IronBirds Will Host Orioles' Showalter, Johnson Thursday

Opening Day may still be about three months away. And spring training is still a month off.

But Orioles fans can spend Thursday evening talking baseball with manager Buck Showalter and closer Jim Johnson at a "Hot Stove Dinner" at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen.

The inaugural dinner will run from 6 to 9 p.m., featuring a Q&A session with the skipper and the reliever, led by MASNsports.com reporter and former IronBirds broadcaster Steve Melewski.

"We are excited to kick off the 2013 baseball season by hosting this special Hot Stove Dinner with Buck Showalter and Jim Johnson," said Aberdeen IronBirds general manager Aaron Moszer said in a prepared statement. "This is a great opportunity for our fans to have an exclusive look into the 2013 season before anyone else."

A cocktail hour will open the event, followed by dinner catered by Bel Air restaurant Bertucci's. The Q&A will follow.

Tickets to the event cost $40, and are available at IronBirdsBaseball.com or by calling 410-297-9292.

Gates will open 30 minutes early, and the official IronBirds' store, The Hangar, will be open from 5 to 9:30 p.m.

The first 200 fans to purchase a ticket will receive a free ticket to the Orioles FanFest, set for Jan. 19 at the Baltimore Convention Center.

The three-day caravan also includes stops in Frederick, Annapolis, Delmarva and Baltimore.