Maldonado

The baseball world laughed when the Detroit Tigers coughed up $3 million to bring first baseman Cecil Fielder back from Japan last year. Now, the Tigers probably are kicking themselves for not signing him to a long-term contract.Fielder is in the second year of a two-year deal that is beginning to look like one of baseball's greatest buys. But it runs out at the end of this season, leaving the Tigers in the unenviable position of having to pay him what he's worth.He quickly has dismissed the notion that last year's 51-homer, 132-RBI performance was some kind of fluke.

The Milwaukee Brewers invited free-agent outfielder Candy Maldonado to spring training yesterday.Maldonado, 30, comes to camp with the understanding that he must make the club to get a contract.Maldonado batted .273 with 22 homers and 95 RBI for the Cleveland Indians last season.He said earlier this month that he would love to play for the Baltimore Orioles, but that the club's interest dropped considerably after it traded for first baseman Glenn Davis.* METS: Frank Viola, who won 20 games last season, said he will go at full speed despite the discovery of four bone spurs in his left elbow.

The Baltimore Orioles front office has proven to be resourceful, as the recent acquisition of power-hitting first baseman Glenn Davis certainly attests.The club has even proven to be a little sentimental, as evidenced by the spring-training invitations sent out to Hall of Famer Jim Palmer and fellow Orioles great Mike Flanagan.But the team needs to do one more thing to satisfy the cynics. The Orioles have to prove that they aren't cheap.Sure, some would argue that the trade for Davis and the $3.275 million contract he received are proof positive that owner Eli Jacobs is willing to spend what it takes to bring another pennant winner to Baltimore.

SARASOTA, Fla. -- The Baltimore Orioles continue to express at least a passing interest in free-agent outfielder Candy Maldonado, who remains unsigned with just four days left before position players are required to report to spring training.Orioles general manager Roland Hemond confirmed that he has spoken recently with Chuck Berry, who represents Maldonado, but says, "Nothing seems to be happening."Maldonado is the most prominent name on baseball's unwanted list, even though he had 22 home runs and 95 RBI for the Cleveland Indians last year.

Free-agent outfielder Candy Maldonado said yesterday that he would like to play for the Baltimore Orioles, but conceded that the club's interest dropped considerably after the Glenn Davis trade."

Covering his tracks in his attempt to land a power-hitting outfielder, Orioles general manager Roland Hemond yesterday renewed contact with the representatives for free agents Jeffrey Leonard, Candy Maldonado and Tom Brunansky.In each case Hemond told the agent the Orioles needed more time to decide their course of action. That means the club isn't likely to make any contract offers to free agents until next week, at the earliest.Other teams apparently are moving at the same pace, but another player in whom the Orioles have interest, first baseman/outfielder Franklin Stubbs, is expected to receive his first offer today, according to his agent, Jim Turner.