Clubhouse

WASHINGTON, DC -- Since the Orioles and Washington Nationals began their so-called rivalry in 2006, there's been a consistent theme.The clubs have never had a winning record at the same time when they've met for interleague play. Oftentimes, they've been awful simultaneously. But in the Bizarro World that is the 2012 season - Albert Pujols can't hit, the New York Yankees can't pitch and the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies are cellar dwellers -- the Orioles and Nationals owned two of baseball's six best records heading into Friday night.

WASHINGTON, DC -- Since the Orioles and Washington Nationals began their so-called rivalry in 2006, there's been a consistent theme.The clubs have never had a winning record at the same time when they've met for interleague play. Oftentimes, they've been awful simultaneously. But in the Bizarro World that is the 2012 season - Albert Pujols can't hit, the New York Yankees can't pitch and the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies are cellar dwellers -- the Orioles and Nationals owned two of baseball's six best records heading into Friday night.

The big spring training story of the past few days comes not from the Orioles' winter home in Sarasota, Fla., but from down the road in Fort Myers, where news that the Boston Red Soxhave banned beer in the clubhouse seems to have everyone in a tizzy. Pundits are pontificating about it, new manager Bobby Valentine is explaining it and the Red Sox players have been asked about it endlessly. (A personal favorite quote from veteran slugger David Ortiz: "We're not here to drink.

Left-hander Zach Phillips, the last roster casualty in spring training, is in the Orioles clubhouse today. He said hello to manager Buck Showalter, then went to his locker. He doesn't know whether he'll be activated today. Part of that might have to do with the weather as well. It's still a consistent rain here at Camden Yards. “I got here, said, 'Hi,' to Buck, told him I was here and [he] said, 'We'll talk later.'” Phillips said. “And that was it.” If Phillips is activated, one possible move would be sending down righty Jason Berken to Triple-A Norfolk.

Left-hander Zach Phillips, the last roster casualty in spring training, is in the Orioles clubhouse today. He said hello to manager Buck Showalter, then went to his locker. He doesn't know whether he'll be activated today. Part of that might have to do with the weather as well. It's still a consistent rain here at Camden Yards. “I got here, said, 'Hi,' to Buck, told him I was here and [he] said, 'We'll talk later.'” Phillips said. “And that was it.” If Phillips is activated, one possible move would be sending down righty Jason Berken to Triple-A Norfolk.

I am responding to the letter from Jervis Dorton who felt disappointed when he attended the presentation of four potential Columbia Association contractors, all of whom were bidding on the future renovation and/or reconstruction of the Hobbit's Glen clubhouse. I want to say up front that I respect Jervis' opinion, but his assessment is missing some very key facts. Only last year, the Columbia Association staff presented fait accompli, for board approval, a set of architectural drawings (no materials or interior designs were proposed)

There are currently two major projects being proposed by the Columbia Association. One is to remodel or rebuild the Hobbit's Glen clubhouse for $5 million to $6 million to a level of use beyond its current capacity. It would have programs of use closer to Cattail Creek Country Club and possibly Turf Valley level. The other project is the proposed improvements to the Symphony Woods park that would include new pedestrian ways into the central areas of the current wooded open space but no budget to build now a beautiful fountain that would benefit more Columbians than the Hobbit's facility.

The awkwardness lasted all of a couple of minutes — or about the amount of time it took Cesar Izturis to approach the player who essentially took his job. As the Orioles infielders fielded groundballs for the first time this spring, Izturis made sure that J.J. Hardy knew exactly where the two stood. "He said, 'Listen man, if you need anything, you come to me and you ask me,'" recalled Hardy. "He couldn't stress it enough. He said, 'Don't feel like you can't come talk to me, don't think I'm mad at you for coming here.

Steve Harper, who was co-host and co-writer of Fox 45's popular children's show, "The Fox-45 Clubhouse" with his pal, Kenny Curtis, is leaving our fair city to attend Harvard University. Harper, who's 30, left the show three years ago to study at the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington. During that time, he's also appeared at the Kennedy Center, the Round House Theatre, and on television shows, "Crabs," "Monsters," "America's Most Wanted," and "Unsolved Mysteries." Plus he wrote a play, "Abstract Purple" which ran last summer in the Baltimore Playwrights Festival.

March Madness has struck the Orioles. Shortstop Miguel Tejada arrived at camp yesterday wearing a Maryland Terrapins T-shirt, and the clubhouse was full of players filling out tournament brackets. If anyone cares, my Final Four is Wisconsin, Ohio State, UCLA and North Carolina ... with the Badgers going all the way. I would have picked UCLA, but that's against my religion.

As a teenager growing up in the shadow of Memorial Stadium, working as a batboy in the clubhouses with the Baltimore Orioles and opposing teams was a dream job for Ronald Shelton. But Shelton said he quietly left the job before he had planned to do so after being twice sexually assaulted in an equipment room in 1990 by a Red Sox clubhouse manager, Donald Fitzpatrick, when the Boston team was in town. Now all these years later, Fitzpatrick has been linked to a growing number of claims of sexual assault.

The big spring training story of the past few days comes not from the Orioles' winter home in Sarasota, Fla., but from down the road in Fort Myers, where news that the Boston Red Soxhave banned beer in the clubhouse seems to have everyone in a tizzy. Pundits are pontificating about it, new manager Bobby Valentine is explaining it and the Red Sox players have been asked about it endlessly. (A personal favorite quote from veteran slugger David Ortiz: "We're not here to drink.

As a resident of Columbia for 42 years and of Hobbit's Glen for 19 years, I would like to thank Jervis Dorton for his letter regarding planned changes to the Hobbit's Glen clubhouse . He speaks for me and many of my neighbors in Hobbit's Glen who frequent the Coho Grill and who believe that the clubhouse, as originally conceived, is a perfect fit with the surrounding residential community. The low-slung and rambling design of the building integrates it nicely with the ambient landscape, while the internal architecture creates the warm and friendly atmosphere that Jim Rouse believed should be inherent in the design of our public buildings.

There are currently two major projects being proposed by the Columbia Association. One is to remodel or rebuild the Hobbit's Glen clubhouse for $5 million to $6 million to a level of use beyond its current capacity. It would have programs of use closer to Cattail Creek Country Club and possibly Turf Valley level. The other project is the proposed improvements to the Symphony Woods park that would include new pedestrian ways into the central areas of the current wooded open space but no budget to build now a beautiful fountain that would benefit more Columbians than the Hobbit's facility.

I am responding to the letter from Jervis Dorton who felt disappointed when he attended the presentation of four potential Columbia Association contractors, all of whom were bidding on the future renovation and/or reconstruction of the Hobbit's Glen clubhouse. I want to say up front that I respect Jervis' opinion, but his assessment is missing some very key facts. Only last year, the Columbia Association staff presented fait accompli, for board approval, a set of architectural drawings (no materials or interior designs were proposed)

Last week I attended Columbia Association's public meeting to hear presentations by the four finalists being considered as architects for the renovation or replacement of the Hobbit's Glen clubhouse. I found the presentations very disappointing. They focused on how good each firm is at responding to their clients' needs, on being team players, working within budgets and meeting schedules. All were cautious not to say anything that might jeopardize their chances of getting this job. Consequently, they were noncommittal and vague when asked about the style of architecture that they considered appropriate for a renovated or new clubhouse.

At the moment, it may look like Baltimore's largest unfinished basement. But come back in April 1992, when the lighting is better and that crumpled foam cup isn't leaking on your shoe.You'll like it here in the soon-to-be clubhouse of the Baltimore Orioles. So will Orioles players, at least those who do not mind being surrounded by all of life's creature comforts. Wait, isn't that Cal Ripken stepping out of the sauna?At Memorial Stadium, the Orioles have a clubhouse that is carpeted, has orange chairs and is large enough for players to change their clothes without elbowing the millionaire at the next locker.

AMONG the litany of colorful characterizations used to describe Sammy Sosa - "con artist" taking top honor - one tragic flaw has been woefully underreported: The irrepressible Sosa was blaring Whitney Houston when a Cubs teammate took a bat to the clubhouse boom box. Whitney Houston? What, Sosa's Mariah Carey CD was too scratched? With stiffer drug-testing penalties now for major league ballplayers, let's hope Sosa has sworn off Whitney's warblings, too. Otherwise, more trouble could lurk for the slugger inside the Orioles clubhouse, where music isn't an issue, unless it's Sidney Ponson's day to pitch.

About two weeks after his 2010 season ended, Jim Johnson walked into a classroom at the State College of Florida-Bradenton campus, settled his 6-foot-5, 230-pound frame behind a table, and put his right arm through an entirely different test. For about two hours, Johnson, wearing a T-shirt, shorts and flip flops, took an exam to complete a written communications course. First, he answered questions, then he penned a short essay. The presence of a major league pitcher in the room couldn't have mattered less.

Derrek Lee, who had been an Oriole for all of 31/2 months, summoned his struggling teammates together and delivered a message that was a mix of encouragement, insight and advice. With the Orioles in the midst of an eight-game losing streak in mid-April, Lee urged his teammates to relax, acknowledged that he needed to start doing his part and concluded there was too much talent in the home clubhouse for the lineup to be performing as it was. "He thought it was appropriate at the time, and so did everybody else," Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis said.