Pinch Hitter

Tom Trebelhorn, the former Chicago Cubs manager who is now a minor-league instructor for the Orioles, has the roots of an innovator. His mentor is Syd Thrift, an innovator who once was hired by Charles Finley, an innovator who died last week.And in his moments of idle thought, Trebelhorn the innovator has come up with a terrific Trebelhorn compromise for those who love the National League rules and those who love the designated hitter.He calls it the designated pinch hitter, and this is how it works: The manager will have a lineup like they use in the NL, with the pitcher batting.

The Orioles knew that duplicating their regular-season success at Yankee Stadium wouldn't be easy - that beating the Yankeesin October in their home ballpark would take an extra level of resiliency. Now, after a heart-breaking, 12-inning, 3-2 walk-off loss to the Yankees in Game 3 of the American League Division Series, they will need to reinvent an entirely new brand of Oriole Magic to keep their season alive. The Orioles were just two outs away from taking a commanding 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series.

For a guy who averaged five at-bats per year over 11 seasons in the National League, Randy Myers takes hitting seriously. Very seriously.The Cubs, like many teams in the NL, held simulated games between starting pitchers and relievers during early batting practice. A coach or position player is picked to stand behind the batting cage and serve as umpire, ruling on each ball hit by the pitchers. A ground ball is an automatic out. A line drive ripped down the line is a double. A fly ball into the gap is either a hit or an out, depending on the trajectory and depth.

Orioles designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero picked up his 2,500th career hit with an RBI double Thursday afternoon against the Toronto Blue Jays. His 2,501st may come as a pinch-hitter. Orioles manager Buck Showalter said he would speak to Guerrero on the flight home Thursday about Guerrero's role in the next six games, which will be played in National League parks without the option of using the DH. A final decision has not yet been made, Showalter said. But Guerrero won't be starting Friday against the Washington Nationals and it's likely he won't start most, if any, of those games in the outfield against the Nationals and Pittsburgh Pirates.

ANAHEIM, Calif. - With two hours remaining before last night's game, Orioles outfielder Jay Gibbons still didn't know whether he was going to be activated from the disabled list. He sat next to Luis Lopez on a couch in the visitors' clubhouse at Angel Stadium, waiting to hear something, wondering if the news would ever come. The suspense wasn't killing him, but it sure had gotten a little uncomfortable. Finally, a team official pointed toward Gibbons and motioned for him to see manager Lee Mazzilli.

NEW YORK -- Geronimo Berroa said he was "the first one to be surprised" when manager Davey Johnson removed him for a pinch hitter with the bases loaded and one out in the eighth inning of Thursday's game against the New York Yankees.With right-hander Jeff Nelson on the mound and the Orioles leading, 4-2, Johnson began a series of moves by calling back Berroa and sending in Roberto Alomar, who had been unavailable because of a strained groin muscle. When Yankees manager Joe Torre countered with left-hander Graeme Lloyd, Johnson batted Jerome Walton for Alomar.

The Orioles rallied in the ninth inning for the second time in three nights to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays, 11-10, last night before 45,955 at Camden Yards.Bobby Bonilla delivered the winning blow, a sacrifice fly to shallow left field that scored Brady Anderson with the winning run. Roberto Alomar, who didn't start because of his sprained left ring finger, had tied the game at 10 with a sacrifice fly three batters earlier.As he was in Monday's 8-6 Orioles victory, Blue Jays closer Mike Timlin was on the mound, the loser after a blown save.

Bonds watch -- Homers needed to tie Babe Ruth: 5 -- Yesterday: 0-for-1. He did not start but struck out as a pinch hitter.

Astros: Coming into the game, Mike Hampton had allowed only six runs in winning his previous four starts. Jack Howell is 3-for-8 with three RBIs as a pinch hitter this season. Pub Date: 4/28/98

April 19, 1977: Brooks Robinson hit the last home run of his Hall-of-Fame career, and he did it as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Orioles beat the Cleveland Indians.

April 19, 1977: Brooks Robinson hit the last home run of his Hall-of-Fame career, and he did it as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Orioles beat the Cleveland Indians.

When George Sherrill took the mound in the bottom of the ninth inning to preserve another improbable Orioles win, his first baseman was Luke Scott, who had played one inning at the position in his major league career. Ty Wigginton was at shortstop, a position that he's never started a game at in his career, and Brian Roberts was at second base after he wasn't supposed to be in the game at all due to a 10-day battle with an upper-respiratory infection. The Orioles pulled out all the stops Wednesday to win a game that they probably had no business winning.

MIAMI - -Though shortstop Cesar Izturis is probably at least two weeks from coming off the disabled list, his return could create an interesting roster decision for the Orioles. It was assumed that Oscar Salazar would be designated for assignment to make room for Izturis, but the veteran infielder has proved his worth offensively since his promotion from Triple-A Norfolk. Salazar is 7-for-16 with an RBI overall, and 5-for-8 during the past six games, all of which he has entered as a pinch hitter.

Don't want no short people? That might be fine for Randy Newman, but don't tell it to the York Revolution. The Atlantic League club is conducting what could be called Eddie Gaedel Version 2.0. During its spring training this week, the Revolution has invited Dave Flood to camp. Flood, who formerly worked for the Tampa Bay Rays, is 3 feet 2. The idea was sparked by research in a book by television producer Todd Gallagher, Andy Roddick Beat Me with a Frying Pan, who touts the effectiveness of having a pinch hitter basically guaranteed to walk every time he comes to the plate.

PHILADELPHIA - Standing on the Citizens Bank Park field last night in the middle of the chaos, being drowned out by euphoric fans and just missing the champagne shower delivered by a teammate, Philadelphia Phillies reliever J.C. Romero tried to smile. With one hand, he clutched his 2-year-old daughter; with the other hand, he brushed a tear from his eye. "I have a very humble heart right now and am so thankful for this opportunity," said Romero, the winning pitcher in the Phillies' 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series' Game 5 clincher.

Bonds watch -- Homers needed to tie Babe Ruth: 5 -- Yesterday: 0-for-1. He did not start but struck out as a pinch hitter.

ANAHEIM, Calif. - With two hours remaining before last night's game, Orioles outfielder Jay Gibbons still didn't know whether he was going to be activated from the disabled list. He sat next to Luis Lopez on a couch in the visitors' clubhouse at Angel Stadium, waiting to hear something, wondering if the news would ever come. The suspense wasn't killing him, but it sure had gotten a little uncomfortable. Finally, a team official pointed toward Gibbons and motioned for him to see manager Lee Mazzilli.

For Class 4A state champion North County, the thought of losing two games in two days - as many as the Knights lost all last season - obviously didn't sit well in the bottom of the seventh inning yesterday against top-ranked, unbeaten Severna Park. Trailing 2-0, the No. 3 Knights found the determination that produced a 3-2 victory over the 3A state champion Falcons (10-1). The inning started with outfielder Angela Olecski fouling off four straight pitches before walking, and it ended with catcher Danielle Martinez driving in the winning run with a sharp single to left field with one out. "It showed heart," said North County coach Bobby Boyd, whose Knights improved to 9-2 on the season.