The Orioles moved yesterday to keep a valuable off-field free agent, signing radio announcer Jon Miller to a two-year contract.
Miller's agent, Ron Shapiro, and George Stamas, counsel to Orioles owner Peter Angelos, reached agreement yesterday morning after more than three months of negotiations.
Financial terms were not disclosed, but industry sources said Miller made about $600,000 last year from his combined Orioles and ESPN duties.
By staying in Baltimore, where he has been based for 12 years, Miller, 43, spurned the advances of at least three other clubs and accepted a package with a lesser financial value, Shapiro said.
"Jon spoke about his desire . . . to be a part of a team here. That was very important to him," said Shapiro.
Miller, who is with his family on a cruise, could not be reached for comment.
Shapiro, who represents Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken and Minnesota Twins outfielder Kirby Puckett, among other clients, said the Texas Rangers and San Diego Padres were interested in signing Miller.
Shapiro said a third club, which he would not name, pursued Miller the hardest, going so far as to make him an offer, but the Orioles, with whom Shapiro had been negotiating for more than three months, were always the favorite.
The Chicago Cubs had expressed some interest in Miller, especially given the reduced workload of Hall of Fame announcer Harry Caray, who reportedly will work only home games this year for WGN radio and television.
But Shapiro said Miller's work for ESPN would have precluded him from doing games for WGN-TV, a cable superstation, and as such a direct competitor with ESPN.
Under the terms of the new contract, Miller will call 120 games this season, at least 15 more than he was contractually obligated to do last year.
Shapiro said that in the next few weeks, Chuck Thompson, who frequently filled in for Miller when he was doing ESPN broadcasts, should reach an agreement with WBAL (1090 AM), the team's flagship station, to return for another year.