Greg Myers

On July 20, 2007, EARL ROBERT MYERS of Baltimore, MD., age 77, beloved husband of Ellen Kathleen Myers, devoted father of Matthew Myers and daughter-in-law Allison Myers, loving step-father of the late Linda Diane Gossage (nee Murphy) and the late Ronald T. Murphy. Loving grandfather of Cynthia Gossage, Shawn Murphy, Greg Myers and Jennifer Myers, loving great-grandfather of Thomas Iardella. Devoted brother of the late Marlene Myers, the late Evelyn Myers, the late William Myers and the late Melvin Myers.

On July 20, 2007, EARL ROBERT MYERS of Baltimore, MD., age 77, beloved husband of Ellen Kathleen Myers, devoted father of Matthew Myers and daughter-in-law Allison Myers, loving step-father of the late Linda Diane Gossage (nee Murphy) and the late Ronald T. Murphy. Loving grandfather of Cynthia Gossage, Shawn Murphy, Greg Myers and Jennifer Myers, loving great-grandfather of Thomas Iardella. Devoted brother of the late Marlene Myers, the late Evelyn Myers, the late William Myers and the late Melvin Myers.

Highlights and lowlights from the Orioles' 9-3 win over the New York Mets in Port St. Lucie, Fla. UP -- Greg Myers: His noisiest day this spring. DOWN -- Wayne Kirby: Goes 0-for-4 and gets picked off first base. EVEN -- Albert Belle: Not always operating at full speed, but drives in two runs. UP -- Cal Ripken: Had to get another hit sooner or later. UP -- Buddy Groom: Doesn't give in to Garth. The bats They awoke after a three-hit snooze in Port Charlotte. The Orioles pounded out 15 hits, including three each by Myers and DeShields.

I'M GUESSING the Orioles have never been so happy to see Jamie Moyer, and it wasn't because he came into last night's game with an 0-1 record and a 14.48 ERA in his previous four starts. It wasn't even because he was nice enough to give up three runs in the first inning. It was because his fastball would barely break the speed limit on I-95 and, therefore, there was a pretty good chance that the Orioles would get through the evening without firing up the X-ray machine again. Don't laugh.

BaseballBoston Red Sox -- Agreed to terms with P John Dopson on a year contract.California Angels -- Agreed to a minor-league contract with P Willie Fraser, who spent 4 seasons with the Angels before being traded to Toronto in 1990.Milwaukee Brewers -- Agreed to terms with P Bruce Ruffin on a 1-year contract.Minnesota Twins -- Agreed to terms with P David West (4-4, 4.54 ERA in 15 games last season) on a 1-year contract.Oakland Athletics -- Agreed to terms with IF Randy Ready on a 1-year contract.

BaseballAthletics: Placed OF Jose Canseco on 15-day DL, retroactive to Aug. 1. Activated P John Johnstone, who had been claimed on waivers from Giants. Recalled OF Jason McDonald from Triple-A Edmonton. Optioned IF Tony Batista to Edmonton. Placed P Steve Karsay (tired right arm) on 15-day DL, retroactive to Aug. 6.Cardinals: Sent OF Scarborough Green to Triple-A Louisville.Mets: Optioned P Juan Acevedo to Triple-A Norfolk. Recalled IF Shawn Gilbert from Norfolk.Rangers: Activated P Julio Santana from DL. Optioned P Eric Moody to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

When the Orioles completed their final exhibition game Saturday, catcher Willie Morales was told to jump on the plane to Baltimore for yesterday's workout. No explanation was given. He didn't need one. Morales was on the threshold of making his first big-league club, a move that became official yesterday when Greg Myers was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a severely strained left hamstring. Morales, 27, will back up Charles Johnson until Myers returns. "The last couple of days it's inevitable that you're going to think about it," Morales said.

California Angels -- Placed C Greg Myers (.231 in 78 at-bats since being acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays) on the 15-day DL with a chip fracture of the hamate bone of his right hand. Activated C John Orton, who had been on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Edmonton.Cincinnati Reds -- Sent P Steve Foster to Triple-A Nashville. Recalled OF Geronimo Berroa from Nashville.Montreal Expos -- Traded P Bill Sampen and P Chris Haney to the Kansas City Royals for 3B Sean Berry and P Archie Corbin.

**** Mike Kinkade: Being out of options no longer is the main reason he's going to make the club. Who's had a better spring? *** Chris Richard: Was batting .379 before going 3-for-4. Brian Roberts: Who imagined this guy as an Opening Day possibility? Put down your hands. Willie Harris: A natural second baseman, the minor-leaguer makes a leaping catch at the center field fence while on the dead run to end the fifth inning, and throws out a runner at second to end the sixth. File away that name for future reference.

Greg Myers completed his ascendance from the forgotten last night. A player who last season added to a reputation for hard luck and injuries batted cleanup against the Cleveland Indians while returning as designated hitter. Myers was 6-for-11 with eight RBIs and two home runs in three previous games against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Last night, when he went 0-for-3 with a walk, marked his fourth consecutive start but his first as the Orioles' cleanup hitter. His recent tear, however, has done nothing to add to his sense of security.

The Orioles are reaching the point where they must consider putting David Segui on the disabled list again after he missed another game last night because of a sore right knee. Segui hasn't played since striking out as a pinch hitter during Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies. He was examined again yesterday, and most likely will have a magnetic resonance imaging test by the weekend. "I think that will be the next step if it doesn't get any better in the next 24 hours," he said.

Carlos Delgado brings the same model bat to the plate that he has swung for the past four years. Same length, same weight, same manufacturer. It's the size of the baseball that has changed. To Delgado, the Toronto Blue Jays' first baseman, it must look like a manhole cover. And he's flattening every type of pitch. He's leading the majors with 76 RBIs, and his 22 home runs are tied with Cincinnati's Adam Dunn. With a .316 batting average that held firm after last night's rainout at Camden Yards, he's a more viable Triple Crown threat than Funny Cide.

NEW YORK - The Orioles headed into this weekend's series against the New York Yankees with the weakest offensive attack since the dawn of the designated hitter. Of course, that's based on the Orioles maintaining their subterranean team batting average. It also doesn't account for cleanup hitter David Segui's absence due to repeated hamstring pulls and a strained tendon that immobilized fingers on his left hand. The Orioles will hit, manager Mike Hargrove says. They might not hit much, but they'll hit more than the bunch that averaged 3.77 runs in its first 35 games, endured 12 consecutive games with five runs or fewer in a league in which teams average 4.83 runs a game, and was still waiting for somebody to outdo Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Carlos Delgado's Opening Day home run total (three)

Greg Myers completed his ascendance from the forgotten last night. A player who last season added to a reputation for hard luck and injuries batted cleanup against the Cleveland Indians while returning as designated hitter. Myers was 6-for-11 with eight RBIs and two home runs in three previous games against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Last night, when he went 0-for-3 with a walk, marked his fourth consecutive start but his first as the Orioles' cleanup hitter. His recent tear, however, has done nothing to add to his sense of security.

**** Mike Kinkade: Being out of options no longer is the main reason he's going to make the club. Who's had a better spring? *** Chris Richard: Was batting .379 before going 3-for-4. Brian Roberts: Who imagined this guy as an Opening Day possibility? Put down your hands. Willie Harris: A natural second baseman, the minor-leaguer makes a leaping catch at the center field fence while on the dead run to end the fifth inning, and throws out a runner at second to end the sixth. File away that name for future reference.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Albert Belle's first game of the spring in right field brought mixed results. Pat Hentgen brought his good stuff, even when confined to two pitches. Belle hit the ball hard in both of his at-bats in the Orioles' first intrasquad game, lining out to left field and singling up the middle before being removed for a pinch runner. He also committed an error in the second inning while charging a single into shallow right by Brook Fordyce. The ball rolled under his glove, bringing harsh catcalls from a few fans.

The Orioles were able to squeeze seven innings out of their starting pitcher last night. They shortened the parade of relievers that had worn a path at Comiskey Park. They wouldn't need anyone to mop up, because they wouldn't find the mess of another defeat spilling onto their home turf. Jason Johnson gave the Orioles a quality start, his second in two tries since rejoining the club from Triple-A purgatory. In that regard, the right-hander had separated himself from the pack. He hung tough as his pitch count climbed to 126, and the Orioles hung a 4-3 defeat on the Texas Rangers before 44,092 at Camden Yards when reliever Jeff Zimmerman balked in the winning run with none out. Shortstop Mike Bordick erased a 3-1 deficit in the seventh with a two-run homer, his seventh of the year to lead the club.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The phone call came around 4:30 a.m., setting into motion one of the most challenging and unusual days in Mike Hargrove's brief tenure as Orioles manager. Pitcher Pat Rapp informed Hargrove that he was returning to Louisiana to be with his ailing father. That put rookie Leslie Brea on the mound yesterday for his first major-league start. Upon arriving at the ballpark, Hargrove learned that Luis Matos wouldn't be available because of a bruised hand. That gave Delino DeShields his first career start in center field.