The Baltimore Orioles are looking for the new voice of Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The search is on for a public address announcer for home games at Oriole Park beginning in 2012, the ballpark’s 20th Anniversary season.

The new public address announcer will be only the third in Camden Yards history, following Rex Barney (1992-97) And David Mcgowan (1998-2011). After 14 seasons as public address announcer at Camden Yards, McGowan has stepped down from the position due to a change in his availability.

“It is with great sadness that I must step down as public address announcer due to a career change,” McGowan said. “I feel so fortunate to have played even a small role in helping Orioles fans enjoy major league baseball in the best ballpark in the country. It has truly been a privilege getting to serve the fans of Baltimore and to work for the Orioles organization.”

Applicants must be available for all 81 home games, as well as any make-up dates or postseason games, starting at least two hours before the scheduled game time. A complete job description can be found at www.orioles.com/voice. Those interested in applying for the position should visit the website to submit a voice recording based on the provided sample gameday script. Submissions will also be accepted via mail at Voice of Camden Yards Audition, 333 West Camden Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. Entries must be received by Jan. 25.

INDIANS: The Indians have agreed to a minor league contract with versatile free-agent infielder Andy LaRoche and invited him to spring training.

He’ll have a chance to win the club’s utility infield job.

Primarily a right-handed hitting third baseman, LaRoche was with Oakland last season. He was on the Athletics’ opening-day roster and spent the first two months with the club. He batted .247 in 40 games and played four infield positions. The 28-year-old was sent to Triple-A Sacramento in June and spent the remainder of the season with the River Cats.

His brother, Adam, plays for Washington and his father, Dave, pitched for 14 seasons in the majors.

Royals: The Kansas City Royals have signed reliever Jose Mijares to a 1-year contract, giving manager Ned Yost another left-handed option late in games.

The team announced the deal yesterday. Terms were not disclosed.

Mijares went 3-6 with a 3.16 ERA in 186 appearances since making his debut for the Twins in 2008, but he was just 0-2 with a 4.59 ERA in 58 games last season.

Mijares is currently 3-0 with a 1.29 ERA in eight outings for Tigres de Aragua in the Venezuelan Winter League, with seven strikeout and no walks.

White Sox: Multiple media outlets were reporting last night that the Chicago White Sox and pitcher John Danks have agreed in principle on a contract extension.

ESPNChicago.com and CBSSports.com, citing anonymous sources, reported the extension is for five years. CBSSports.com also reported the deal is for $65 million and will likely be announced after Christmas, assuming Danks passes a physical.

The White Sox did not return messages seeking comment Wednesday night.

A 15-game winner in 2010, Danks slumped last season and was 8-12 with a 4.33 ERA.

Cubs: A person familiar with the situation says the Chicago Cubs and outfielder Reed Johnson are closing in on a one-year contract.

The person, who spoke yesterday on the condition of anonymity because the deal was not finalized, confirmed reports by several media outlets that Johnson will be signed pending a physical.

Johnson batted .309 in 111 games for the Cubs last season. He was with them in 2008 and 2009 after playing his first five seasons in Toronto and spent 2010 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Brewers: The Milwaukee Brewers have signed infielder Cesar Izturis and left-hander Juan Perez to minor-league contracts with invitations to spring training.

Izturis has played 11 seasons, including the past three in Baltimore. He played only 18 games for the Orioles last season, spending much of the year on the disabled list with nerve irritation in his right elbow.

BALTIMORE – Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail is moving on after running the front office of his childhood team for four-plus seasons.

A person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press about MacPhail’s departure. The person spoke Friday night on condition of anonymity because the Orioles hadn’t announced the move.

Baltimore went 69-93 during its 14th consecutive losing season, and MacPhail’s contract expires on Oct. 31.

MacPhail took the job in June 2007 with the intention of bringing his favorite team growing up back into prominence. He made several moves that paid off, acquiring shortstop J.J. Hardy, outfielder Adam Jones and All-Star catcher Matt Wieters, but Baltimore was hurt by its inexperienced pitching staff while trying to navigate the tough AL East.

MacPhail was president of the Chicago Cubs from 1994-2006, also serving as general manager from July 2000 to July 2002. He was general manager of the Minnesota Twins from 1985-94, helping the team win World Series titles in 1987 and 1991.

His father, Hall of Famer Lee MacPhail, was Orioles general manager from 1958-65 and also was GM of the New York Yankees and president of the American League. Andy’s grandfather, Hall of Famer Larry MacPhail, brought night games to the major leagues while with the Cincinnati Reds in 1935 and was chief executive of the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Yankees.

Andy MacPhail’s departure wasn’t a surprise, and there was talk manager Buck Showalter could move into the front office.

BALTIMORE — Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail is moving on after running the front office of his childhood team for four-plus seasons.

A person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press about MacPhail’s departure. The person spoke Friday night on condition of anonymity because the Orioles hadn’t announced the move.

Baltimore went 69-93 during its 14th consecutive losing season, and MacPhail’s contract expires on Oct. 31.

MacPhail took the job in June 2007 with the intention of bringing his favorite team growing up back into prominence. He made several moves that paid off, acquiring shortstop J.J. Hardy, outfielder Adam Jones and All-Star catcher Matt Wieters, but Baltimore was hurt by its inexperienced pitching staff while trying to navigate the tough AL East.

MacPhail was president of the Chicago Cubs from 1994-2006, also serving as general manager from July 2000 to July 2002. He was general manager of the Minnesota Twins from 1985-94, helping the team win World Series titles in 1987 and 1991.

His father, Hall of Famer Lee MacPhail, was Orioles general manager from 1958-65 and also was GM of the New York Yankees and president of the American League. Andy’s grandfather, Hall of Famer Larry MacPhail, brought night games to the major leagues while with the Cincinnati Reds in 1935 and was chief executive of the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Yankees.

Andy MacPhail’s departure wasn’t a surprise, and there was talk manager Buck Showalter could move into the front office.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) – Bobby Abreu hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to cap a three-run 12th inning and give the Los Angeles Angels a 9-8 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday night.

The Orioles took an 8-6 lead in the top of the 12th before Kevin Gregg (0-2) gave up a leadoff single to Erick Aybar in the bottom half and hit rookie Mike Trout. Hank Conger laid down a sacrifice bunt to third baseman Josh Bell, whose wild throw allowed Aybar to score.

Bell then made a diving stop on Peter Bourjos’ grounder in the hole, checked the runner at third and threw too late to get the speedy Bourjos. Gregg walked Alberto Callaspo to force in the tying run and Troy Patton gave up Abreu’s scoring fly to deep center on a 1-1 pitch.

Hisanori Takahashi gave up a one-out walk to No. 9 hitter Josh Bell and a single to J.J. Hardy in the Orioles’ 12th before retiring Nick Markakis on a popup. Manager Mike Scioscia then brought in Fernando Rodney (3-5), who gave up Adam Jones’ hit to right and didn’t bother to back up the plate as Hardy scored behind Bell on a throwing error by right fielder Torii Hunter. But Rodney still ended up with the win.

Takahashi gave up a leadoff single in the 11th to Baltimore’s Matt Wieters before getting the force at second on a surprise bunt toward the mound by slugger Mark Reynolds who has only two sacrifice bunts in his five-year career and none since July 26, 2008, with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Robert Andino then grounded into a double play.

Jones cut the Angels’ lead to 5-4 in the fifth with a two-out homer, his 22nd this season and fourth on the road. Bourjos chased right-hander Tommy Hunter in the seventh with his seventh home run, but the Orioles tied it in the eighth with an RBI groundout by Vladimir Guerrero and Wieters’ RBI single off closer Jordan Walden.

The Angels turned a 3-1 deficit into a 5-3 lead in the third despite a botched call by third base umpire Doug Eddings. Bourjos started the four-run rally with his 13th bunt hit of the season and the 34th by the team. He advanced to third on Callaspo’s single, and both runners scored on Abreu’s opposite-field double over the head of left fielder Nolan Reimold.

Mark Trumbo followed with a line drive over third that hit the line, but Eddings called it foul. Scioscia ran out to argue, pointing several times to the spot where Trumbo’s ball kicked up chalk, and the animated discussion carried on for a good while before play continued.

TV replays showed that Eddings got it wrong, but on the next pitch Trumbo blooped Hunter’s 2-2 delivery the other way over the head of first baseman Reynolds to drive in the go-ahead run. Howie Kendrick smacked the next pitch into the left-field corner, driving in Trumbo.

Angels right-hander Joel Pineiro allowed four runs and nine hits over six innings, struck out two and did not walk a batter in his return to the rotation after a 2[ ] week stint in the bullpen. In his previous four starts, he was 0-3 with a discouraging 14.85 ERA that sent his season figure soaring to 5.31.

Pineiro, getting a reprieve because of an injury to the guy who replaced him in the rotation rookie Garrett Richards gave up hits to seven of his first 10 batters and fell behind 3-0 in the second inning.

Reimold, who didn’t have an RBI in his first 38 career at-bats against Angels pitching, ended that drought with a run-scoring single. Hardy added an RBI double and Reimold scored on a groundout by Markakis.

The Angels loaded the bases with none out in the bottom half, but got only one run. Torii Hunter extended his hitting streak to 18 games with a leadoff single and scored on Aybar’s double-play grounder.

Tommy Hunter gave up six runs and 10 hits over 6 1-3 innings and did not strike out a batter in his fourth start for the Orioles, who acquired the 25-year-old right-hander in a trade with the Rangers on July 30. He was moved up in the rotation to fill in for Jeremy Guthrie, who is missing at least one turn because of shoulder stiffness.

NOTES: Eddings will always be remembered by Angels fans because of a controversial call he made in Game 2 of the 2005 AL championship series at Chicago, involving White Sox batter A.J. Pierzynski and a third strike that wasn’t. It led to the winning run in the ninth inning, and the Angels eventually lost the series. To this day, Pierzynski gets booed every time he comes to bat at Angel Stadium. … Walden was charged with his AL-worst ninth blown save opportunity in 35 chances. … Jones is hitting an AL-best .356 with two outs in an inning. … Hunter is 0-2 with a 15.42 ERA in three career starts at Angel Stadium. … Abreu’s double was his 546th, one shy of Manny Ramirez for 25th place on the career list.