Ray Miller

Harbaugh is a class actIn a time when many stories about professional athletes dwell on negative behavior, it is nice to see the opposite firsthand.Recently, Ravens quarterback Jim Harbaugh was at the Arbutus A.A. youth football program's homecoming, watching his son play for the Reisterstown Mustangs. After the game, he came to the announcer's tent and spoke a few words, signed a few items to be auctioned for the benefit of the youth football program, then stayed until everyone that wished had obtained an autograph and/or picture with him.Harbaugh took his personal time to do this (without charging a fee like some)

Orioles chief operating officer Joe Foss will conclude the initial phase of his general manager's search early this week when he interviews Chicago White Sox assistant GM Dan Evans, according to club sources.The process will then accelerate, as up to three of five candidates might return to interview with majority owner Peter Angelos. The successor to Pat Gillick will likely be named before the World Series, which starts Oct. 17.This week's maneuvering apparently won't be limited to the front office.

The 1998 season was an embarrassment. The fans are as disgusted as they've been in a decade. But don't ask for accountability down at 333 W. Camden St.Two words you'll never hear from the Orioles:My fault.The owner blames the front office, and vice versa. The manager blames the players, and vice versa. Everyone blames injuries, because that's the easiest excuse of all."Certainly, I'm accountable, but so are the players," manager Ray Miller said Friday night. "I'll take some of the blame, but I won't take it all."

BOSTON -- There is one fewer exhibit on display at the Babe Ruth Museum today than last week. Second baseman Roberto Alomar's All-Star Game MVP trophy was packed, crated and shipped to his Clearwater, Fla., home last week.Likewise the locker wall at Camden Yards that served as a makeshift shrine to fellow Puerto Rican Roberto Clemente has been cleared.Both are coincidence. Alomar's trophy was scheduled weeks ago for shipment, and Sunday was the Orioles' last home game. However, the signs of a pending divorce seem obvious between the All-Star second baseman and the club.

"It's an unbelievable feat. Some day, somebody might hit 100 home runs, but nobody's ever going to play that many games in a row. And the fact is, that streak could still be going on."+ Earl Weaver, former manager"He called from home and said he was going to sit down. I said 'You're what?' I think what Cal's done is remarkable, and I'm just glad he was able to do it himself rather than someone else doing it just to do it."' Vi Ripken, Cal's mother"I think young kids today and even veteran players look at Cal and the streak and admire him I think it has helped baseball Young players are keeping themselves in better shape so they can play longer."

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- A scarred team didn't need this, not now. Still trying to heal themselves from a fall-down first half, last night the Orioles took a knife in the back.Pinch hitting for Wade Boggs, Bobby Smith lined a two-out, ninth-inning single off Armando Benitez that scored Kevin Stocker and pushed the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to a 2-1 win before 26,472 at Tropicana Field. Benitez's was only the second-biggest mistake of the game.What appeared to be a game-changing, two-run home run by Harold Baines was instead ruled an RBI double.

Mike Flanagan -- UP -- He refused to quit on an injured staff. Now almost completely healed, the Orioles may be a stronger pitching team this second half than in the first half. Pete Smith credits Flanagan for his recent transformation. A pitching coach's pitching coach, Flanagan has left his own fingerprint.Eric Davis -- UP -- He will be an Oriole next year. Can there be a better ending to his story?Jimmy Key -- DOWN -- He made it back from an inflamed rotator cuff, but his condition still lingers.

ONE RECENT night in the Baltimore Orioles dugout, Manager Ray Miller laced into relief pitcher Terry Mathews, but good. Mathews, the most forlorn figure in a dreadful season, had dared to show his frustration when yanked from a ballgame. Miller was showing him who was boss. In fact, he thought he was showing everyone who was boss. The bawling-out was captured by a Home Team Sports television camera.Later, it was reported, Miller thanked HTS color announcer Rick Cerone for the channel's presentation of his harangue.

O's free fall no surpriseI am not surprised by the Orioles' pitiful self-destruction. I expected it. I must admit it is a surprise at how early in the season they fell apart. I figured they'd get to July before the implosion, but May?You can't blame the GMs. They have no real authority. Ray Miller is a lousy manager (Tom Kelly got the Twins to the World Series really fast after Miller was canned), but it's not all his fault, either. The players may be old, slow, tired and lazy, but they're just the guys that management put out there to begin with.