Rafael Palmeiro

July 22, 1998: Rafael Palmeiro hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the Athletics.

Former Orioles first baseman Rafael Palmeiro knew heading into Wednesday that his positive test for a banned steroid in 2005 was going to severely damage his chances of being selected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first opportunity. He didn't realize, however, exactly how little support he would receive from the voting members of the Baseball Writers Association of America. The 2011 Hall results were announced Wednesday afternoon, and Palmeiro was included on just 64 of the 581 ballots submitted — or 11 percent, falling woefully short of the 75 percent needed for induction.

Prime 9 5 p.m. [MLB Network] The list on this show is of all-time baseball gaffes. Two great steroid denials - Rafael Palmeiro's finger-pointing in Congress (left) and Alex Rodriguez's interview with Katie Couric - probably won't make the list.

Funny how things turn out sometimes. The arrival of Miguel Tejada four years ago was supposed to signal the dawn of a new era for the Orioles organization. Now, his departure is being cast the same way. The Houston Astros gave up five players to beef up the middle of their lineup. The Orioles took the first step in a "no pain, no gain" rebuilding process that will either put the organization back on the road to respectability or eventually confirm the worst fears of a fan following that had lost all confidence in Orioles management before the arrival of new president Andy MacPhail.

It's still November and the Orioles already have bought four relievers for more than the Tampa Bay Devil Rays' projected budget. While other clubs haggled over everyday players and starting pitchers, the Orioles quickly signed Danys Baez, Jamie Walker, Chad Bradford and Scott Williamson. It's simple, albeit expensive, logic: They don't want another haphazard collection of rookies and never-weres backing up a group of young starters. Argue the specifics, but at least the Orioles showed moxie by identifying a weakness and aggressively attacking it. There is a victory in there somewhere.

Rafael Palmeiro was spotted in Arlington, Texas, last week in the tunnel outside the visitors' clubhouse at Ameriquest Field. His hair had grown out, he was sporting a beard and those who noticed him said Palmeiro looked like he'd lost some weight. Meanwhile, Major League Baseball is in the midst of an unprecedented investigation into steroid use among its players. And the Orioles, suddenly linked to performance-enhancing drugs more than just about any other team, enter the final two months of the season all but assured of finishing either fourth or fifth in the American League East.

Nominee for Quote of the Year: "The tragedy of all of this is that it happened to me and it shouldn't have happened. It ruined my life and my career. That's the tragedy of this. Three thousand, it's just a number. It's just a game. The other deals with my life and my livelihood and my family and all that I stand for. All of that is gone." Rafael Palmeiro, please step to the podium and accept your award. It still makes no sense to me that Palmeiro would allow himself to get caught - and that's what his steroid use at the time would have amounted to - and ruin his career and his reputation, not to mention putting his family through such trauma.

By giving himself up in public the way he has since last weekend, David Segui did nobody a favor except himself. And chances are excellent that he didn't do himself as much of a favor as he thinks. Sequi's position, as presented to ESPN and to The Sun, is, basically, "You can't pin anything on me, I'm clean." Yes, he knows about, uses and understands human growth hormone. He had prescriptions. He had doctor's notes. He had a diagnosed health condition. Everything was legal. He was simply giving a concerned teammate the kind of sound medical advice you can only get from the guy who undresses next to you at work.

Orioles third baseman Melvin Mora still hadn't signed a contract extension after meeting with owner Peter Angelos yesterday morning, but he said he enjoyed the session and feels optimistic a deal could be done before Opening Day. Mora said the two talked about his contract. "We're close," he said. "I think we're going to make a deal." But he said he'd leave negotiations up to his agent. He said he and Angelos talked more about the team and their mutual desire to win. "More to know him, more to meet him," Mora said of the hour-plus talk.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- It's been the last thing the Orioles do before taking the field at Fort Lauderdale Stadium this spring. Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo will communicate the plans for that day's workout and concede the focal point of the Orioles' clubhouse to any player or coach gutsy enough to accept it. Newcomers Kevin Millar and LaTroy Hawkins have stepped up. Batting practice pitcher Orlando Gomez made the most of his turn. And pitcher Bruce Chen and bullpen coach Rick Dempsey have been mainstays.