Boskie

Position: Right-handed pitcherSize: 6 feet 3, 200 poundsAge: 29Role with Orioles: If the season started today, he'd be the No. 4 starter, between Scott Erickson and Rocky Coppinger. But if the Orioles acquire left-hander Darren Oliver from Texas, as they hope to do, Boskie will be a middle reliever/spot starter.Pluses: Boskie has good stuff and, at times, good control. He gained control of his curveball last summer, which helped him go 10-4 in the first four months of the season.Minuses: For one reason or another, he hasn't pitched consistently.

After beginning last spring as the Orioles' fifth starter, Shawn Boskie yesterday became their first casualty this fall when the club announced its decision not to pick up the option year of his contract.The move was not unexpected and comes less than a month after the right-hander underwent season-ending arthroscopic surgery to remove a bone chip from his elbow. Boskie last appeared as an Oriole on Sept. 15 against Cleveland. At the time, he was suffering from inflammation of the joint.Boskie, 30, signed as a free agent last December following a 12-11 season with the California Angels.

DETROIT -- For Shawn Boskie, imitation is not only the sincerest form of flattery, it's a form of self-preservation.Rained out against the Detroit Tigers yesterday afternoon, the Orioles returned home from a 4-2 road trip holding a 7 1/2 -game lead and a precious two-game sweep over the New York Yankees. And somewhere between Cleveland and New York, they rediscovered the real Boskie.Out of the starting rotation and close to being out of the Orioles' immediate future, Boskie may have rescued his season by scrutinizing film of the game's master pitcher, Greg Maddux.

MILWAUKEE -- The exposure that comes from being associated with winning organizations continues to move hitting coach Rick Down closer to a managerial job. After losing out to Terry Collins last year for the Anaheim position, Down is regarded as one of the leading contenders to succeed Cito Gaston in Toronto.Down said yesterday that he expects the Blue Jays to go through the formal procedure of contacting him after the Orioles have completed their postseason run. "I hope so. I'm led to believe that, and would think so," he said.

TORONTO -- For one more day, Rick Krivda watched the sun set in Rochester and Shawn Boskie watched it from limbo.As the Orioles seem drawn to the inevitable conclusion that their Triple-A left-hander will Boskie soon inherit the fifth starter's role, Boskie is still asked to keep the seat warm. Manager Davey Johnson said that Boskie will make his fifth start of the season Monday night against the Milwaukee Brewers. Left unsaid, all bets are then off.Despite a harrowing performance in his last outing, Krivda has been the International League's most impressive starting pitcher, crafting a 9-2 record around a nine-game win streak accompanied by a 3.01 ERA. Ever since Rocky Coppinger faded in May, many within the organization have advocated Krivda's promotion.

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Right-hander Shawn Boskie could not have envisioned this when he signed a one-year contract with the Orioles last winter. He came here to be the club's fifth starter, but has stopped worrying about what role he plays, as long as he has one."I'm kind of a mutt," Boskie said yesterday. "I do whatever needs to be done."What the club needed yesterday was a solid middle-relief effort. The Orioles had come back from a three-run deficit in the fifth inning to tie the game and manager Davey Johnson needed someone to hold the line until the club could take the lead.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Right-hander Shawn Boskie was considered the early favorite to win the final spot in the Orioles' starting rotation, but the three-man competition for the job is not playing out quite as expected.Former New York Yankees right-hander Scott Kamieniecki pitched two scoreless innings in yesterday's 8-2 exhibition loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, enhancing his already solid spring numbers, while Boskie and long-shot Rick Krivda continued to struggle.Krivda gave up five runs on nine hits over three innings to increase his spring ERA to 11.25 and Boskie gave up two unearned runs on five hits in a frustrating outing that has him wondering when things are going to start falling into place.

California Angels pitcher Shawn Boskie came back to Camden Yards with the right attitude. He was the guy who gave up three home runs on the night that Cal Ripken broke Lou Gehrig's record, but he remembered that event fondly and returned to the mound with a good thought last night.And, this time, it was the Angels who came out on top, 5-2, andTC couple of teammates who took the celebratory laps, albeit around the bases instead of the outfield.Boskie waited out a 2-hour, 16-minute rain delay and worked five strong innings, giving up three hits and just one run to record his fifth victory of the year.

The Orioles are expanding their hunt for a right-handed power hitter and are homing in on a pitcher.Assistant general manager Kevin Malone confirmed that the team has been speaking with the representative for free-agent outfielder Greg Vaughn, and said infielders Julio Franco and Kevin Seitzer could be candidates, too, should they become available.Malone said the Orioles also are continuing talks with starter/long reliever Shawn Boskie, and it appears a deal could be done soon.Vaughn hit 41 home runs last year for the Milwaukee Brewers and San Diego Padres and would like to return to the American League.

Star-crossed reliever Shawn Boskie is scheduled to undergo arthroscopic surgery today on his right elbow. The procedure, which at the very least will remove bone spurs from the area, will be performed by Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles and ensures that Boskie's season has ended.Boskie went on the disabled list on Aug. 16 because of elbow tendinitis. He pitched five times in relief after being activated Sept. 1 and surrendered 12 earned runs in 4 1/3 innings. After Boskie's last appearance against the Cleveland Indians Sept.

On the field: Toronto's Joe Carter changed his uniform number from 29 to 43, honoring fired manager Cito Gaston. In his first at-bat, he doubled down the right-field line, scoring Shawn Green for a 1-0 lead.In the dugout: Manager Davey Johnson started all of his regulars except shortstop Mike Bordick, who was replaced by Jeff Reboulet.In the clubhouse: "I thought it was bothering him all year. He didn't come clean until lately." -- Johnson on reliever Shawn Boskie.Pub Date: 9/26/97

Star-crossed reliever Shawn Boskie is scheduled to undergo arthroscopic surgery today on his right elbow. The procedure, which at the very least will remove bone spurs from the area, will be performed by Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles and ensures that Boskie's season has ended.Boskie went on the disabled list on Aug. 16 because of elbow tendinitis. He pitched five times in relief after being activated Sept. 1 and surrendered 12 earned runs in 4 1/3 innings. After Boskie's last appearance against the Cleveland Indians Sept.

NEW YORK -- Shawn Boskie has made two relief appearances since coming off the disabled list Monday. Together, they don't add up to a full inning.Together, they've given the Orioles right-hander two losses and a season's worth of frustration and anger.Boskie set the table for Monday's meltdown in Florida by loading the bases in the fifth, the only out coming on a strikeout of Cliff Floyd. Boskie was replaced by left-hander Jesse Orosco, who walked in the go-ahead run and gave up a grand slam to Devon White.

MIAMI -- The roof is, indeed, collapsing on the Orioles.On a night when a top portion of their dugout ended up on the steps, the Orioles took another spill, wasting a tie-breaking homer by Cal Ripken and losing to the Florida Marlins, 7-6, at Pro Player Stadium, to complete an interleague sweep and extend their losing streak to five games.Gary Sheffield homered off Shawn Boskie, the fourth reliever in an increasingly hurting Orioles bullpen, with one out in the ninth. The ball carried over the wall in left field, taking with it a little more air out of the team with the best record in the majors.

MIAMI -- Preferring to wait until the minor-league playoffs have run their course, the Orioles made minimal adjustments when rosters expanded yesterday, activating outfielder Jerome Walton and pitcher Shawn Boskie from the disabled list and promoting reliever Brian Williams from Triple-A Rochester.However, the club delayed a much-anticipated move regarding Eric Davis when the right fielder returned to California because of a death in his family.When Davis will return from the 60-day disabled list is uncertain, manager Davey Johnson said, but he may be absent until after this week's series in New York.

General manager Pat Gillick yesterday downplayed the possibility that newly signed pitcher Bill Swift could be a starter for the Orioles once rosters expand on Sept. 1. Manager Davey Johnson was awaiting a report on Swift's relief stint for Triple-A Rochester on Wednesday night to get a better read on how the right-hander might help the club down the stretch.Swift breezed through the eighth inning but was removed with two outs in the ninth. He was charged with two runs, walked two and struck out two.Released last week by the Colorado Rockies, Swift is trying to rebuild a career sidetracked by elbow trouble.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- When the Orioles signed right-hander Shawn Boskie in December, it was with the intent of having him fill the last spot in the rotation. But it wasn't until Friday night that he sealed the deal.Boskie pitched his best game of the spring despite wet conditions, allowing only a walk over the last two innings of his start against the New York Mets. That was enough for manager Davey Johnson to name him the fifth starter yesterday."When he showed me he could throw the ball like he did the other night, it was a no-brainer," Johnson said.

BOSTON -- The Orioles' starting rotation completed its return to normalcy yesterday when a strong bullpen session merited Rocky Coppinger being installed as No. 4 starter. To make room, manager Davey Johnson assigned Shawn Boskie to bullpen duty.The move coincided with the water-weary Orioles being rained out for a second consecutive day against the Boston Red Sox and for the fourth time in 10 days.Forced once more to manipulate his rotation, Johnson bumped Jimmy Key to this afternoon's start.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A series to forget for the Orioles outfield finally claimed a victim last night when right fielder Jeffrey Hammonds slammed into the fence chasing Chili Davis's second-inning double. The impact jarred Hammonds' left ankle, aggravating a sore Achilles' tendon that has left him day-to-day for the last several weeks. A decision on whether he needs to be put on the disabled list will be made today."It's hard to say right now," Hammonds said of the injury's severity. "It's not helping me with the wall ball.

The Orioles placed pitcher Shawn Boskie on the 15-day disabled list before last night's game. Cause: elbow triceps tendinitis and a cramping roster.The decision was made during a pre-game meeting among manager Davey Johnson, general manager Pat Gillick, assistant GM Kevin Malone, trainer Richie Bancells and team physician Michael Jacobs. The reasons were both medical and practical.Boskie, scheduled to start in Tuesday's doubleheader in Kansas City, left after the seventh inning of Friday night's 8-3 loss to Seattle complaining of stiffness in his right elbow.