Rocky Coppinger

The last time the Orioles were fun -- pure, unadulterated fun -- was 1989. Since then, it's always been something with this team.The '90 and '91 clubs weren't any good. The '92 and '93 teams were contenders, but former owner Eli Jacobs wasn't committed to winning.The '94 season was marred by the strike and the war between Peter Angelos and Johnny Oates. The '95 season was doomed by the hiring of Phil Regan.Last year?The Orioles returned to the postseason for the first time 1983 and upset Cleveland in the playoffs before losing to the New York Yankees.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Pitching was the dominant theme of yesterday's intrasquad game, and it started with Mike Mussina, who threw two shutout innings before giving way to the first of four relievers. Mussina allowed two opposite-field singles, walked one and struck out three, including Kelly Gruber on a 3-2 changeup to lead off the second inning.Gruber hasn't played since the 1993 season because of a herniated disk in his neck. "His first at-bat and Mussina gives him a 3-2 changeup. He's thinking, 'Man, I've forgotten a lot about this game,' " said manager Davey Johnson.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- "He was batting in the top of the first for the district championship, and we were playing at their field," said Rocky Coppinger's father, John. "This kid Gino was going to throw at Rocky right away, and the kids he went to school with had heard this.""I was sitting with the scouts on the first base side. They threw right at his head, and as he ducked the ball hit him in the right elbow and he had to pitch that game. All hell broke loose. I was going to kill their coach, and I'm not usually like that."

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Armando Benitez rolled up his sleeve and pointed to his right biceps."Power," he said. "Power."Well, yes, Benitez is a power pitcher, everyone knows that.But yesterday marked the start of a new era.Benitez was talking about his hitting.Welcome to pitchers' batting practice, something that hasn't been seen in American League training camps since 1972, the year before the designated hitter rule was adopted.Alan Mills borrowed Chris Hoiles' batting gloves. Nerio Rodriguez adopted a Julio Franco practice stance.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The Orioles' first formal workout of spring training went off without a hitch, or a bruise, or a pulled muscle, and that news was sweet music to the ears of manager Davey Johnson."

Yankees' Kenny Rogers (12-8, 4.68 ERA) vs. O's Rocky Coppinger (10-6, 5.18 ERA)What Rogers throws: Fastball, slider and changeup. Rogers likes to run his slow stuff off the outside corner and make right-handed hitters chase balls out of the strike zone. If he has a good fastball, he'll throw inside to right-handed hitters.Rogers of late: Rogers pitched poorly against Texas in the Division Series, lasting only two innings. He had problems early in the year because he wouldn't throw inside enough to set up his slow stuff away, but Rogers started doing more of that toward the end of the season, including 5 2/3 shutout innings against the Orioles Sept.

At SkyDome, TorontoDay .. .. .. .. Time .. .. ..TV .. .. .. .. .. StartersTonight .. .. ..7: 35 .. ...54, 50 .. .. ..Rocky Coppinger (9-6, 5.48).. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .vs. Woody Williams (4-4, 4.86)Tomorrow .. .. .7: 35 .. .. ..HTS .. .. ...Scott Erickson (13-11, 5.05).. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ...vs. Paul Quantrill (5-14, 5.48)Saturday .. .. .1: 05 .. .. 45, 5 .. .. ...Mike Mussina (19-11, 4.93).. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .vs. Erik Hanson (13-17, 5.53)

At Oriole Park at Camden YardsDay, Time .......... TV ........ StartersTonight, 7:35 ...... HTS ....... Pat Hentgen (17-10, 3.42) vs. Rocky Coppinger (8-6, 5.74)Tomorrow, 7:05 ..... HTS ....... Woody Williams (4-3, 4.67) vs. Rick Krivda (2-4, 5.06)Sunday, 1:35 ....... HTS ....... Paul Quantrill (5-14, 5.33) vs. Scott Erickson (12-11, 5.05)Radio: All games on WBAL (1090 AM) and WTOP (1500 AM)Blue Jays updateIf the Orioles are to lock up a playoff spot, they'll have to do it at the expense of the Blue Jays, whom they'll face in seven of their last 10 games, including four at SkyDome to close the regular season.

Van Poppel mystery to O'sTodd Van Poppel, the Tigers starter today, has struggled his entire career since being a prized first-round pick by the Oakland Athletics in 1990, and carries a 7.89 ERA into his start against the Orioles.However, none of the Orioles' sluggers have hit Van Poppel well. Cal Ripken is 2-for-18 lifetime, Rafael Palmeiro is 3-for-12 (but all three hits are homers), Hoiles is 1-for-12 and Brady Anderson is 4-for-18. Overall, the Orioles' regular starting lineup is a combined 12-for-73 (.164)