial that he recently renounced the blanket no-trade provision in his five-year, $65 million contract and disappointment with the reception he has received from many Orioles fans.Interrupting a media boycott, Belle criticized last week's report by The Sun that he approached the club last month to renounce the no-trade provision.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- The agent for Brady Anderson has submitted a counterproposal to the Orioles in response to the club's offer of a three-year contract believed to be worth fTC between $15 million and $16 million.The two sides continue to discuss a variety of possibilities regarding a contract extension for the All-Star center fielder, and Anderson's agent, Jeff Borris, said they've agreed to negotiate beyond Opening Day, if necessary.Orioles general manager Pat Gillick has indicated a strong desire to suspend all contract talks during the season, but also has shown a willingness to remain flexible, saying "nothing is etched in stone."

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -When Brian Roberts signed the four-year, $40 million contract extension that ties him to the Orioles through the 2013 season, he did so without getting significant no-trade protection for the first couple years of the deal. Roberts had a very limited no-trade clause for the final year of his previous contract, allowing him to designate four teams to which he could not be traded. That was carried forward when the final year of the old deal was rolled into what essentially is a new five-year contract.

President Barack Obama's China policy combines deterrence and engagement, but it gives insufficient attention to human rights. Since early 2009, when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton noted that human rights "can't interfere" with other aspects of Sino-American relations, the administration has tried to avoid public discussion of the issue. Over the past year, the Obama administration has increased attention and resources devoted to East Asia. Expanded military cooperation with Australia and the Philippines, a robust Japanese-American defense relationship, and enhanced naval and air forces in the region illustrate Washington's efforts to counter China's growing assertiveness and military power.

Could pollution "trading" really shave billions of dollars from the costs of restoring the Chesapeake Bay?  Or would the long-running cleanup effort suffer at the hands of those looking to make a buck on it? A study presented Thursday to the Chesapeake Bay Commission suggests there could indeed be significant cost savings from letting polluters pay others to make less expensive reductions in bay-fouling nutrient pollution elsewhere.  RTI International, an economic consulting firm from Research Triangle Park NC, found that savings could range from 20 to 80 percent, depending on how trading is structured.

Steep projected costs for cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay could be trimmed by billions of dollars, a new study suggests, by allowing polluters to buy "credits" for less-expensive reductions made by others. The study, presented Thursday to the Chesapeake Bay Commission, an advisory panel of legislators from Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia, estimates that nutrient pollution trading could trim projected costs for upgrading sewage treatment plants and controlling urban and suburban storm water pollution by $1 billion or more a year baywide.

After waiting several hours and seeing a number of their potential first-round targets still on the board, the Ravens decided that their best move was to fall back. In a decision that was hardly surprising, the Ravens traded out of the first round of the NFL draft late Thursday night, sending the No. 29 overall pick to the Minnesota Vikings. In return, the Ravens got the Vikings' second-round pick (35 th ) and their fourth-round selection (98 th overall). “We had a couple of teams call us and we had several players that we liked that are still available for us [Friday]

With the 84th pick in the 2012 NFL draft, the Ravens on Friday night selected Temple running back Bernard Pierce. Pierce is expected to compete with Anthony Allen for the backup spot behind Pro Bowl back Ray Rice. Pierce, 21, left Temple after his junior season. He finished second in school history with 3,570 rushing yards and his 663 rushing attempts were third all-time at Temple. He had back-to-back 1,000 rushing yard seasons. Pierce, who met with the Ravens before the draft, told reporters on a conference call that he exchanged text messages with Ravens coach John Harbaugh throughout the third round and Harbaugh told him the Ravens were trying to move up to get him. They eventually made it happen by trading the 91st (third round)

The Ravens have traded their first-round draft pick in four of the past six years and they did it again Thursday night. The Ravens traded out of the first round, giving up their 29th overall pick to the Minnesota Vikings. In return, the Ravens receive the 35th and 98th overall picks. Here's a look at what they have done in Round 1 in every draft since 2006. 2011: After a trade with the Chicago Bears was botched, the Ravens took Jimmy Smith at No. 27. 2010: They traded their pick to Denver for three picks, netting them linebacker Sergio Kindle and tight ends Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta.

SEATTLE -- A deal that would have sent first baseman Rafael Palmeiro and second baseman Roberto Alomar to the New York Mets in return for a three-player package has been taken off the table, at least in part due to the objection of Orioles majority owner Peter Angelos, according to club sources.The deal was presented for Angelos' authorization last week but failed to gain approval for two reasons -- a perceived loss in talent and the partial no-trade provision in Palmeiro's contract that lists the Mets as one of the clubs he could veto.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The Orioles have reached a tentative deal that would send much-maligned pitcher Sidney Ponson to the San Diego Padres for first baseman Phil Nevin, according to industry sources, though the trade won't go through until it gets Nevin's approval. Reached at his home last night, Nevin's agent, Barry Axelrod, described the chances of Nevin accepting the deal as "less than 50-50." Nevin has a no-trade clause in his contract that requires his consent to be traded to eight teams, one of which is the Orioles.

After New England traded up with Denver in the first round to secure the No. 25 overall pick and select Alabama inside linebacker Dont'a Hightower, there was a strong possibility the Ravens were going to trade out of the first round at No. 29. It was a good move by the Ravens. The Ravens traded their 29th pick to the Minnesota Vikings, and got the Vikings' No. 35 pick overall (second round) and their No. 98 pick (fourth round). They now have two picks in the second round and two in the fourth round.

Mike Preston, columnist: Good move by Ravens - there are still several players they value who are available. Chris Korman, reporter: We won't know why the Ravens moved back until we see who they pick (unless they opt to tell us in the press conference we're heading to any minute), but they obviously favored Alabama's Dont'a Hightower over Courtney Upshaw. It also seems they would have liked Wisconsin guard Kevin Zeitler, but  weren't sold on drafting Badgers center/guard Peter Konz this early.