Owner Peter Angelos

Jim Beattie had a key. Mike Flanagan didn't. On their first full day in office as the top two members of the Orioles' baseball operations department, Beattie and Flanagan had to take care of the basics before they could start addressing matters such as the free-agent market. With snow falling outside the B&O warehouse, Flanagan had to find someone to let him into the Orioles' offices. Once inside, Flanagan and Beattie had the same type of questions most new employees have upon starting a new job. "Where are the legal pads?"

The Orioles worked to establish their first contact with Japanese slugger Hideki Matsui yesterday after receiving a letter he sent to all 30 major-league teams. Orioles vice president for baseball operations Syd Thrift said he sent an e-mail to Matsui, expressing the club's interest. The club later sent Matsui an overnight package with brochures and other information about Baltimore, the Orioles and Camden Yards. Once contact is established, the Orioles might follow with an offer, but Thrift and Orioles owner Peter Angelos would not specify.

MILWAUKEE -- Orioles right-hander Ben McDonald suffered a mild groin strain in his start Monday night against Milwaukee, but he said he expects to be able to make his next scheduled start, Saturday in Chicago."

Chris Sabo has played for two major-league baseball teams, and the owners of both have had pets.One was named Schottzie. The other is named Leo Gomez.Schottzie must not look so bad to Sabo now. At least the pet of Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott never took Sabo's job.Sabo emerged from the office of Orioles manager Johnny Oates before yesterday's 6-4 loss to Toronto armed with the information that his days as the club's regular third baseman are over, never to return as long as Gomez stays healthy.

It's only right that the Orioles will offer refunds to season-ticket holders if they use replacement players. But the point is moot, because owner Peter Angelos would never field such a team.Indeed, yesterday's announcement of a refund policy should not be interpreted as a sign that Angelos plans to join his union-busting brethren and put scabs in Orioles uniforms.Rather, it was an attempt to placate angry season-ticket holders who were given less than two weeks to reserve their 1995 seats.

Orioles owner Peter Angelos said yesterday that he is confident the baseball labor dispute will be settled within two weeks, but added that his opinion is based on faith that both sides will see the wisdom of working out their differences before the 1995 season is damaged.Angelos, who made his surprisingly optimistic assessment on Channel 2 yesterday, said later that he has reason to believe the players and owners will resume negotiations within the framework recommended by special mediator William J. Usery.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Team owner Peter Angelos said yesterday he's like a lot of Orioles fans: excited, with lots of expectations for the 1996 season."

NEW YORK -- Bobby Bonilla, who until two days ago was under the incorrect impression he would be a free agent after this year, said yesterday he wants to meet with owner Peter Angelos after this season to discuss his situation.Because of the service time lost in the players strike, Bonilla is not eligible for free agency, and the Orioles can retain the slugger by offering him arbitration within five business days after the World Series. Bonilla said he'd like to come back, but with some assurances from Angelos that he won't be on the trading block and that he won't be the designated hitter.

Major-league owners apparently will vote again Tuesday on the proposed labor settlement that was rejected two weeks ago, and there are indications that the outcome might be different this time.Sources close to the negotiations indicate that there may be enough votes to approve the deal by the required 75 percent majority at a hastily arranged owners meeting in Chicago, though ownership power-broker Jerry Reinsdorf and an unlikely ally -- Orioles owner Peter Angelos -- still feel the settlement is not in the best interests of the industry.

After five days of suspended negotiations, free-agent center fielder Brady Anderson says he anticipates talks with Orioles owner Peter Angelos to regain momentum this week as a Sunday deadline nears for teams to offer arbitration to their free agents.Anderson insists that his preference is to remain with the Orioles and he may again initiate talks by phoning Angelos today. Reached last night while vacationing in San Diego, Anderson said: "It's my assumption that the Orioles would want to take care of it before the arbitration date.