Courtesy Press Box Online

(November 1, 2010) The rumblings just won't die. Hearst news talker WBAL appears to be in play as the possible new flagship station for the Baltimore Orioles. But sources say it's still more likely the team will return to CBS's 105.7 The Fan, WJZ-FM, next season.

If the team moved to WBAL, it would have to share the station with the Ravens, which are carried on WBAL and sister WIYY, 98 Rock.

Rich Dubroff, in his Orioles Notebook in the Carroll County Times, said WBAL is "aggressively challenging" WJZ-FM for rights to the team. WBAL, currently the Ravens' flagship, aired the Orioles from 1988-2007. However, a source said the baseball team is likely to return to 105.7 The Fan following the expiration of its current three-year deal, ending this year.

The Baltimore Sun reported in late September the Orioles are currently "fielding proposals" from several radio outlets, including WBAL and WJZ-FM.

Jim Williams, national sports media reporter for Examiner.com, can't see the Orioles moving to a station that jokingly promised to paint its tower purple after landing the Ravens a few years back.

While the Orioles and Ravens will never play each other, the two are direct rivals for sports media dollars in the Baltimore market. It would make more sense for the teams, business-wise, to be on competing stations, Williams added.

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