Ryan Minor

If he finds too large a crowd at third base this spring, Ryan Minor says, he'll gladly take some throws at first. Anything to get on the field. Anything to get inside the batter's box. Anything to show the Orioles he shouldn't be fading from their plans. There was a time not long ago when Minor didn't need to worry about such things, a time when he ranked among the organization's top prospects despite limited baseball experience. Learning on the job, Minor tore through the South Atlantic League while playing for Single-A Delmarva in 1997, and talk of his replacing Cal Ripken already had started to mount.

Sept. 18, 2005: The Ravens rush for 14 total yards - a franchise low - and quarterback Anthony Wright is sacked six times in Baltimore's 25-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans. "There's no explaining it," coach Brian Billick says of his 0-2 team's inept play. "We will find the answers within ourselves. " Sept. 20, 1998: "Don't be sad. Be happy," third baseman Cal Ripken Jr. tells the media after scratching his name from the Orioles' starting lineup and ending his consecutive-games streak at a major league record 2,632.

LANCASTER, Pa. - The towering figure emerges from the bare-bones clubhouse, passing the cement slabs and tarp rolls that some day will be a batting cage. He lumbers to the home dugout, sits down and peers out at the green grass and brick facade of Clipper Magazine Stadium. There's only a number on the back of his jersey; he's another nameless member of the Lancaster Barnstormers, a first-year franchise in the independent Atlantic League. In one way, this fresh, beautiful ballpark a few miles from the heart of Pennsylvania's Amish country is a perfect setting for his comeback story.

SALISBURY -It's not easy to be the answer to a trivia question. But Ryan Minor, the man who replaced Cal Ripken Jr. on Sept. 20, 1998, and ended his consecutive-games streak at 2,632, is at peace with his place in baseball history, even if it comes up while he's eating dinner on the road. "You hear that question asked a ton," Minor says as he sits in the dugout of his employer, the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds. "And people don't even realize you're sitting there and you're the guy that played that night.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Ryan Minor went 5-for-5 with a double and a hit his eighth homer of the season last night, leading the Delmarva Shorebirds past the Asheville Tourists, 13-9, in a Single-A South Atlantic League game last night.Minor's five hits set a franchise record. Calvin Pickeering hit his sixth homer of the season and Tim DeCinces hit his seventh for Delmarva (25-22).Pub Date: 5/23/97

BOWIE -- Ryan Minor still hears the talk about how he's supposed to replace Cal Ripken at third base, as if he's someone other than a player in only his second professional season with so much to learn. Someone who not long ago was being lauded for his basketball skills and looked upon as more of a baseball project than a prospect.2 A certain Oriole couldn't have said it better.The Minor fileAge: 24Position: Third baseMajor-league time: NoneAcquired: 33rd-round selection in the 1996 draft out of the University of OklahomaStrengths: Athletic, agile at third for player 6 feet 7; great raw power, mature.

There was a preseason question about the Delmarva Shorebirds, who had a tough act to follow.Could they match their first year, when, as a Montreal Expos affiliate, they went all the way to the South Atlantic League championship series?The question was answered resoundingly. Now aligned with the Orioles, Delmarva went all the way, period. Kingpins of the league."It was kind of unbelievable that so many good things could happen in one season," said general manager Keith Lupton. "We're looking forward to next year, but this is something that will be hard for us to duplicate."

**** Sidney Ponson: Threw 22 off-speed pitches, 21 for strikes. In spring training, that just isn't fair. Brian Roberts: Ninth-inning pinch runner won the game with his legs. Middle infielder who's played 103 games - all at Single-A or below - could actually make the Opening Day roster as the darkest of dark horses. Jorge Julio: Rough gem blew away game's last hitter, Randy Knorr, with a 98-mph fastball. Maybe not a bad return for Ryan Minor. *** Little Ball: A hit batter, a walk, a steal and a ground ball broke a 2-2 tie. The Go-Go O's. Calvin Maduro: Mows down three left-handers in a perfect eighth, his first appearance of the spring.

Jim Foster went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and three relievers combined on a three-hitter yesterday as Frederick bounced host Durham, 8-3, and inched closer to the first-half title in the Single-A Carolina League's Northern Division.Jay LeCronier added two RBIs for the Keys (42-25), who started the day two games ahead of Lynchburg with three left to play in the first half.Rock Cats 7, Baysox 4: New Britain used three unearned runs in the ninth inning to rally past Bowie for the second consecutive night in the Double-A Eastern League.

Hut Smith allowed four hits and a run in seven innings in pitching the Bowie Baysox to a 3-1 win over the visiting Trenton Thunder yesterday in a Double-A Eastern League game.The right-hander walked two and struck out five in improving his record to 2-0. Joel Bennett and Matt Snyder each threw an inning of scoreless relief. Snyder kept Trenton from scoring after the bases were loaded in the ninth inning for his 14th save.The Baysox got all their runs in the first. Jesse Garcia led off with a single to center and scored on David Lamb's triple.

LANCASTER, Pa. - The towering figure emerges from the bare-bones clubhouse, passing the cement slabs and tarp rolls that some day will be a batting cage. He lumbers to the home dugout, sits down and peers out at the green grass and brick facade of Clipper Magazine Stadium. There's only a number on the back of his jersey; he's another nameless member of the Lancaster Barnstormers, a first-year franchise in the independent Atlantic League. In one way, this fresh, beautiful ballpark a few miles from the heart of Pennsylvania's Amish country is a perfect setting for his comeback story.

Baseball Cubs: Assigned P Rob Stanifer, IF Chad Meyers, IF Trace Coquillette, C Brian Banks and C Mike Mahoney to minor-league camp. Devil Rays: Optioned P Jesus Colome and C Toby Hall to Triple-A Durham. Sent P Bobby Seay to Double-A Orlando. Dodgers: Optioned P Luke Prokopec and P Onan Masaoka to Triple-A Albuquerque. Assigned former Orioles P Doug Linton, P Todd Rizzo and P Matt Whisenant to Albuquerque. Expos: Optioned IF Tomas De La Rosa and former Orioles IF Ryan Minor to Triple-A Ottawa.

**** Sidney Ponson: Threw 22 off-speed pitches, 21 for strikes. In spring training, that just isn't fair. Brian Roberts: Ninth-inning pinch runner won the game with his legs. Middle infielder who's played 103 games - all at Single-A or below - could actually make the Opening Day roster as the darkest of dark horses. Jorge Julio: Rough gem blew away game's last hitter, Randy Knorr, with a 98-mph fastball. Maybe not a bad return for Ryan Minor. *** Little Ball: A hit batter, a walk, a steal and a ground ball broke a 2-2 tie. The Go-Go O's. Calvin Maduro: Mows down three left-handers in a perfect eighth, his first appearance of the spring.

IF CAL RIPKEN stays healthy and is reasonably productive upon his return from the disabled list, the Orioles should sign him to a one-year contract for the 2001 season. But if his ailing back fails him again in September, after this latest, painstaking rehab, it's time for him to retire. There. That's the if-then blueprint for Ripken's return, which should come any day now and, if anything, will make the last month of the Orioles' dreadful season a little more interesting. Ripken has made it clear in several recent interviews that he plans on playing next season barring a total breakdown, so the rumors of his pending retirement are false.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The phone call came around 4:30 a.m., setting into motion one of the most challenging and unusual days in Mike Hargrove's brief tenure as Orioles manager. Pitcher Pat Rapp informed Hargrove that he was returning to Louisiana to be with his ailing father. That put rookie Leslie Brea on the mound yesterday for his first major-league start. Upon arriving at the ballpark, Hargrove learned that Luis Matos wouldn't be available because of a bruised hand. That gave Delino DeShields his first career start in center field.

ANDY MORALES might be the Orioles third baseman of the future after all. The first time he tried to steal from Cuba to Florida, the Coast Guard picked him off. Second time lucky, he stole home. The 25-year-old third baseman, who slugged a home run to cap the Cuban national team's blowout over the Orioles last year, made it to Florida and the bosom of his in-laws. He should be allowed to stay and play. Those are the rules of the game, written by Congress itself. Peter G. Angelos, principal owner of the O's, with an eye on future trades, is unwilling to hire Cuban talent for fear of offending Fidel Castro.

Jesse Orosco - UP - The ancient left-hander entered this weekend's three-game series two games removed from setting the all-time appearance record by a pitcher. In a season where even three-homer games have represented a stage for dour dispositions, Orosco's moment should be savored.The Bullpen `Torch Award' - DOWN - Recipient Ray Miller cost himself two games last Sunday by removing Ricky Bones after surrendering (gasp!) two runs in 3 2/3 innings. Jason Johnson was charged with nine earned runs in the next night's 10-9 loss in St. Petersburg.

ANDY MORALES might be the Orioles third baseman of the future after all. The first time he tried to steal from Cuba to Florida, the Coast Guard picked him off. Second time lucky, he stole home. The 25-year-old third baseman, who slugged a home run to cap the Cuban national team's blowout over the Orioles last year, made it to Florida and the bosom of his in-laws. He should be allowed to stay and play. Those are the rules of the game, written by Congress itself. Peter G. Angelos, principal owner of the O's, with an eye on future trades, is unwilling to hire Cuban talent for fear of offending Fidel Castro.

Even though he can't tell the future, Mike Mussina can talk about it. The Orioles put a 38-48 first half behind them tonight when they begin a three-game interleague series against the defending National League champion Atlanta Braves. Like many others within his clubhouse, Mussina wonders what lies in front of him. A pending free agent who says he will not waive his blanket no-trade protection even if negotiations on a contract extension continue to falter, Mussina concedes the time has arrived for him to begin considering other options.

Highlights and lowlights from the Orioles' 9-8 victory over the New York Mets in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. UP - Delino DeShields: No, his first homer since Aug. 19 doesn't "count," but the Texas Rangers were on hand to take notice of the monster shot. UP - Ryan Minor: Another double amplified his spring training statement. EVEN - "The Next Mo Vaughn": Calvin Pickering slashed a double during the game-turning seventh but botched a toss. UP - Wayne Kirby: Yanked a game-tying homer off Jesse Orosco in the seventh.