Dugout

Quote: "Until I became manager of the Reds, I'd never heard of MRI. Now all I hear is MRI, MRI, MRI. I thought it was a new long-distance carrier like MCI. Next thing we'll have portable MRI machines in the dugout." -- Reds manager Jack McKeonIt's a fact: The rock group Cheap Trick performed during the seventh-inning stretch at Wrigley Field.Who's hot: San Francisco's Barry Bonds, who failed to homer in his first 53 at-bats this season, hit his sixth in 52 at-bats.Who's not: Pittsburgh's Mark Smith, formerly of the Orioles, who struck out as a pinch hitter in the fifth inning and is now hitless in 28 at-bats this season.

The first half couldn't have been much more adventurous for Jerry Hairston.He was involved in an altercation with pitchers from an opposing bullpen after being hit by pitches repeatedly in a series, jawed vigorously with a fan at another game and drew a three-game suspension for bumping an umpire.Then, shortly after being voted the Carolina League's all-star shortstop in his division, he was shifted to second base at Frederick.Something always seemed to happen around this highly competitive Orioles draftee, who is trying to become one of the rare third-generation family members to make the major leagues (the Boones and Bells have done it)

On the field: Roberto Alomar came into yesterday batting .167 with runners in scoring position. He struck out with the bases loaded in the second inning, but hit a grand slam in the sixth to break open the game and stroked an RBI single in the seventh.In the dugout: Actually, nobody was in the dugout after Pete Incaviglia was hit on the left forearm by a pitch from A's reliever Don Wengert during a five-run sixth inning. Both benches emptied as Incaviglia made a wide path to first base and was restrained by Oakland catcher Izzy Molina, but order was quickly restored.

MIAMI -- What ended as a disappointing loss narrowly missed becoming something tragic last night when a portion of the Orioles' dugout at Pro Player Stadium collapsed during the third inning, scattering players and bruising the right foot of tonight's starting pitcher, Rick Krivda.About 10 feet long, the section gave way when a Marlins Bleacher Brigade cheerleader leaped from the stands near the third base dugout to toss T-shirts to fans. Supported by steel beams, the detachable section buckled, sending the cheerleader sprawling.

On the field: Pitcher David Wells does not follow conventional wisdom in letting his infielders handle all pop-ups. Mickey Tettleton hit a high pop leading off the second inning, and Wells tracked it all the way as it drifted toward the first-base dugout. Wells stepped in between first baseman Rafael Palmeiro and catcher Chris Hoiles, called off both and made the catch. Later in the game, he was in position to take another pop-up, before Palmeiro called him off.In the dugout: Left-hander Darren Oliver held the Orioles to two runs on four hits in the first five innings, but manager Johnny Oates replaced him with right-hander Mark Brandenburg after Palmeiro doubled leading off the sixth inning.

1/8 TC KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Davey Johnson was among the first in baseball to embrace the new age of technology, using computer-generated statistics to help him determine lineups. But during Tuesday night's loss in Cleveland, Johnson's anger was generated by and focused on a piece of equipment in his dugout: the phone.In most dugouts, the phone connected with the bullpen is on the wall nearest home plate, where the manager is usually bunkered. But in Cleveland, the phone to the bullpen is at the far end of the dugout, away from the manager.

On the field: Brady Anderson, the major-league leader in homers, had his hands full against a pitcher who usually gives him trouble. After going 0-for-3 with a strikeout against Toronto's Juan Guzman last night, Anderson is 1-for-20 in his career against him with six strikeouts.In the dugout: Bobby Bonilla fouled a ball off his right foot in the eighth inning, and after striking out, he returned to the dugout and took off his shoe, in obvious pain. Trainer Richie Bancells tended to him, and Bonilla's status will be evaluated further today.

At the hot molten core of Earl Weaver was passion, which was his greatest gift to baseball in Baltimore. Ballgames were won by Eddie Murray crushing one into the cheap seats or Jim Palmer mowing them down from the top of his little hill. But ballgames mean nothing if the heart isn't involved.For 17 seasons, Weaver brought heart. He stirred the juices. He seemed to capture all the ragged emotions of an entire community that embraced his ballclubs. The record says he goes to Cooperstown now, to baseball's Hall of Fame, for the 1,480 victories, for the pennants and the world championship.

On the field: Brady Anderson's bases-loaded sacrifice fly with one out in the fifth inning proved to be a bigger blow than at first appearance. It tied the game 1-1 and saved the Orioles from a loss as the rains prevented them from batting again.In the dugout: Torrential rains flooded both dugouts, stranding several unsuspecting Rangers players who stayed to watch the rainstorm and found themselves surrounded by four feet of water.In the clubhouse: Manager Davey Johnson spoke highly of Jeffrey Hammonds, explaining that the decision to send him back to the minors was for his own good.

On the field: Cal Ripken pulled a ball down the left-field line in the first, and he reached second about the same time as the throw from left fielder Mark Whiten. But the throw went to the front of the bag, Ripken threw his body around to the back of the bag and eluded the tag of second baseman Joey Cora. Seattle manager Lou Piniella rushed a couple of steps out of the dugout to argue -- but quickly turned around when Cora waved him back.In the dugout: Right-handed-hitting Mike Devereaux started last night against Sterling Hitchcock, even though Devereaux has struggled in limited at-bats against the left-hander, with only one hit in 10 at-bats going into the game.

Maybe Mother Nature didn't want Matt Wieters to get a big head. The stage was set for him to make his major league debut Friday in front of a big, happy crowd on a combined $6 college special and Fireworks Night at Camden Yards. The Orioles had the whole thing planned to perfection, right down to the four-game winning streak that perked up the fan base in advance of the arrival of the team's most celebrated minor league prospect in a generation. The heavens, however, couldn't wait. The clouds opened late Friday afternoon and drenched the ballpark, forcing the cancellation of batting practice, delaying the start of the game and - for a while - dampening the big walk-up crowd the club was anticipating after making the surprise announcement Tuesday night that Wieters was headed here from Triple-A Norfolk to join a team that has gotten younger just about every day this week.

Adam Eaton can't wait to get back on a big league mound - or in a dugout. Eaton, the veteran right-hander, makes his Orioles debut Sunday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Rays. He has been with the team for the past week, but because the club wanted to keep an extra pitcher until Eaton starts, he will not be added to the 40-man roster until Sunday morning. Therefore, he wasn't allowed to sit in the dugout during games, instead having to watch on TV in the clubhouse or trainer's room. "I was anywhere and everywhere," Eaton said.

Haunted by past Former Oriole John Maine turned in another dominant performance, rubbing more salt in the wounds of fans who grew to despise the Kris Benson trade. He blanked the Orioles on one hit over six innings, striking out seven and facing one batter over the minimum, and received a standing ovation from New York Mets fans sitting behind the visiting dugout. Maine's ERA dropped to 1.85 in six spring starts, best in the National League. He has allowed 17 hits and walked five in 25 1/3 innings.

FEDERALSBURG --Five teenage boys have been charged with raping a 12-year-old girl in the dugout of a baseball field in this small Eastern Shore town. According to charging documents, the girl told police she went to the park Feb. 9 planning to have sex with her 15-year-old boyfriend but changed her mind. She was then attacked by other youths, who had been watching the couple, the documents say. The girl told her parents about a week later. The girl and the five suspects all live in or around Federalsburg, a town of 2,600 along the Marshyhope Creek that was once a trading center and still is a hub for rural northern Caroline County.

It's nice to have Ryan Minor back in the organization. Talk about a stroll down memory lane. Just hearing the name gets my feet moving. The Orioles completed the changes to their minor league coaching staff by hiring Minor as a field coach at Single-A Delmarva, where he played in 1997 and was regarded as a top prospect in the organization. Minor didn't pan out, but I'll always respect how he handled the pressure and attention that came with replacing Cal Ripken Jr. in the lineup on the night baseball's Iron Man voluntarily ended his consecutive-games streak.

What's your best Opening Day memory? I remember against the Indians [in 1986] when [President Ronald] Reagan came and stayed three innings in the dugout. You'd come in after the inning and he'd say, "Hey, nice going." It was like, "You want a hot dog?" We thought he was going to stay there for the whole game.

Good morning --Miguel Tejada-- Maybe you need to sit on your hands in the dugout.

VIERA, Fla. -- The trim man in the sunglasses, jeans and matching World Baseball Classic ballcap and golf shirt wandered into the visiting dugout at Space Coast Stadium yesterday hours before the Orioles played the Washington Nationals. "Hey, Skip," he yelped Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo jumped to his feet and rushed the man, bear-hugging him like a long-lost brother. For the first time since an acrimonious departure from the team at the end of the 1997 season, Davey Johnson was back in the Orioles' dugout, albeit temporarily.

Starting on dirt, past the on-deck circle, through the grass, past the other ondeck circle, and then dirt again. From one dugout to the other. It took about 10 seconds to make the walk yesterday. Groundskeepers were preparing for rain and the field was empty, so I walked it a second time. Just 37 steps. And then to be sure, I walked it again. Only about 100 feet. From the Orioles' dugout, I looked back across the field. It seemed pretty close, but we all know better: Two baseball teams have never been so far apart.

Starting on dirt, past the ondeck circle, through the grass, past the other on-deck circle, and then dirt again. From one dugout to the other. It took about 10 seconds to make the walk yesterday. Groundskeepers were preparing for rain and the field was empty, so I walked it a second time. Just 37 steps. And then to be sure, I walked it again. Only about 100 feet. From the Orioles' dugout, I looked back across the field. It seemed pretty close, but we all know better: Two baseball teams have never been so far apart.