Nomo

The crowd of Japanese reporters that follows Los Angeles rookie Hideo Nomo around has diminished to just a handful, which is OK with Nomo. He'd prefer to go out and pitch and pitch well, which he did Wednesday against Pittsburgh, when he struck out 16, a record for a Dodgers rookie. Someone asked him if the record meant much to him. "No," he said, "it doesn't matter to me." No? "Why, does it mean a lot to you?" Scribes have focused on Nomo's unorthodox delivery, but Pittsburgh shortstop Jay Bell said if he were writing, "I'd write about the quality of his pitching.

For those of you wanting the Orioles to make a whatever-it-takes trade because they are in contention for the first time in eight years, here's a cautionary tale. One made possible by former Baltimore boy, Mark Shapiro, the Cleveland Indians general manager. It has been a little more than three years ago since Shapiro made a blockbuster trade with baseball's ward, the Montreal Expos. At the time, the Indians were seven games out of first in the American League Central. The Expos were 6 1/2 games out of first in the National League East.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- They held a news conference for Hideo Nomo before the All-Star Game workout yesterday. It was less than illuminating.Why did you come to the United States after experiencing such success in Japan?"

BATTING LINE OF THE DAY Mark Teixeira, Rangers 1B AB R H RBI HR 5 3 4 6 2 PITCHING LINE OF THE DAY Jesse Crain, Twins IP H R BB SO 0 3 4 1 0 WHO'S HOT The Rangers lead the majors with 145 home runs, their most ever before the All-Star break. WHO'S NOT Hideo Nomo of the Devil Rays gave up three homers for the second time this year and has allowed a team-high 15 in 98 innings.

CHICAGO -- WGN Radio apologized Thursday for a remark Chicago Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray made earlier this week during a taping of the pregame "Jim Riggleman Show."Caray's words came Tuesday in a question posed to Riggleman about Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Hideo Nomo, a rookie from Japan who was scheduled to pitch that night.In a joking tone, Caray asked the Cubs manager, "Well, my eyes are slanty enough, how 'bout yours?"Riggleman, clearly flustered, quickly switched the subject to baseball.

LOS ANGELES -- Lost amid the hail of baseballs flying from the Dodger Stadium stands Thursday was the ringing of cash registers -- which came to a sudden halt when the game was forfeited and stunned fans sent home in the bottom of the ninth inning.It was, after all, Nomo Night once again, though the latest performance by Japanese pitcher Hideo Nomo became nothing more than a sidelight. Fan misbehavior serious enough to cause the first Dodgers forfeit in 79 years finally proved some things can still overshadow the National League's ERA and strikeouts leader.

OSAKA, Japan -- Kayoko and Shizuo Nomo went to work yesterday morning as always, she to the supermarket and he to the post office. Not long into their daily labors, their son was starting his biggest day's work at The Ballpark in Arlington, Texas.Hometown hero Hideo "Tornado" Nomo was making history as the National League's starting pitcher in the 1995 All-Star Game, a first for a Japanese player.But game time was 9 a.m., so the Nomos would have to rely on their VCR to see their son, the Los Angeles Dodgers' right-hander,in his moment of glory.

Boston Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette has displayed a singular knack for finding that veteran pitcher who is on the brink of a career renaissance, so why should anyone be surprised at the performance of Japanese pitcher Hideo Nomo? The veteran right-hander flirted with a no-hitter again on Friday night -- less than a month after no-hitting the Orioles in his first start in a Red Sox uniform. He is 3-1 with a 2.40 ERA and off to the best start of his American career. Duquette signed him to a one-year contract in mid-December, after all the premier free-agent pitchers were gone, and Nomo is one of the major reasons the Red Sox entered the weekend atop the American League East.

SAN FRANCISCO -- Before there was "Nomo Mania," there was "Mashy Madness."Not that you ever heard much about it. "Mashy Madness" happened 30 years ago, without any shoe contracts or nightly ESPN highlights or officially licensed "Mashy Madness" merchandise. Nope, none of that.Instead, there was just Masanori "Mashy" Murakami, a brave 19-year-old pitcher who flew across the Pacific Ocean and made history.Murakami, a relief pitcher for the Giants, was the first Japanese national to play in the major leagues.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- It is quite a moment, both in the history of baseball and the history of America.A half-century after the Japanese surrender in World War II, a Japanese-born ballplayer has emerged to re-ignite the national pastime, in a way that no U.S.-born player could have.Hideo Nomo is above the strike and the sport's labor problems and its battered public image. He brings back all the old feelings baseball heroes used to inspire. He is new, he is surprising, he is shy, and above all -- well, have you seen him pitch?

The Orioles' longest homestand of the season started last night with another display of power by Miguel Tejada and promise by Erik Bedard. Tejada got things started with a three-run homer in the first inning and Bedard pushed his scoreless innings streak to 15 in beating the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 5-0, before 24,910 at Camden Yards, extending the Orioles' winning streak to six games. Jay Gibbons and Javy Lopez added bases-empty shots off Devil Rays starter Hideo Nomo as the Orioles (15-7)

At Oriole Park at Camden Yards Day Time TV Starters Tonight 7:35 CSN Hideo Nomo (2-2, 6.41) vs. Erik Bedard (1-1, 3.80) Tomorrow 4:35 Ch. 13 Mark Hendrickson (0-1, 4.15) vs. Sidney Ponson (3-1, 6.85) Sunday 1:35 Ch. 13 Dewon Brazelton (1-4, 5.53) vs. Bruce Chen (2-1, 3.62) Radio: All games on WBAL (1090 AM) Devil Rays update Tampa Bay continues to be dogged by inconsistency. Over the weekend, it took two out of three from the reigning world champion Boston Red Sox and then went on the road and was outscored 22-11 in a three-game sweep at the Toronto Blue Jays, whom the Orioles just swept on the road.

It had to be small consolation for the struggling Orioles lineup, but the Boston Red Sox did not get to celebrate another no-hitter at Camden Yards last night. Converted reliever Derek Lowe came close to duplicating the feat that Hideo Nomo pulled off here almost a year ago to the day, but the Red Sox had to settle for a combined 3-0 shutout in the opener of a three-game series at Oriole Park. There were so many similarities that it seemed almost preordained when Lowe entered the eighth inning without surrendering a hit. Nomo had no-hit the Orioles in the second game of the season-opening series.

Boston Red Sox general manager Dan Duquette has displayed a singular knack for finding that veteran pitcher who is on the brink of a career renaissance, so why should anyone be surprised at the performance of Japanese pitcher Hideo Nomo? The veteran right-hander flirted with a no-hitter again on Friday night -- less than a month after no-hitting the Orioles in his first start in a Red Sox uniform. He is 3-1 with a 2.40 ERA and off to the best start of his American career. Duquette signed him to a one-year contract in mid-December, after all the premier free-agent pitchers were gone, and Nomo is one of the major reasons the Red Sox entered the weekend atop the American League East.

BOSTON - Whether it's a fluke, a contagion or simply a remade team trying to find its legs, April became uglier for the Orioles last night at Fenway Park. The good news for the Orioles was they avoided placing Red Sox starting pitcher Hideo Nomo alongside Johnny Vander Meer in baseball lore. The bad news was they again found it almost impossible to put one hit behind another. The worse news was their starting pitcher collapsed in a 10-1 wipeout. While he didn't throw another no-no, Nomo (2-0)

A lack of run support hurt Orioles pitcher Sidney Ponson during the second half of last season, when quality starts repeatedly went unrewarded. One appearance into a new year, his demands have been lowered. He'll gladly settle for a few hits. Even one would be progress. Ponson had the misfortune of stepping on the mound the same night as Boston's Hideo Nomo, who tossed his second career no-hitter in Wednesday's 3-0 victory over the Orioles. If timing is everything, Ponson's couldn't have been worse.

Moving to push a trade for Dodgers pitcher Hideo Nomo, the Orioles have offered either of their two most prized right-handed relievers, Armando Benitez or Alan Mills, but will apparently have to do more to sway Los Angeles officials.Orioles officials still believe a deal possible within the next 48 hours, according to a source familiar with the talks. "Everybody wants this to happen -- from [manager Ray] Miller on up the line. There's reason for optimism on this one," said a club source.The Dodgers designated Nomo for assignment Monday.

HIDEO NOMO tested the new strike zone in Major League Baseball last night, and pitched a no-hitter. The man nicknamed "The Tornado" brought more deception than heat last night in throwing baseball's first no-hitter of the 2001 season in the Boston Red Sox's 3-0 win against the Orioles before an announced crowd of 35,602 at Camden Yards. If there was anyone on the Boston staff that was going to threw a no-hitter, many thought it would be ace Pedro Martinez in the season opener on Monday.

10..................11............12.... .......13...........14............15...........16 @Bos.......@Bos.....@Bos....@Bos....@Bos....@Bos....@Bos 6:05.............6:05.......6:05........ .7:05.......1:35.........1:35.....7:05 CSN............CSN......CSN........................CSN.......54,50......CSN Scouting report: Orioles vs. Red Sox At Fenway Park, Boston Day................Time............TV...........Starters Tonight....... 6:05 p.m..... CSN.......Sidney Ponson (0-1, 2.45)