Gary Matthews

The numbers 4 Times in past 15 years Orioles have had one All-Star selection. 2 Career All-Star selections for Tony Batista. 13 Wins by Rodrigo Lopez and Travis Driskill. 11 Wins by Scott Erickson, Jason Johnson, Sidney Ponson, Josh Towers and Calvin Maduro. .246 Batting average for Gary Matthews in No. 3 spot through Friday.

On Gary Matthews Jr.'s agreeing to terms with the Los Angeles Angels A [.263] career [batting average] gets you that? At what point does [Orioles owner Peter] Angelos say I've got to get out of this ridiculous industry and sell the team?

On Gary Matthews Jr.'s agreeing to terms with the Los Angeles Angels A [.263] career [batting average] gets you that? At what point does [Orioles owner Peter] Angelos say I've got to get out of this ridiculous industry and sell the team?

It was a homecoming of sorts for Scott Erickson yesterday as he returned to Baltimore for the first time since the Orioles let him go as a free agent. All the attention was supposed to fall upon him. The afternoon was ripe for a little nostalgia. So what was Rodrigo Lopez doing crashing his party like a high school senior? The focus shifted in a hurry, to a pitcher who twice was assigned to the bullpen but turned in one of the Orioles' finest starts this season in a 3-1 victory over the Texas Rangers before 44,961 at Camden Yards.

NEW YORK - Jerry Hairston, Gary Matthews and Jay Gibbons all hit first-inning home runs, and the Orioles finished the exhibition season at .500 with a 7-3 victory over the New York Mets yesterday at Shea Stadium. Pat Hentgen, who will begin the season in the Orioles' bullpen, gave up a two-run homer to Mike Piazza in the first inning and left after the third. Jeff Conine had three hits for the Orioles, and Melvin Mora added his second home run of the spring. The Orioles finished exhibition play 14-14-1.

A cross-country flight didn't return the Orioles to their home ballpark yesterday until 6 a.m. Rarely have they been so relieved to touch down. The road was treacherous for them, contributing six losses to a streak that has reached nine games. Yesterday provided their first smooth landing in more than a week. The Orioles begin a six-game homestand tonight against the Texas Rangers, who routed them last week in Arlington. They haven't lost 10 in a row since last September, but after being outscored 64-24 during a stretch that began with the Toronto Blue Jays' doubleheader sweep at Camden Yards, they wonder whether the turbulence can get any worse.

The low point? Orioles center fielder Gary Matthews pauses for a moment and scans through the toughest memories of a frustrating career. There was the time the San Diego Padres gave up on him after touting him as a future star. And there was the time the Chicago Cubs waived him just when his promise was starting to show. But the low point? "The low point was probably the trade to Baltimore," Matthews said. And he knew this was something he had to explain. Right now, the trade to Baltimore looks like the best thing that ever happened to Matthews.

NEW YORK - Gary Matthews wanted to keep his regular routine yesterday. He would grab some breakfast in the morning, make the usual phone calls, arrive early at the ballpark. The better to keep himself grounded at a time when emotions might knock him off his feet. Matthews didn't want to watch television, where most stations were providing coverage of ceremonies at the World Trade Center. Names were recited of the people killed in the terrorist attacks exactly one year ago. Families, still grieving, spoke of coping with their losses, of babies born without fathers to hold them.

It was a homecoming of sorts for Scott Erickson yesterday as he returned to Baltimore for the first time since the Orioles let him go as a free agent. All the attention was supposed to fall upon him. The afternoon was ripe for a little nostalgia. So what was Rodrigo Lopez doing crashing his party like a high school senior? The focus shifted in a hurry, to a pitcher who twice was assigned to the bullpen but turned in one of the Orioles' finest starts this season in a 3-1 victory over the Texas Rangers before 44,961 at Camden Yards.

With Jeff Conine back from the disabled list, the Orioles could feel the difference last night. He had one base hit, and it traveled about 75 feet, but his mere presence seemed to lessen their burden, helping them overcome one self-destructive inning by Scott Erickson. The Minnesota Twins capitalized on two Erickson errors to make things close, but the Orioles held on for a 6-4 victory before 40,074 at Camden Yards. After winning Tuesday's opener, the Orioles ended Minnesota's streak of 13 consecutive series without a loss.

CHICAGO - When Gary Matthews made the rise from journeyman reserve to everyday outfielder last season, it didn't happen overnight. He batted .194 in April, before turning into one of the Orioles' most productive hitters. Between May 3 and Aug. 10, Matthews hit .310 and was a regular part of the lineup until he suffered the wrist injury that cost him the season's final five weeks. "I don't think last year was a fluke," Orioles interim manager Sam Perlozzo said. "He hit a lot of good pitchers last year.

The low point? Orioles center fielder Gary Matthews pauses for a moment and scans through the toughest memories of a frustrating career. There was the time the San Diego Padres gave up on him after touting him as a future star. And there was the time the Chicago Cubs waived him just when his promise was starting to show. But the low point? "The low point was probably the trade to Baltimore," Matthews said. And he knew this was something he had to explain. Right now, the trade to Baltimore looks like the best thing that ever happened to Matthews.

NEW YORK - Jerry Hairston, Gary Matthews and Jay Gibbons all hit first-inning home runs, and the Orioles finished the exhibition season at .500 with a 7-3 victory over the New York Mets yesterday at Shea Stadium. Pat Hentgen, who will begin the season in the Orioles' bullpen, gave up a two-run homer to Mike Piazza in the first inning and left after the third. Jeff Conine had three hits for the Orioles, and Melvin Mora added his second home run of the spring. The Orioles finished exhibition play 14-14-1.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - OK, baseball historians, here's a quiz: When was the last time a major-league team had a worse 36-game stretch than the 4-32 debacle the Orioles had to close last season? Here are some clues: Connie Mack, Nap Lajoie and Shibe Park. Baseball-reference.com, a Web site that charts every game since 1901, shows that the 1916 Philadelphia Athletics were the last team to fare worse over one 36-game span. Mack was a Hall of Fame manager, and Lajoie was a Hall of Fame second baseman, but that A's team went 2-34 from June 30 to Aug. 4 and finished 36-117.

BOSTON - Even when Travis Driskill was thriving in a starting role for the Orioles earlier this season, several baseball evaluators suggested he was best suited for a middle-relief role. It was a great story. Driskill, a rookie who turned 31 this season, took a 6-1 record into the All-Star break after nine seasons in the minor leagues. But it was too good to last. Driskill leveled off with a 2-6 record after the break, and the Orioles entered September with Driskill back in the bullpen.

NEW YORK - Gary Matthews wanted to keep his regular routine yesterday. He would grab some breakfast in the morning, make the usual phone calls, arrive early at the ballpark. The better to keep himself grounded at a time when emotions might knock him off his feet. Matthews didn't want to watch television, where most stations were providing coverage of ceremonies at the World Trade Center. Names were recited of the people killed in the terrorist attacks exactly one year ago. Families, still grieving, spoke of coping with their losses, of babies born without fathers to hold them.

BOSTON - Even when Travis Driskill was thriving in a starting role for the Orioles earlier this season, several baseball evaluators suggested he was best suited for a middle-relief role. It was a great story. Driskill, a rookie who turned 31 this season, took a 6-1 record into the All-Star break after nine seasons in the minor leagues. But it was too good to last. Driskill leveled off with a 2-6 record after the break, and the Orioles entered September with Driskill back in the bullpen.

A cross-country flight didn't return the Orioles to their home ballpark yesterday until 6 a.m. Rarely have they been so relieved to touch down. The road was treacherous for them, contributing six losses to a streak that has reached nine games. Yesterday provided their first smooth landing in more than a week. The Orioles begin a six-game homestand tonight against the Texas Rangers, who routed them last week in Arlington. They haven't lost 10 in a row since last September, but after being outscored 64-24 during a stretch that began with the Toronto Blue Jays' doubleheader sweep at Camden Yards, they wonder whether the turbulence can get any worse.