Ben Mcdonald

Star of the Century: Ronald Reagan.Supermodel of the Millennium: TwiggyNerd of the Century: Bill Gates.Bimbo of the Decade: Monica Lewinsky.President Stud of the Century: Warren G. HardingBig Mouth of the Year: Sam DonaldsonBig Mouth of the Decade: Oprah WinfreyBig Mouth of the Century: Walter WinchellGreatest mind of the Millennium: YoursMarylander with the mostest: Wallis Warfield SimpsonMarylander with the leastest: Linda TrippJock of the Decade: Bill...

The Cleveland Indians can expect a soft ride in the American League Central this year, but that should not keep general manager John Hart from moving decisively to upgrade the pitching staff.The club can get to the postseason as configured, but the loss of right-hander Ben McDonald -- apparently for the season -- leaves manager Mike Hargrove with a starting rotation that is less than World Series-caliber.What to do? What to do?If you're Hart, you should do what you do best. Pull off another breathtaking deal and send another message to the rest of the American League.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Mike Piazza already has set a major-league record this year -- most money ever turned down by a major-league baseball player. The Dodgers offered him a six-year contract worth $14 million per year ($84 million) and Piazza responded by breaking off negotiations.Piazza announced that decision after Dodgers fans booed him on Opening Day at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday and kept the heat on him the following night."I have let the talks become a distraction, and for that I apologize to my teammates and our fans," Piazza said in a prepared statement.

At Oriole Park at Camden YardsDay .. .. .. ..Time .. .. ...TV .. .. .. .. ..StartersTonight.. .. ..7:35 .. .. ...13,50 .. .. .. ..Ben McDonald (7-6, 4.24).. .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .. ...vs. Jimmy Key (12-4, 2.55)Tomorrow .. ...7:05 .. .. .HTS .. .. .. .. .Cal Eldred (7-8, 5.81).. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..vs. Mike Mussina (10-2, 3.26)Sunday .. .. ..1:35 .. .. .13,50 .. .. .. ..Jeff D'Amico (6-4, 4.39)... .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. ... .. .. ..vs. Scott Erickson (11-4, 3.81)

DETROIT -- Someone asked if he were nervous at the start of the game.L "You didn't see me out there shaking?" Rocky Coppinger said.He was the winning pitcher in his first major-league start last night at Tiger Stadium, but his performance was less than winning.He threw 99 pitches in five innings, juggled a multitude of base runners, allowed five runs, and watched one of his pitches bounce off the upper-deck facade."I thought I'd have better command," he said. "I made some stupid pitches -- rookie mistakes."

At County Stadium, MilwaukeeDay Time TV StartersTonight 8: 05 13, 50 Mike Mussina (12-8, 5.06)vs. Ben McDonald (10-5, 3.81)Tomorrow 8: 05 HTS Scott Erickson (5-10, 5.35)vs. Scott Karl (10-5, 4.76)Thursday 2: 05 54, 50 Rocky Coppinger (6-3, 5.04)vs. Jeff D'Amico (3-4, 5.11)Radio: All games on WBAL (1090 AM) and WTOP (1500 AM)Brewers updateThe Brewers sent slugger Greg Vaughn to San Diego last week and it's unlikely anyone can pick up the slack. Vaughn's 31 AL home runs are eight more than any other Brewer.

Phil Regan arrived at Camden Yards yesterday prepared for bad news.He had seen Kevin Brown's right index finger grotesquely misshapen after the right-hander was hit by a line drive Thursday night, and the Orioles manager was sure that upon further examination, doctors would find the finger to be broken, a serious injury for a pitcher.But Regan and Brown got good news: While the finger was dislocated at the top knuckle, there was little corollary damage, and Brown could be back in three weeks, or around the All-Star break.

The Orioles pitching staff is on the mend, and pitching coach Mike Flanagan is a happy man. The Orioles endured a tumultuous month in which Brad Pennington was traded, starters Ben McDonald, Kevin Brown and Sid Fernandez were on the disabled list, Gene Harris was traded for, then put on the disabled list, reliever Alan Mills was sent to Rochester and Armando Benitez and Arthur Rhodes were sent to the minors, then recalled to Baltimore. Farmhands Terry Clark, Mark Lee, Jimmy Myers, Scott Klingenbeck, John DeSilva and John Dettmer also saw action in June.

Ups and downsPennant hopes -- WHO KNOWS -- Don't write them off yet, but get your pens and pencils ready.The rotation -- DOWN -- At one time, this was supposed to be theleague's best, from top to bottom, right? Wow.Kevin Brown -- DOWN -- He'll be impossible to replace in the rotation, and his absence will strain the bullpen, as well.Ben McDonald -- DOWN -- Of all the times for him to get hurt, this is the absolute worst, because of Brown's injury.Matt Nokes -- DOWN -- His angry parting words would've carried a little extra weight had his average been something greater than .122.

Ups and downsBen McDonald -- HORZ -- Didn't get to start like he wanted, but he spoke his mind and will work out of the bullpen the way he prefers.The Orioles -- HORZ -- Ultimately, Big Ben deferred in this XTC dispute. But the whole stupid thing could've been avoided. Easily.Jimmy Haynes -- UP -- 1996 is looking better than 1995 already. Remember, though, that September performances can be a poor barometer.Bobby Bonilla -- UP -- A reputation for selfishness dogged him in New York. Since he's been with the Orioles, he's done everything they've wanted _ moving to third base, for instance _ and he's gone out of his way to draw together teammates.

The day began 20 years ago with overcast skies and wisps of fog, a Friday. Despite the fact that the weekend is not expected to brighten, Baltimore baseball fans bask in a warm glow that has been building since April. Their team, the American League cellar-dweller just a year earlier, has a chance to win the pennant. Just one game back of the Toronto Blue Jays with three to play, the Orioles need a sweep at SkyDome to make everyone forget about the previous season, the one that began with 21 losses and ended with 107. "From the beginning, everybody figured they didn't have a chance," recalls Peter Angelos, still nearly four years away from becoming the owner.

Major league draft 6 p.m. [MLB Network] Twenty years ago, the Orioles selected Ben McDonald (left) with the first overall pick. He didn't exactly make it to Cooperstown, but then no pitchers taken No. 1 overall have. The best of them are Mike Moore, Andy Benes, Tim Belcher and Floyd Bannister. It's something for the Nationals to think about before choosing phenom Stephen Strasburg.

IT WAS SEVERAL months ago that Bill Ripken called and challenged me to put my baseball ability on display at the Ripken Minor League Experience, but I didn't think he was serious. I played along, because I never thought anything would come of it, but it turns out that they really are going to charter a couple of buses and take several dozen baseball nuts on a game-a-day tour of the New York-Penn League, beginning tonight. My hammies are already starting to hurt, but there's no backing out now. Mind you, I'm not worried about embarrassing myself.

Star of the Century: Ronald Reagan.Supermodel of the Millennium: TwiggyNerd of the Century: Bill Gates.Bimbo of the Decade: Monica Lewinsky.President Stud of the Century: Warren G. HardingBig Mouth of the Year: Sam DonaldsonBig Mouth of the Decade: Oprah WinfreyBig Mouth of the Century: Walter WinchellGreatest mind of the Millennium: YoursMarylander with the mostest: Wallis Warfield SimpsonMarylander with the leastest: Linda TrippJock of the Decade: Bill...

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Mike Piazza already has set a major-league record this year -- most money ever turned down by a major-league baseball player. The Dodgers offered him a six-year contract worth $14 million per year ($84 million) and Piazza responded by breaking off negotiations.Piazza announced that decision after Dodgers fans booed him on Opening Day at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday and kept the heat on him the following night."I have let the talks become a distraction, and for that I apologize to my teammates and our fans," Piazza said in a prepared statement.

The Cleveland Indians can expect a soft ride in the American League Central this year, but that should not keep general manager John Hart from moving decisively to upgrade the pitching staff.The club can get to the postseason as configured, but the loss of right-hander Ben McDonald -- apparently for the season -- leaves manager Mike Hargrove with a starting rotation that is less than World Series-caliber.What to do? What to do?If you're Hart, you should do what you do best. Pull off another breathtaking deal and send another message to the rest of the American League.

At Oriole Park at Camden YardsDay .. .. .. ..Time .. .. ...TV .. .. .. .. ..StartersTonight.. .. ..7:35 .. .. ...13,50 .. .. .. ..Ben McDonald (7-6, 4.24).. .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .. ...vs. Jimmy Key (12-4, 2.55)Tomorrow .. ...7:05 .. .. .HTS .. .. .. .. .Cal Eldred (7-8, 5.81).. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..vs. Mike Mussina (10-2, 3.26)Sunday .. .. ..1:35 .. .. .13,50 .. .. .. ..Jeff D'Amico (6-4, 4.39)... .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. ... .. .. ..vs. Scott Erickson (11-4, 3.81)

At County Stadium, MilwaukeeDay Time TV StartersTonight 8: 05 13, 50 Mike Mussina (12-8, 5.06)vs. Ben McDonald (10-5, 3.81)Tomorrow 8: 05 HTS Scott Erickson (5-10, 5.35)vs. Scott Karl (10-5, 4.76)Thursday 2: 05 54, 50 Rocky Coppinger (6-3, 5.04)vs. Jeff D'Amico (3-4, 5.11)Radio: All games on WBAL (1090 AM) and WTOP (1500 AM)Brewers updateThe Brewers sent slugger Greg Vaughn to San Diego last week and it's unlikely anyone can pick up the slack. Vaughn's 31 AL home runs are eight more than any other Brewer.

DETROIT -- Someone asked if he were nervous at the start of the game.L "You didn't see me out there shaking?" Rocky Coppinger said.He was the winning pitcher in his first major-league start last night at Tiger Stadium, but his performance was less than winning.He threw 99 pitches in five innings, juggled a multitude of base runners, allowed five runs, and watched one of his pitches bounce off the upper-deck facade."I thought I'd have better command," he said. "I made some stupid pitches -- rookie mistakes."

The Orioles offered a three-year contract to free-agent pitcher David Cone yesterday in an attempt to bolster their own rotation and keep Cone from signing with the rival New York Yankees.Orioles general manager Pat Gillick forwarded the offer in a conversation with Cone's agent, Steve Fehr. Gillick would not elaborate on the financial terms, but according to a source familiar with the negotiations, the offer was for between $5 million and $5.5 million a year on average.The offer likely is heavy in deferred salary, which would allow the Orioles to pay more money after 1997, the second year of the contract.