BALTIMORE -- The Orioles staged their annual FanFest on Saturday, opening Camden Yards to 10,000 of their most devoted fans two days before they'll kick off the 2009 season. Fans were treated to a public workout, forums involving coaches and media personalities, and a chance to get autographs from their favorite players.

For the Orioles, it was a stress-free way to get back to their home stadium and to prepare for their final exhibition game, a contest against the Nationals in Washington. The day started with a State of the Orioles Address for season ticket-holders that featured running commentary by Andy MacPhail and manager Dave Trembley.

MacPhail, the team's president of baseball operations, received kudos from many of the fans for his offseason moves, and he spoke frankly about the direction of the franchise. The fans sat nestled close in the box seats behind the third-base dugout, and MacPhail and Trembley fielded a series of questions about the team.

Perhaps the most persistent series of questions centered around the starting rotation and the timetable to promote such pitching prospects as Chris Tillman, Jake Arrieta and Brian Matusz. MacPhail maintained his stance that the Orioles need to buy offense and develop pitching, stressing patience regarding the promotion schedule.

"You can get lucky with the bullpen," MacPhail said. "You can't get lucky with starting pitching."

MacPhail also noted that two of the players in his rotation -- Alfredo Simon and free-agent acquisition Koji Uehjara -- were brought in due to the influence of John Stockstill, the team's director of international scouting. MacPhail lauded Stockstill, calling him "one of my favorite people on the earth."

Trembley, meanwhile, joked that he was glad the fans heeded his call to fill the seats with orange jerseys. And he also talked frankly about the team's improved depth and standing within the American League East.

"We are better than we were," Trembley said. "And we're going to get better, because we have better people coming."

When that event ended, the players began to trickle onto the field and arrange themselves at autograph stations around the ballpark. All of the team's players participated, and several former Orioles made themselves available for autographs on the Eutaw Street pavilion beyond right field.

There were several vendor booths devoted to Orioles merchandise, as well as a Kids Area with games, face painting and a chance to take photos with the Oriole Bird. Young fans could also enjoy in a mini-batting cage, a speed-pitch station and a moon-bounce tent, diversifying the experience for everyone.

The star of the day, however, was the stadium itself. Camden Yards boasts a fresh coat of paint and new carpeting in several of the hallways, and the press box also exhibited an extreme makeover. The stadium also has a new sound system and an enhanced scoreboard that allowed fans to follow the day's events.

The team's coaches spent 45 minutes answering questions from the fans, as did local broadcasters and beat writers. MacPhail spoke to the fans again as part of the Fan Forum schedule, and most of the interviews were aired on the center-field scoreboard and broadcast throughout the park.

FanFest lasted six hours -- from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 a.m. -- and culminated in the Orioles hopping on the bus for their game against the Nationals. The O's will hold a closed-door workout on Sunday before kicking off their season on Monday against the Yankees, and they'll hope for a crowd as enthusiastic as the one they saw on Saturday.