Armando Benitez

NEW YORK - Looking back on Saturday's 12-inning loss, New York Mets first baseman Todd Zeile was restrained in the amount of credit he gave the Yankees. They had fought back from a 3-2 deficit in the ninth to extend the game, ultimately achieve a victory and seize the advantage in the 2000 World Series. But had they earned it? "I think we handed them Game 1 on a platter," Zeile said. Armando Benitez was their not-so-friendly waiter. While managers and players on both sides continued yesterday to sort through the mess resulting from Roger Clemens' bat-heaving episode with Mike Piazza on Sunday, there's also the matter of Benitez's unreliability in the postseason, which greatly contrasts with Yankees closer Mariano Rivera.

By taking two out of three games on the road against the New York Yankees to improve to 16-9 this season, the Orioles are off to one of their best starts in team history. So, how does this team compare to the squads of yesteryear? Well, for starters, of the 11 times before this season in which the Orioles won at least 16 of their first 25 games, only once have they not finished with a winning record -- in 2005. Through 25 games, the Orioles have 16 wins for the sixth time since the franchise moved to Baltimore in 1954.

NEW YORK -- He seems thrilled by the challenge, by the mystery of the talent in the cannon disguised as his right arm. As the days pass, as his role on the New York Mets becomes more important and more permanent, it has become possible to witness Armando Benitez grow as a pitcher, game to game.Sometimes inning to inning. Sometimes pitch to pitch."What you're watching," Mets manager Bobby Valentine says, "is the creation of a bona fide major-league pitcher. It's something to see."The Orioles, who traded Benitez last off-season after he struggled as their closer in 1998, may get to see how far he has come starting tonight, when they open a three-game series with the Mets at Camden Yards.

Who's hot Hee Seop Choi of the Cubs is 7-for-16 with three homers, two doubles and seven RBIs in his past five games. Who's not The Indians' 5-12 start is their worst through 17 games since going 4-13 in 1987. Line of the day Geoff Blum, Astros 3B AB R H RBI HR 7 0 5 0 0 On deck Ted Lilly of the A's, who goes tonight, is the eighth left-handed starter the Rangers will have seen in 13 games. He said it "I don't have to worry about this; I know what I can do. I don't worry about a blown save."

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Experiencing the worst moment of 1997, Ray Miller looked up from his locker to witness the first hopeful sign for 1998.Less than an hour had passed since Armando Benitez capped Game 6 of the American League Championship Series by throwing a misplaced slider that Cleveland Indians second baseman Tony Fernandez torqued into the temporary right-field bleachers at Camden Yards. Fernandez's unlikely home run became the only run in the Orioles' excruciating, 11-inning loss.

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- Omar Garcia's single started an five-run eighth inning to lead the Binghamton Mets to a 7-2 win over the Bowie Baysox in a Double-A Eastern League game last night.Garcia tied the score in the first with a homer to right. He finished 3-for-4 with two RBI. Chris Saunders and Alberto Castillo each hit two-run singles in the eighth.Todd Feigel (1-0) won in relief, going 1 2/3 innings and giving up three hits and striking out one. Armando Benitez (0-1) took the loss.

Tabloid heaven: New York newspaper columnists had a field day with fight coverage, throwing punches at Benitez and slumping O's.Not surprisingly, the New York tabloids were unrestrained in their accounts of Tuesday's brawl, with instigator Armando Benitez absorbing stiffer blows from the writers than any thrown on the field.George King of the New York Post wrote: "Then, after the gutless Armando Benitez drilled Tino Martinez in the back with the next pitch, the Yankees knocked the stuffing out of the Birds."

Sage advice to Orioles from second-grade pupilsThe Orioles, and especially Armando Benitez, acted like total idiots. It was because they were frustrated. They were wrong because they shouldn't blame others and hurt them. It's a bad thing to do. I just have to admit, the Yankees are pretty good.When you're frustrated, keep practicing, punch a pillow, wash your face.Michael IngberOwings MillsArmando Benitez shouldn't have thrown the ball at Tino Martinez just because the hitter before Mr. Martinez hit a home run. In my school, we learn that when you get frustrated, not to blame anyone else.

Who's hot Hee Seop Choi of the Cubs is 7-for-16 with three homers, two doubles and seven RBIs in his past five games. Who's not The Indians' 5-12 start is their worst through 17 games since going 4-13 in 1987. Line of the day Geoff Blum, Astros 3B AB R H RBI HR 7 0 5 0 0 On deck Ted Lilly of the A's, who goes tonight, is the eighth left-handed starter the Rangers will have seen in 13 games. He said it "I don't have to worry about this; I know what I can do. I don't worry about a blown save."

ALBANY, Ga. -- Geno Delgado scored on a passed ball in the eighth inning, giving the Albany Polecats a 1-0 victory over the Hagerstown Suns last night in the South Atlantic League.Delgado led off the eighth with a single, went to second on a bunt, and got to third on a sacrifice fly. The next pitch got away from catcher Angel Martinez, allowing the only run to score.Polecats starter Jimmy Walker went six innings, allowing six hits with three walks and three strikeouts for the Orioles' Single-A affiliate.

New York Mets Record: 94-68, 2nd place, 1 back, beat Giants in Division Series, Cardinals in NLCS, lost to Yankees in World Series Runs scored: 807 (7th in NL) Runs allowed: 738 (3rd in NL) Manager: Bobby Valentine Home: Shea Stadium That was then: New York did nothing to fix its troubles against the Braves, who have won 18 of the past 24 meetings, but it made the postseason for a club-record second straight year and reached the World Series - in part because the Cardinals took out Atlanta.

NEW YORK - Looking back on Saturday's 12-inning loss, New York Mets first baseman Todd Zeile was restrained in the amount of credit he gave the Yankees. They had fought back from a 3-2 deficit in the ninth to extend the game, ultimately achieve a victory and seize the advantage in the 2000 World Series. But had they earned it? "I think we handed them Game 1 on a platter," Zeile said. Armando Benitez was their not-so-friendly waiter. While managers and players on both sides continued yesterday to sort through the mess resulting from Roger Clemens' bat-heaving episode with Mike Piazza on Sunday, there's also the matter of Benitez's unreliability in the postseason, which greatly contrasts with Yankees closer Mariano Rivera.

SAN FRANCISCO - It has been a season of magic moments at brand-new Pacific Bell Park, but one of the most magical of all turned out to be fleeting for the San Francisco Giants. Pinch hitter J.T. Snow launched a dramatic three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning off New York Mets closer Armando Benitez - tying a game that appeared to be lost and sending the sellout crowd of 40,430 into hysterics - but the Mets got back up and scored a 5-4 victory in 10 innings to even the best-of-five Division Series.

Three years ago, the Orioles, Florida Marlins, Cleveland Indians and Atlanta Braves were the last four teams standing in the postseason. The Marlins became the first wild-card world champion in only their sixth season before abruptly shedding payroll, changing ownership and gradually recovering to hover around .500 for most of this season. The Indians became frustrated with five consecutive division championships and two World Series appearances and fired manager Mike Hargrove, who migrated to Baltimore.

Charles Johnson has been in a similar place before. But right now, with the Orioles' front office receiving more calls than the Home Shopping Network, he has no idea where he's going. With the breaking point rapidly approaching for the Orioles to decide whether they are contenders, beyond repair or somewhere in between, no pending free agent finds himself at the vortex of more professional and personality issues than the team's unassuming, rifle-armed catcher. My first thought is I'd like to be back here I next year," Johnson said.

The cash-strapped, overmatched Montreal Expos had vacated Camden Yards, a most accommodating guest that will be missed. In their place last night were the New York Mets, with their assortment of big-ticket items and playoff aspirations. Hardly a fair trade. And just what the Orioles didn't need as they attempted to hoist themselves from the bottom of the AL East standings. Putting their five-game winning streak and renewed hopes on the line, the Orioles became tangled in another troublesome first inning by starter Juan Guzman and never got loose.

Dr. James Andrews found improvement in the general condition of Armando Benitez's right elbow Monday, but the Orioles reliever still has a small tear in an elbow ligament.Benitez is going to Florida to resume rehabilitation, and if he has no pain, then he'll return to Baltimore and be on track to join the Orioles. But if Benitez begins to have persistent pain in his elbow, then he'll likely undergo reconstructive surgery, a procedure that will sideline him for a year.Benitez began having trouble with his elbow at the end of spring training.

SARASOTA, Fla. -- First impressions are everything, and no rTC one seems to forget the first time they saw Armando Benitez, the Orioles' rookie reliever who throws fastballs in the mid-90s.Manny Alexander remembers.It was 1989, and Alexander was taking batting practice with a couple of friends in San Pedro de Macoris, in the Dominican Republic. He noticed a gangly teen-ager playing catch on the side of the field, wearing shorts, a T-shirt and spikes.And his hands. Alexander couldn't believe the size of his hands, his body.

NEW YORK -- He seems thrilled by the challenge, by the mystery of the talent in the cannon disguised as his right arm. As the days pass, as his role on the New York Mets becomes more important and more permanent, it has become possible to witness Armando Benitez grow as a pitcher, game to game.Sometimes inning to inning. Sometimes pitch to pitch."What you're watching," Mets manager Bobby Valentine says, "is the creation of a bona fide major-league pitcher. It's something to see."The Orioles, who traded Benitez last off-season after he struggled as their closer in 1998, may get to see how far he has come starting tonight, when they open a three-game series with the Mets at Camden Yards.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Yes, Cal Ripken had a conversation with New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine. And yes, the topic was former Orioles closer Armando Benitez, who was traded to the Mets in December in a three-way deal that brought catcher Charles Johnson. But Ripken's version of what was said differs greatly from Valentine's account.Is anyone surprised?Valentine has been quoted in Newsday as saying that Ripken referred to Benitez's act of hitting New York Yankees first baseman Tino Martinez in the back with a fastball last season, which incited an ugly brawl, as one of the "manliest" things he had ever seen.