Manny Alexander

The NBA brass blew the callDennis Rodman's penalty for attacking the ref was laughable, as was Nick Van Exel's. Once you allow this kind of conduct to continue -- and Rod Thorn did with his Rodman decision -- the contest isn't based on talent, but intimidation.Rod Thorn, wake up and smell the Gatorade. The line you don't cross in any sports contest is: "Don't touch the official!" Argue? Yes! Debate? Yes! Touch? Never! It's bad enough the NBA has to settle on being the third-best professional sport in America (behind baseball and football)

Records and notes from the Orioles' 26-7 loss to the Texas Rangers:The 26 runs allowed by the Orioles was a club record, breaking the prior mark of 24. On June 26, 1978, Toronto beat the Orioles, 24-10, in a game started by Mike Flanagan. Catcher Elrod Hendricks pitched in relief.The 16 runs allowed in the eighth inning was the second-most in this century. The Boston Red Sox scored 17 against Detroit on June 18, 1953. In 1883, Chicago scored 18 against Detroit.This wasn't the first game manager Davey Johnson lost, 26-7.

It was shortly after the All-Star break, about the time the California Angels started to leave the rest of the American League West in its wake, that Doug Melvin made an interesting observation.It is one that Orioles fans might not want to hear, or believe."Sometimes I think there are teams that almost have to hit bottom before they start to put things together," said the Orioles' former assistant general manager. "It happened to Cleveland, and I think that's what has happened with the Angels."

Back in May, in Oakland, Orioles first baseman Rafael Palmeiro and pitcher Kevin Brown and Athletics right fielder Ruben Sierra, all former Texas Rangers, talked about how sweet it would be to make the AL All-Star team this year.Next week's game is in Arlington, Texas. How great that would be to play there, they agreed, the inherent inference being that the Rangers made three mistakes. Not one of the three is going, however; Palmeiro, because he happens to play a position crowded with All-Star candidates.

On the field: The Blue Jays' seventh inning ended unusually. Toronto had a runner at first and two outs when Shawn Green hit a chopper to shortstop Cal Ripken, who fielded the ball and flipped to second baseman Manny Alexander -- who hadn't moved to cover second base and was standing about eight feet from the base. Alexander, though, fired to first to barely nip Green for the final out.In the dugout: Third baseman Leo Gomez had one hit in six games since taking over for the injured Jeff Manto, so yesterday Orioles manager Phil Regan gave utility man Jeff Huson a chance to play there.

NEW YORK -- Lee May is an expert on hitting, hired to be the Orioles' hitting coach for this expertise.And after New York Yankees left-hander Sterling Hitchcock shut out his pupils on four hits, 5-0, yesterday -- the second straight day the Orioles were held to four hits -- May offered his expert opinion of the club's offense."

6 MANNY ALEXANDER* His role: At the outset of the season, he'll come off the bench to fill in at second and third, and in the occasional blowout, he could get an inning or two at shortstop, his natural position. Also could be used as a pinch runner -- he stole 30 in 38 attempts at Rochester last season. But as the year progresses, he could push Bret Barberie for the everyday job at second base.* What '95 means to him: A whole lot. New manager Phil Regan is looking at Alexander differently than Johnny Oates did, encouraging him and telling him he has a future in the organization.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- A week ago, Orioles pitching coach Mike Flanagan hung a chart on the wall of the coaches' office in the Huggins-Stengel Complex. Down the left side, he wrote in the names of his striking pitchers. Fernandez. McDonald. Mussina.On the rest of the chart, he planned to write in, with a black felt marker, the day-by-day workout of each pitcher. "I was feeling optimistic," Flanagan said.The chart, of course, is blank, other than those names.A week remains before the Orioles' minor-leaguers break camp, and there is much that Phil Regan does not know about his team.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- David Segui, relegated to a reserve role when the Orioles signed free-agent first baseman Rafael Palmeiro, remains hopeful he will be traded."