Danny Tartabull

His family left Cuba when he was 6. The Palmeiros weren't exactly poor, but little Rafael and his friends would gather outside the Orioles' spring training stadium in Miami, trying to catch home run balls. "Those were the baseballs we practiced with," Rafael recalls.Palmeiro's father, Jose Sr., ran an ice cream stand in Cuba, then worked construction in the United States. "We had everything we needed," Palmeiro says. Still, when it came time for him to attend Mississippi State, he qualified for federal grants on top of his baseball scholarship.

The best moments of the expansion draft, easy, no question, were when ESPN cut to those bewildered fans in Denver and Miami standing around with blank expressions after their club's latest selections were announced.The cable network was hoping for some excitement in baseball's newest hometowns. The NBA and NFL drafts can get loud, for at least a few seconds, when a team picks a hot player and some VTC fans gathered in a ballroom start hollering and putting hog snouts on each other.But, this time, the Rockies and Marlins spent their big day perfecting the art of the obscure draft pick, and the fans gathered in Joe Robbie Stadium and a Denver convention center just became more confused and depressed as the selections drifted between unspectacular, unknown and unbelievably useless.

NEW YORK -- The toughest part of signing a $27.5-million free-agent contract, being asked to carry a ballclub, yearning for recognition as one of baseball's elite players and having to do it on the bright stage that is New York is the furniture. You see, Danny Tartabull has none, at least none of his own yet.His new home in Saddle River, N.J., has some pieces of rental furniture. But they are so few in number that Tartabull had to laugh when he described the decor as unintentionally minimalistic.

When the Indians help the Orioles open Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Monday, Charles Nagy will be on the mound for Cleveland."It's a big honor and I'm looking forward to it," Nagy said. "But I don't think it will be too tough pitching the first game of the season. It will be a different atmosphere, though, because of the new stadium. There will be a lot of excitement in the air. President Bush will throw out the first ball."Nagy, 24, a right-hander, was 10-15 with a 4.13 ERA last year when he was a rookie and the No. 3 starter behind Greg Swindell and Tom Candiotti.

Baseball contracts with average annual values of $3 million or more and baseball players with the highest 1992 salaries at each position. Figures include all guaranteed income but not income from potential incentive bonuses:Player, Club.... .... .... Years.. ... Avg. SalaryRyne Sandberg, Cubs.. .... 1993-96. .. $7.1MBobby Bonilla, NYM... .... 1992-96. .. $5.8MJack Morris, Tor..... .... 1992-93. .. $5.4MRoger Clemens, Bos... .... 1992-95. .. $5.4MDwight Gooden, NYM... .... 1992-94.. . $5.2MBarry Larkin, Cin..

BASEBALL American League * New York Yankees -- Agreed to terms with Danny Tartabull (outfielder) on a five-year contract.National League * Pittsburgh Pirates -- Fired Larry Doughty (senior vice president and general manager of baseball operations).BASKETBALL (NBA) * Philadelphia 76ers -- Waived Michael Ansley (forward). Signed Jeff Ruland (center).

In their first major player move in more than a year, the New York Yankees made a surprise late offer to Danny Tartabull, and the free-agent outfielder agreed yesterday to a $25.5 million, five-year contract.The deal, which makes Tartabull the fifth-highest-paid player in baseball, came six days after Daniel McCarthy replaced Robert Nederlander as the team's managing general partner. Tartabull became the first major addition to the Yankees' roster since pitcher Mike Witt signed as a free agent on Jan. 2, 1991.

It was nothing personal, but the California Angels' Dave Gallagher sure did a number on his former Orioles teammates.Gallagher, who played in 23 games with Baltimore last year, nicked Mark Williamson for a home run in the ninth inning of the Angels' 8-4 loss last night. It was his first since April 15, 1989.Gallagher finished the Angels' season series against the Orioles hitting .407 (11-for-27). This by a fellow who batted .216 for the Orioles last season.* COSTNER TO TAKE BP: Actor Kevin Costner is expected to take batting practice Sunday with the Orioles or the Oakland A's.* APPROACHING BAYLOR, BOOG: Dave Parker's solo home run off Roy Smith in the second inning was career No. 337, leaving the 40-year-old slugger one behind Don Baylor and two behind Boog Powell, both former Orioles.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The "Pine Tar Controversy" it wasn't.The Baltimore Orioles caught Kansas City Royals outfielder Danny Tartabull using an illegal bat on Thursday night, but were unable to take advantage of the situation.Tartabull was using a bat produced by a Japanese manufacturer (Zett) that is not approved for major-league play. If he had gotten TC on base in the opener of the four-game series at Royals Stadium, the Orioles were prepared to challenge the bat and -- if necessary -- protest the game.

BOSTON -- Danny Darwin led a day of firsts for the Boston Red Sox.Darwin earned his first American League victory in five years, Tom Brunansky, Wade Boggs and Mike Marshall hit their first homers and Jeff Reardon got his first 1991 save yesterday in the Red Sox' 5-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals.Along the way, the Red Sox also got their first runs after a 22-inning drought that began with consecutive shutout losses to Cleveland.Embarrassed in lasting less than two innings against Cleveland last Thursday, Darwin was determined to turn boos to cheers.