Garrett Stephenson

The prospect of going to arbitration with newly acquired Oriole Kent Mercker two days before spring training began didn't exactly appeal to club executives, who felt relieved after signing the pitcher to a contract yesterday.Mercker, 28, will be paid a base salary of $2.825 million in 1996, and if he pitches 180 innings, a $3.3 million option for 1997 will automatically go into effect. The Orioles can exercise the '97 option even if the left-hander doesn't reach 180 innings.Mercker's contract is thick with incentives: If he reaches 170 innings, he'll receive a $25,000 bonus, and an additional $25,000 for reaching 180 innings, and then 190 and 200. If he pitches 210 innings, he'll get an additional $50,000, and another $50,000 for 220 innings.

BaseballAngels: Optioned OF Norm Hutchins, P Geoff Edsell and C Bret Hemphill to Triple-A Edmonton. Optioned P Mark Harriger and P Ramon Ortiz to Double-A Erie.Astros: Assigned P Tony McKnight, P Wade Miller, P Derek Root, P Brian Sikorski, C Pedro Lopez, C Marc Ronan, IF Julio Lugo, IF Chris Truby, IF Carlos Villalobos and former Orioles OF Brent Bowers to minor-league camp.Blue Jays: Assigned C Josh Phelps, OF Ryan Freel and OF Patrick Lennon to minor-league camp.Brewers: Assigned P Hector Ramirez, P Ryan Henderson and P Tim VanEgmond to minor-league camp.

Twice, he has been disappointed that he was sent to a lower level than he expected.It started after 1993, when Garrett Stephenson and Armando Benitez shared the Jim Palmer Prize as the Orioles' top minor-league pitcher.Stephenson says he thought he deserved a shot with the Double-A Bowie Baysox after leading the system with 16 wins and pitching the organization's only no-hitter, for the Single-A Albany (Ga.) Polecats, but began the year with the Single-A Frederick Keys instead.Then, 1 1/2 months after he was promoted to Bowie, Stephenson was shipped back to Frederick.

Opinion: If you saw the same 'ol Bobby Knight on TV last week, you know Indiana is going to get what it deserves for not having the guts to just up and can him. He doesn't believe he was wrong, he can't adhere to some of the restrictions imposed on him (such as treating the media with even a modicum of respect) and he's going to test the limits. He's going to be a huge headache. Fact: Yes, the Garrett Stephenson who is 8-1for the Cardinals is the same Garrett Stephenson the Orioles traded to the Phillies along with Calvin Maduro in 1996, getting Pete Incaviglia and Todd Zeile in return.

BOWIE -- In a series that has meant nothing but misery for the home team, the Harrisburg Senators came back from the brink of elimination last night.Down 3-0 after two innings, the defending Eastern League champions awoke with a vengeance and slugged Bowie into submission, 9-3, before 6,388 at Prince George's County Stadium, forcing a decisive fifth game in the Southern Division playoffs.The Senators and Baysox will meet tonight at RiverSide Stadium Harrisburg to determine an opponent for Northern Division titlist Binghamton in the league championship series.

FREDERICK -- Before the Frederick Keys played the Lynchburg Red Sox yesterday, a cardboard "Fantastic Enlarger Box" turned a miniature basketball into a regular-sized one, a stick into a baseball bat and a plastic baby doll into a grown man.The box, which was set up at home plate, did not instantly transform the Keys into the Orioles. Most of these guys will never make it to the majors. The lucky few probably are two years away. At least.So when the major-leaguers say they are striking for the younger guys in the minors, it does not mean much to members of the Orioles' Single-A affiliate.

ST. LOUIS - When Sidney Ponson pulled on his 1944 St. Louis Browns uniform yesterday, a few of his Orioles teammates had a little fun at his expense. One veteran said he looked like a bratwurst, covered in gray, and others thought he looked like the reincarnation of Babe Ruth. Nine innings later, Ponson's teammates were too busy praising him to laugh. On a day they desperately needed a stopper, Ponson was there, tossing his second complete game in his past three starts as the Orioles ended their four-game losing streak with an 8-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

MINNEAPOLIS -- There's a chance Bobby Bonilla will be traded to the Atlanta Braves or San Diego Padres today, and maybe David Wells will be dealt to Cleveland. But it's highly unlikely because, according to club sources, owner Peter Angelos has decided he wants to keep the Orioles as competitive as possible for the rest of the 1996 season -- against the advice of his baseball staff and for the sake of fans who've already invested in this year's team.The policy decision virtually guarantees the Orioles will be delving into the free-agent market again this off-season as they attempt to acquire a catcher, an outfielder and pitching.

BaseballAstros: Designated C Randy Knorr for assignment. Recalled IF Carlos Hernandez from Triple-A New Orleans.Cardinals: Optioned former Orioles P Garrett Stephenson to Triple-A Memphis. Recalled P Rick Heiserman from Memphis.Mariners: Signed C Ryan Christianson to a minor-league contract.