Trade

The woman who says she represents North American Power is not telling the truth about the benefits of buying electricity from her company. "You can save up to 10, 15, 20 percent of your bill, depending on your usage," she says in a telemarketing call to my house. But the rate she eventually quotes is only about 7 percent less than the standard price offered by Baltimore Gas & Electric — something the average customer would have no way of knowing. And of course the percentage savings won't vary even if my "usage" goes up to that of a steel mill.

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.

The NFL tweaked some of its rules Tuesday, making thigh and knee pads mandatory equipment for players (starting in 2013) and pushing forward a pair of other changes involving the trade deadline and injured reserve. The rule involving thigh and knee padding for players is already being met with criticism by some players who argue that the bulky, additional padding slows them down without adding much protection . Vanity might also be a factor here for some opponents of the rule change, specifically those flashy wide receivers and defensive backs.

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.

With the arrival of a new year, the American economy seems to be on a solid projectory from a technical recovery to a real one marked by consumer and business confidence. The consensus is that gross domestic product will grow somewhat more than 3 percent while inflation stays low and unemployment actually dips below the 6 percent mark. Shadows on the horizon are across the seas, in Japan and Europe, where a dismal outlook means less demand for U.S. exports and an increasing trade deficit for this country.

Josh Bell, once thought to be the club's third baseman of the future, is now an ex-Oriole. The Orioles traded the 25-year-old third baseman to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday for a player to be named later or cash considerations. “We didn't have a meeting of the minds for the player. So we are going to work on that for a short period of time,” said Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette. “It may or may not be a player. We assigned (Bell to Arizona) and it may or may not be a player, it may just be cash considerations.” The Orioles acquired Bell in July 2009 along with minor league pitcher Steve Johnson in the deadline deal that sent closer George Sherrill to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

That gas mower you have owned for years is spewing all kinds of pollutants into the air. If you're ready to trade it in for a more environmentally-friendly model, Black & Decker is giving some incentive this weekend to do so. The power tool company on Saturday is giving discounts to people who trade in their old gas mowers for rechargeable mowers. The models available include: CM1936  –  19 in. 36V Rechargeable Mulching Mower with Removable Battery  CM1836 –  18 in. 36V Rechargeable Mulching Mower      Check here for more about the event, which runs from 12.

Baltimore Sun reporters, columnists and editors analyze the Orioles' trade of Jeremy Guthrie to the Colorado Rockies for Jason Hammel and Matt Lindstrom. Eduardo A. Encina, Orioles beat writer The Orioles dealing RHP Jeremy Guthrie, the only sure thing in their starting rotation, adds more questions than answers heading into spring. The timing, which came on the day Guthrie was scheduled to go to arbitration, was telling. In return, the Orioles will get two pieces to help rebuild the pitching.

Some Maryland lawmakers concerned about declining numbers of sharks worldwide have introduced legislation to ban trade in the ocean predators' fins, the prized ingredient in a soup that is popular in Chinese cuisine. Bills introduced Tuesday in both House and Senate would outlaw sale, trade, distribution or even possession of raw, dried or processed shark fins.  Violations would be punishable by fines ranging from $5,000 for the first offense up to $50,000 for repeat infractions.

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)

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.

The final day of the draft will begin at noon today and it won't be long before the Ravens are on the clock. By virtue of their Day One trade with the Minnesota Vikings, the Ravens will have the third overall selection in the fourth round (98 overall), in addition to the 130th pick later that round. They also have single picks in the fifth, sixth and seventh rounds, giving them five remaining selections. After finalizing a busy Day Two in which the Ravens selected Alabama linebacker Courtney Upshaw, Iowa State guard/tackle Kelechi Osemele and Temple running back Bernard Pierce, General Manager Ozzie Newsome acknowledged that he's already gotten plenty of phone calls about that 98th overall pick.

Before the Ravens opted to trade out of the first round of the NFL draft Thursday night, they watched their three AFC North rivals make moves that appear to make them better heading into the 2012 season. The Cleveland Browns were boldest. Less than an hour before the draft began, they engineered a trade with the Minnesota Vikings to move up one spot to pick No. 3. There they selected Alabama running back Trent Richardson, who some say is the best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson . He should be a significant upgrade over current Browns backs Montario Hardesty, Chris Ogbonnaya and Brandon Jackson.

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]

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]

- Brian Roberts was playing golf in Arizona on Wednesday when Florida Marlins outfielder Cody Ross alerted him that the Orioles had just traded for a starting pitcher. Brian Matusz was in Hawaii on vacation and learned about the trade on a phone call from his brother. Jeremy Guthrie had heard the rumors for much of the day, but he didn't hear that the deal was final until he was preparing to play in Pam Shriver's charity tennis event at 1st Mariner Arena. All three were pleased to learn of the trade that landed veteran starter Kevin Millwood from the Texas Rangers for reliever Chris Ray and Rule 5 selection Ben Snyder.

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.