Hargrove

ARLINGTON, Texas - While Orioles manager Mike Hargrove has done his best to maintain a sense of normalcy within the team's 2-13 tailspin, he has adjusted preparation for each opponent. Rather than conducting a combined session with hitters and pitchers 2 1/2 hours before each series opener, Hargrove has split the team into two groups for more detailed reports. He made the switch before last week's four-game homestand against the Boston Red Sox and continued it earlier this week in Anaheim and Thursday here.

OAKLAND, Calif. - Orioles manager Mike Hargrove made it official yesterday, saying Brian Roberts will get the majority of the playing time at second base, ahead of Jerry Hairston. But Hairston kept himself in the lineup, for one day at least, with a strong showing in Tuesday night's 14-inning victory over the Oakland Athletics. Hairston went 3-for-5 with a home run and a stolen base, as the Orioles rebounded after blowing a three-run lead in the eighth inning to pull out a 6-4 victory.

Against a not-so-subtle backdrop of internal uncertainty, the Orioles intend to prove again this week that they are fully capable of hiring respected baseball men.The club's next manager, according to club and industry sources, will be announced in the next two days as either former Cleveland Indians skipper Mike Hargrove, Boston Red Sox bench coach Grady Little or an "internal" candidate resembling third base coach Sam Perlozzo.Hargrove, whose teams won five consecutive American League Central titles and two league championships before he was ousted earlier this month, is described as having "a leg up" to become the fifth man to work the dugout during majority owner Peter Angelos' six-year stewardship of the franchise.

Not wanting to reach for any excuses, Orioles manager Mike Hargrove keeps finding them at arm's length. With his luck, he'd pull a muscle. Injuries? Who knows them better than Hargrove? He had another player unavailable yesterday after Mike Kinkade jammed his left thumb while attempting a diving catch in Saturday's game. Hargrove already needed to give rookie shortstop Brian Roberts the day off after Saturday's collision with Jerry Hairston, and he couldn't use relievers B.J. Ryan (elbow)

CLEVELAND - Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said Tuesday's loss was one of the toughest in his recent memory, and he was eager to see how the club would respond last night, especially closer Jorge Julio. The Orioles took a three-run lead into the ninth inning on Tuesday, only to see the Cleveland Indians rally for a 6-5 victory, capped by Matt Lawton's two-run, walk-off home run off Julio. It marked the second time in three games Julio had surrendered a ninth-inning lead and given up a walk-off home run. Pitching coach Mark Wiley talked with Julio after the game, and Hargrove waited until yesterday.

The door to manager Mike Hargrove's office remained shut, with the lights turned off, before yesterday's game. Orioles officials aren't sure when he'll occupy the room again. Hargrove missed the Orioles' 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to be with his mother, Rita Ann, who is ill. The club is unable to provide much information on her condition or when he'll return. Bench coach Sam Perlozzo ran the team in Hargrove's absence. He wouldn't sit behind the desk after the game, choosing instead to stand in a far corner.

Late Orioles game: Last night's game between the Orioles and Angels in Anaheim, Calif., ended too late to be included in this edition. A complete report can be found in later editions or on the Internet at http://www.sunspot.net. ANAHEIM, Calif. -- With the way the bullpen had struggled over the previous 15 games, every pitching decision Orioles manager Mike Hargrove made Wednesday night against the Anaheim Angels was doubly complicated. Beyond trying to get the victory, Hargrove was hoping to give each member of his relief corps something positive to take away from the game, hoping it would help rebuild sagging confidence levels.

DETROIT - Orioles manager Mike Hargrove yesterday reiterated his commitment to a lineup that will frequently exclude 40-year-old, All-Star third baseman Cal Ripken, while vice president of baseball operations Syd Thrift said "everybody" within the organization, including majority owner Peter Angelos, is behind the directional move. Hargrove said he will decide whether to play Ripken or Mike Kinkade on a "series-to-series" basis but will not follow a set formula. Ripken and Kinkade have alternated starts the past week, with Ripken receiving last night's start against Detroit Tigers knuckleballer Steve Sparks.

TORONTO - With four games remaining, Orioles manager Mike Hargrove decided to be safe rather than sorry with outfielder Gary Matthews, deciding he won't start again this season. Matthews hasn't been in the starting lineup since Aug. 23 because of a severe case of tendinitis in his right wrist. The Orioles activated him from the disabled list on Sept. 11, but he has been limited to a pinch-running and a late-inning defensive role. "I don't anticipate using him at all," Hargrove said. "He's swinging the bat well in batting practice; that's the part that makes you think you could get away with it. But if he ends up hurting it worse, surgery is a very real possibility.

JUPITER, Fla. -- Manager Mike Hargrove said there's "nothing imminent" on the trade front, though vice president of baseball operations Syd Thrift continues to work the phones. The most dynamic move the Orioles made yesterday was signing veteran David Howard, who played seven positions last season, to a minor-league contract. Howard, a career .229 hitter in nine seasons, was released by the Colorado Rockies this spring after going 5-for-25. He spent seven seasons with the Kansas City Royals and the past two with the St. Louis Cardinals.