The Baltimore Orioles today announced that they have signed free agent DH Vladimir Guerrero to a one-year contract for the upcoming 2011 season worth a reported $8 million. The Orioles have called a 2pm press conference where President of Baseball Operations Andy MacPhail and Manager Buck Showalter will discuss the signing,

A nine-time All-Star and eight-time Silver Slugger Award winner, Guerrero batted .300 with 29 home runs, 115 RBI and an .841 OPS in 152 games for the AL champion Texas Rangers last season, the sixth time in the last seven seasons he played in 140 games or more.

With a .320 lifetime average (5th highest among active players), 447 doubles (13th) and 436 home runs (6th), Guerrero is one of only 14 players in the history of baseball to hit at least .300 with 400 doubles and 400 home runs in his career. His .946 career OPS is 24th highest in the history of baseball.

In his 15-year career, Guerrero has batted .320/.383/.563 with 436 home runs and 1,433 RBI in 2,002 games. He is a career .333/.400/.611 hitter at Camden Yards, with nine home runs and 30 RBI in 32 games. His 1.011 OPS is the 5^th highest in Oriole Park history among players with at least 120 plate appearances.

Guerrero won the 2004 AL MVP for Anaheim, batting .337/.391/.598 with 39 home runs, 126 RBI, 15 steals and a league-leading 124 runs scored. Among Dominican born players, he is 3^rd all-time in hits (2,427; trailing only Julio Franco – 2,586 and Manny Ramirez – 2,573), home runs (436; Sammy Sosa – 609 and Ramirez – 555) and RBI (1,433; Ramirez – 1,830 and Sosa – 1,667).

Guerrero has been issued 247 intentional walks in his career, most among active players and 4th most all-time.

To make room for Guerrero on the 40-man roster, the Orioles have placed RHP Alfredo Simon on the Restricted List.

Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey, as well as a contributor to FanGraphs and Forbes SportsMoney. He is available for hire or freelance. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

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