DEVELOPING STORY: Baltimore Orioles Expected to Cancel Next Two Seasons

Players reportedly told to "go home and lay low until we get things straightened out"

BALTIMORE, MD -- After several seasons of losing and losing in the American League East and beyond, the Baltimore Orioles may soon get a much-needed rest -- for at least a couple of years.

According to multiple reports, the Orioles organization will make a major announcement in the next few days. Its point? The cancellation of the remainder of the 2009 season, as well as the 2010 and 2011 ones, too.

A Baltimore Sun beat reporter who asked to remain anonymous has stated that he saw a sign Thursday afternoon on the Orioles clubhouse door that read: "To all of our players: You have been good to us, but not good enough. We need to fix things up a bit. Please go home and lay low until we get things straightened out...possibly for the next two years." Baseball analysts are still trying to determine who wrote the sign.

"It makes perfect sense that the Orioles would cancel team operations for a little while," said ESPN's Tim Kurkjian, who previously covered the team as a beat writer. "Things have really gone downhill for them. They don't even have the Rays to rely on as being worst in the division anymore."

Stay with us here at Snide Sports as this story develops -- we'll have all the updates.

-- Jeremy Strauss