Damon Buford

There's something slightly unreal, something mythic and "Field-of-Dreams"-like, about all this. Here's the father, returning to the stadium of his glory days, now gray-haired and bespectacled, to impart his wisdom to a new generation of players. The son, born presciently enough in the middle of a World Series-winning season, growing up to take his place on his father's team.Someone call Hollywood.Well, maybe not just yet. Damon Buford, 23, currently is heating up more bench than bats as a rookie for the Orioles.

BaseballMarlins: Optioned P Andy Larkin to Triple-A Charlotte. Activated P Eric Ludwick from 15-day DL.Red Sox: Placed former Orioles OF Damon Buford (rib cage strain) on the 15-day DL, retroactive to Aug. 27. Recalled OF Keith Mitchell from Triple-A Pawtucket.White Sox: Purchased contract of P Mike Heathcott from Triple-A Calgary. Placed P Keith Foulke (right rotator inflammation) on 15-day DL.CollegesHoly Cross: Hired Gretchen Hildebrandt as men's and women's assistant swim coach and Jennifer Bouchie as assistant field hockey coach.

The Orioles have signed four minor-leaguers to one-year contracts: outfielder Damon Buford, left-hander Brad Pennington and infielders T. R. Lewis and Paul Carey.Buford, 22, is a son of former Orioles outfielder Don Buford, who will manage the Orioles' Double-A Bowie team this season. Damon Buford hit .284 in 45 games with Triple-A Rochester and led the organization with 64 steals at Double-A Hagerstown and Rochester.Pennington, 23, was named one of Baseball America's Top 10 International League prospects in 1992.

After winning his fourth straight game Monday night for the Phillies, Sid Fernandez reiterated that he nearly retired while struggling as an Oriole "but didn't think I'd be able to look at myself in the mirror if I did that. I'd be kicking walls for the rest of my life." How other '95 Orioles are doing in their new nests:Players, CommentsDamon Buford -- DOWN -- In a 3-for-31 slump and is hitting .200 with just RBIs in 65 at-bats. Mets are loaded with young outfielders.Jack Voigt -- DOWN -- Was hitting .175 in 63 at-bats when Texas outrighted him to Double-A on Wednesday.

If the Serbs don't get you, the Croats will.Damon Buford will be a great player -- until they give him a multi-year, multi-million contract like any other bum.What if nobody bets on the Preakness this year because they already blew the bundle on keno?The generals and admirals can't be that down on Bill if they all want to be his Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.Cheer up, Bill reshuffled the White House staff.

Curtis Goodwin (above) is coming to the big leagues. The Rochester Red Wings center fielder was flying to Baltimore last night and is expected to be with the Orioles tonight when they face Oakland.Goodwin, who had impressed Orioles manager Phil Regan in winter ball and was given a chance of making the Opening Day roster, may replace Andy Van Slyke, a candidate for the disabled list, or Damon Buford, who is hitting .063.

On the field: Orioles left fielder Brady Anderson singled to left in the third inning to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. But he doesn't have the longest on-going streak in baseball, or even among teams playing in Boston. Red Sox center fielder Lee Tinsley also singled in the third; he now has at least one hit in each of Boston's 12 games this season.In the dugout: With left-hander Rheal Cormier pitching for Boston, Orioles manager Phil Regan went with a lineup loaded with right-handed hitters.

BaseballMarlins: Optioned P Andy Larkin to Triple-A Charlotte. Activated P Eric Ludwick from 15-day DL.Red Sox: Placed former Orioles OF Damon Buford (rib cage strain) on the 15-day DL, retroactive to Aug. 27. Recalled OF Keith Mitchell from Triple-A Pawtucket.White Sox: Purchased contract of P Mike Heathcott from Triple-A Calgary. Placed P Keith Foulke (right rotator inflammation) on 15-day DL.CollegesHoly Cross: Hired Gretchen Hildebrandt as men's and women's assistant swim coach and Jennifer Bouchie as assistant field hockey coach.

After winning his fourth straight game Monday night for the Phillies, Sid Fernandez reiterated that he nearly retired while struggling as an Oriole "but didn't think I'd be able to look at myself in the mirror if I did that. I'd be kicking walls for the rest of my life." How other '95 Orioles are doing in their new nests:Players, CommentsDamon Buford -- DOWN -- In a 3-for-31 slump and is hitting .200 with just RBIs in 65 at-bats. Mets are loaded with young outfielders.Jack Voigt -- DOWN -- Was hitting .175 in 63 at-bats when Texas outrighted him to Double-A on Wednesday.

Only a rainout detracted from a glorious day for the Bufords.Don Buford, the former Orioles leadoff hitter and current Bowie Baysox manager, was honored at a luncheon yesterday leading up to his induction into the Orioles Hall of Fame tonight before the game with the Cleveland Indians.Family members and friends have come from as far away asCalifornia for the occasion. The only thing that kept one son, Don Jr., away was a 36-hour shift in a Dallas hospital -- part of his medical school training.

Curtis Goodwin (above) is coming to the big leagues. The Rochester Red Wings center fielder was flying to Baltimore last night and is expected to be with the Orioles tonight when they face Oakland.Goodwin, who had impressed Orioles manager Phil Regan in winter ball and was given a chance of making the Opening Day roster, may replace Andy Van Slyke, a candidate for the disabled list, or Damon Buford, who is hitting .063.

Ups and downArthur Rhodes --DOWN-- If he couldn't hold runners and throw from the stretch, the majors leagues wasn't the place to learn.O's control -- DOWN -- Fourteen walks in one game. Wow. Get Flanagan up in the bullpen.Damon Buford -- DOWN --He's getting a chance to play, and he's not hitting anything.The Offense -- WHO KNOWS -- Hits have been sparse after No. 3 Rafael Palmeiro, but Cal Ripken, Harlold Baines and Chris Hoiles are beginning to come around.Jeffrey Hammonds -- UP -- Rhetorical question: How much do the Orioles need this guy?

Brady Anderson's 11-game hitting streak ended during last night's 3-2 loss to the Cleveland Indians.Anderson, who is batting .333, went 0-for-4. He struck out looking and grounded out to second base, first base and the pitcher.Anderson's broken-bat come-backer to Dennis Martinez in the seventh inning injured the pinky on Martinez's right hand. The finger felt numb, Martinez said, and after two warm-up pitches he left the game. The injury, Martinez said, will not affect his next start.Meanwhile, the win for Martinez was the 222nd of career and tied him with Jerry Koosman for 61st on the all-time list.

On the field: Orioles left fielder Brady Anderson singled to left in the third inning to extend his hitting streak to 10 games. But he doesn't have the longest on-going streak in baseball, or even among teams playing in Boston. Red Sox center fielder Lee Tinsley also singled in the third; he now has at least one hit in each of Boston's 12 games this season.In the dugout: With left-hander Rheal Cormier pitching for Boston, Orioles manager Phil Regan went with a lineup loaded with right-handed hitters.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- If you must take a one-way trip to Rochester, you might as well do it with an attitude as exemplary as Damon Buford's.Optioned to the Triple-A Red Wings before last night's game, Buford didn't trash the organization, the clubhouse, his locker, the manager or the general manager.He didn't trash anyone or anything. Instead, he welcomed the demotion."It's kind of like I can't lose either way," Buford said. "If I stay here, I'm in the big leagues, and that's great. If I go down, I'm playing every day, and that's great, too."

With Sid Fernandez scheduled to join the active roster tomorrow, the Orioles face a decision that affects the future of two other players.Do they continue to wait for a true value offer for forgotten third baseman Leo Gomez, or has the time come to take the best deal available?Trading Gomez at this point would appear to be the simplest way to clear a spot on the roster for Fernandez.The other option is exactly that -- an option of Damon Buford to Triple-A Rochester. Buford could play regularly in the big leagues now-- the New York Mets would take him in a heartbeat, installing him in center field and making him their leadoff hitter -- but he doesn't figure to get much playing time with the Orioles.

Brady Anderson's 11-game hitting streak ended during last night's 3-2 loss to the Cleveland Indians.Anderson, who is batting .333, went 0-for-4. He struck out looking and grounded out to second base, first base and the pitcher.Anderson's broken-bat come-backer to Dennis Martinez in the seventh inning injured the pinky on Martinez's right hand. The finger felt numb, Martinez said, and after two warm-up pitches he left the game. The injury, Martinez said, will not affect his next start.Meanwhile, the win for Martinez was the 222nd of career and tied him with Jerry Koosman for 61st on the all-time list.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Damon Buford thought it was a joke at first. His Rochester Red Wings teammates were quick to jump on the news that big-league center fielder Mike Devereaux was going on the disabled list, but the Orioles' Triple-A replacement wanted TC to wait for the official word."

All in all, Rafael Palmeiro's first week as an Oriole was quite productive.In five games, the new first baseman hit a team-high .368 with three home runs, which ties Mike Devereaux for the team lead, and six RBIs, which places him one behind Devereaux.And Palmeiro, the team's biggest off-season acquisition, became immediate fan favorite."It was absolutely great," Palmeiro said of the first week. "I don't want to go on the road. I like it here and I want to play here every day."However, he will have to hit the road, and he'll have to face the Texas Rangers, his old club, next weekend.

The way Damon Buford looks at it, being on the same club with his father now is like making up for the time his dad was away while Damon was in Little League."