MILLER SIGNS ON IN SAN FRANCISCO; ANGELOS DEFENDS DECISION

     Longtime Orioles play-by-play announcer and Bay Area native
Jon Miller has signed a five-year deal to serve as lead play-by-
play voice of the Giants.  Miller replaces Hank Greenwald, who
retired this year after 16 seasons with the club (Giants).
Miller is expected to broadcast between 110-115 games, both KTVU-
TV and KNBR-AM.  He will continue to work ESPN's Sunday Night
Baseball broadcasts (Thom Loverro, WASHINGTON TIMES, 11/5).
Nancy Gay of the S.F. CHRONICLE writes Miller's contract is
estimated to be "in excess of" $2.5M -- compared to the $425,00 a
year he was paid by the Orioles (S.F CHRONICLE, 11/5).  In
Washington, Mark Maske reports Orioles Owner Peter Angelos and
other club execs become "increasingly annoyed" with Miller's TV
work on ESPN and his "willingness to criticize the Orioles on the
air" (WASHINGTON POST, 11/5).  Miller said he did not want to
leave the Orioles, but did so when he "perceived the Orioles no
longer wanted him," according to Milton Kent of the Baltimore
SUN.  In response, Angelos "took shots" at Miller and his agent,
Ron Shapiro, saying it was "sheer dishonesty" to say Miller he
was forced to leave. Angelos: "He says he's leaving and the
following day there's a five-year deal?  That's a little fishy,
isn't it? ... The Orioles will go on for the next 100 years
without him. ... Am I worried?  The answer's no.  Hardly"
(Baltimore SUN, 11/5).