Hentgen

HERE WERE THE circumstances of Pat Hentgen's first start for the Orioles yesterday at Camden Yards: He was replacing Mike Mussina and facing Pedro Martinez before a full house on Opening Day, with the memory of his miserable spring season still fresh. How about that for a barrel of fun? "Knowing Pat," Orioles second baseman Jerry Hairston said, "I'm sure he took it as a challenge." Hentgen wouldn't confess in those terms later -- he's as low-key in the clubhouse as he is poker-faced on the field -- but when a guy has won 120 major-league games with pretty good stuff and a competitive nature bordering on the ferocious, you know what he was thinking in such a situation: Come on, be perfect.

TORONTO - Considering all the top pitchers Orioles catcher Javy Lopez handled with the Atlanta Braves, he could have heaped some pretty high praise on Orioles pitcher Matt Riley this weekend. Riley, 24, held the Toronto Blue Jays to one hit over seven innings in Friday's 11-2 victory, and Lopez was asked if the left-hander reminded him of anyone else he had caught in the past. Lopez paused for a moment, filing through a list of one-time Atlanta left-handers that includes Tom Glavine, Mike Hampton and Steve Avery.

Even though a two-run triple and a bases-empty home run by Paul Molitor ignited the Toronto Blue Jays to a 10-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies last night, the biggest play of the game wasn't a hit, but a strikeout.It came in the first inning, when the Phillies threatened to negate the three runs scored by the Blue Jays in the top half of the inning.Right-hander Pat Hentgen couldn't afford to let the Phillies come back with a big inning.After striking out Len Dykstra, Hentgen gave up back-to-back singles to Mariano Duncan and John Kruk.

DETROIT - The Orioles will put their future on display in the three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays that opens tonight at SkyDome. They can only hope that their past doesn't come back to haunt them. Former Orioles prospect Josh Towers is scheduled to make his first start of the season tomorrow night against Kurt Ainsworth, and recently departed right-hander Pat Hentgen will face the Orioles' Eric DuBose in the series finale Sunday. Neither pitcher has much of an ax to grind against his former team, but each has something to prove this weekend.

PHILADELPHIA -- For Danny Jackson, three extra days of rest were too much. But for Pat Hentgen, the equivalent of missing a start was the key to his success in Game 3 of the World Series here last night.Jackson, who had seven days of rest after pitching the Phillies to a pivotal win in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, attributed his ineffectiveness to being too strong. "That's all it was," the left-hander said. "When I'm strong like that it usually takes me awhile to get good location."

PHILADELPHIA -- For Danny Jackson, three extra days of rest were too much. But for Pat Hentgen, the equivalent of missing a start was the key to his success in Game 3 of the World Series here last night.Jackson, who had seven days of rest after pitching the Philadelphia Phillies to a pivotal win in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, attributed his ineffectiveness to being too strong. "That's all it was," the left-hander said. "When I'm strong like that it usually takes me awhile to get good location."

Though his visit to an orthopedic specialist won't occur for three weeks, Orioles pitcher Pat Hentgen said yesterday that he anticipates having season-ending surgery on his right elbow that also would limit his availability in 2002. Hentgen indicated that he's braced for the worst, which would be ligament-transplant surgery, though he won't know until seeing Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala., on Aug. 21. Anointed the Orioles' No. 1 starter out of spring training, he hasn't pitched since May 16 because of a sprained ligament.

Pat Hentgen will return to the Orioles' bullpen this weekend, with Rodrigo Lopez coming off the disabled list and going back into the rotation. Hentgen confirmed the switch yesterday after leaving manager Mike Hargrove's office. The Orioles have to make a corresponding roster move, which could mean optioning reliever Travis Driskill to Triple-A Ottawa. Lopez made three starts on his injury rehab assignment, most recently striking out 13 batters in 6 1/3 innings during Monday's game at Double-A Bowie.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - On the first day of spring training, veteran pitcher Pat Hentgen unveiled his new right elbow and predicted that he would be back in the Orioles' rotation well before the end of the 2002 season. Hentgen, who underwent Tommy John ligament transplant surgery on Aug. 9, threw for the first time yesterday during the Orioles' first pitcher and catcher workout at Fort Lauderdale Stadium. If all goes well, he hopes to make his first major-league start in late July. "The throwing part of it begins today," Hentgen said.

Even though a two-run triple and a bases-empty home run by Paul Molitor ignited the Toronto Blue Jays to a 10-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies last night, the biggest play of the game wasn't a hit, but a strikeout.It came in the first inning, when the Phillies were threatening to negate the three runs scored by the Blue Jays in the top half of the inning.Right-hander Pat Hentgen couldn't afford to let the Phillies come back with a big inning.After striking out Len Dykstra, Hentgen gave up back-to-back singles to Mariano Duncan and John Kruk.

The Orioles experienced a setback on the free-agent front yesterday when Pat Hentgen, a pitcher they had hoped to retain, went back to his roots by signing a one-year, $2.2 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. Hentgen, 35, was the Orioles' most dependable pitcher after the All-Star break, but they declined to pick up his $4 million option for next season, enabling him to test the market. Once there, Hentgen narrowed his choices to the Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Devil Rays before deciding to return to Toronto, where he started his career and won the 1996 American League Cy Young Award.

The Orioles parted ways with starting pitcher Pat Hentgen yesterday, at least temporarily, when they declined his $4 million option for next season after the two sides couldn't reach an agreement on a multi-year deal. Hentgen told the Orioles he wanted to wait until they hire a new manager before making a long-term commitment. Facing a Saturday deadline to make the decision, the Orioles will exercise Hentgen's $300,000 buyout and let him test the free-agent market. But they still hope they can bring him back.

BOSTON - Should the Orioles trade second baseman Jerry Hairston and keep Brian Roberts, or vice versa? Should they pick up the option on Pat Hentgen's contract? Should they re-sign third baseman Tony Batista, if he's willing to come back at a bargain-basement price? These are all questions that could surface today, when vice presidents Jim Beattie and Mike Flanagan gather manager Mike Hargrove and the coaching staff for a special noon meeting at the team's hotel. After spending the whole season dangling, with their own contract status in doubt, forgive Hargrove and his staff if they sit there with their arms crossed, wondering, "Hey, what about us?"

Mike Mussina didn't get his 200th career win yesterday, leaving the New York Yankees pitcher with an empty feeling lined only by the frustration of having to play a five-inning, tie game in rainy and windy conditions. Pat Hentgen was exposed to the same elements, and the same unsatisfying ending. So why was he smiling? A clause in his Orioles contract this season included a $2 million bonus if he reached 150 innings. By going five yesterday, his total rose to 154. Cha-ching. "I credit the organization for giving me the ball," said Hentgen, whose base salary is $1 million, "and giving me the chance to pitch every fifth day."

Working as a special assistant to the general manager last year with the Montreal Expos, Jim Beattie took detailed notes on Orioles pitcher Pat Hentgen while scouting him during a September start in Boston. There was lots of scribbling as Hentgen gave up six runs and 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings. He also walked four batters, a better alternative than the two homers he allowed to Manny Ramirez. In general, he looked like someone 13 months removed from ligament-reconstructive surgery with no business trying to get out major league hitters.

The first game after a big trade always seems to get magnified into something more important than it really is - as if one game can dictate the course a team travels from that point forward. So two days after trading Jeff Conine back to the Florida Marlins, the Orioles weren't looking at last night's scoreless marathon against the Oakland Athletics as a harbinger for another long September. They couldn't. To do so would be pure torture. The Orioles will score runs again. They just haven't for the past 29 innings, and they didn't again last night, as the Athletics pulled out a 2-0, 12-inning victory before 19,517 at Camden Yards.

As Pat Hentgen ended the fifth inning last night with a strikeout of Tampa Bay's Russ Johnson, the Orioles' grounds crew ran toward the infield to replace the bases. The change was done purely out of habit. It's not as if there had been much contact with them. While the Orioles were spending another night groping for runs, waiting until two outs in the fifth inning to collect their first hit, Hentgen again was proving them right for investing some of their free-agent dollars in him. Three starts into his first season here, he continues to resemble the ace that he replaced, which isn't all good.

SEATTLE -- Orioles Opening Day starter Pat Hentgen will be sidelined through at least the July 9-11 All-Star break because of a sprained elbow ligament, the club announced last night after receiving results from orthopedic specialist Dr. James Andrews, who examined Hentgen in Birmingham, Ala. While the club said Andrews' findings confirmed earlier tests administered by its doctors, Hentgen's protracted hiatus conflicts with earlier optimism that he...

OAKLAND, Calif. - David Segui will undergo season-ending surgery on his left wrist next week instead of returning from the disabled list because the Orioles want to make sure he's ready for spring training. Segui said he has been feeling good in batting practice, but doctors have told him he'll definitely need the surgery before next season, and Orioles executive vice president Jim Beattie approached him this week about getting the procedure done now. "I don't think it's my decision," Segui said.