Segui

Chris Hoiles and David Segui each knew that the moment would come when the Orioles' bats would spring to life.But it's doubtful if either of them sensed that they each could bunch so many hits together for this extended period."

The Orioles didn't end up with 20th-round draftee Ryan Ripken, son of Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., but they have signed a player this year with a familiar name to Orioles fans: Right-handed hitting first baseman Cory Segui, the son of former Oriole David Segui and the grandson of former big league pitcher Diego Segui. Segui, 20, played last year at Scottsdale (Ariz.) Community College, but after a subpar season was not drafted. He was headed to Emporia State University in Kansas on a baseball scholarship, but wanted to play pro ball.

VIERA, Fla. -- New York Mets first baseman David Segui looked around the visitors clubhouse yesterday and picked out a few familiar faces, but the newness of it all was almost overwhelming."

WASHINGTON -- A House committee asked the Justice Department yesterday to investigate whether former Orioles star Miguel Tejada lied in 2005 when he denied ever using steroids - a statement the panel says conflicts with information in the recently released Mitchell Report. The Committee on Oversight and Government Reform made Tejada and other former Orioles central figures in a 4-hour, 15-minute hearing about baseball's steroid era. The Sun reported on its Web site Monday that the committee was revisiting Tejada's statements to determine whether he lied.

Let's get right down to it.What if David Segui can't play?The Orioles obviously feared he'd be selected in Tuesday's expansion draft. Otherwise, they wouldn't have bothered persuading Glenn Davis to waive his no-trade clause to clear another spot on their 15-man protected list.The Colts will return to Baltimore before Davis gets drafted, but that's not the issue here. Segui, 26, is 4 1/2 years younger than Randy Milligan, a switch-hitter and the club's best defensive first baseman. He's also a player who has hit only 22 home runs in nearly 1,600 professional at-bats.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - It all makes sense now, in hindsight. Unlike when it happened. "We looked stupid, and I know we looked stupid," Orioles vice president of baseball operations Syd Thrift said yesterday about signing first baseman David Segui to a four-year, $28 million contract last winter. Not that Segui wasn't worthy; he has an underrated glove, a .292 career average and hit .334 with 103 RBIs for Texas and Cleveland in 2000. His signing instantly improved the Orioles. But he was 34, and Chris Richard, 26, had firmly established himself at first base over the last two months of last season.

According to the information he had, David Segui figured last year would be his final season in Baltimore.He didn't think the Orioles would keep him around to be a part-time player again, nor did he think the club would open the door of semi-opportunity by letting Randy Milligan go. But Segui was wrong, and not only is he still here, he's enjoying a sudden rash of playing time, starting his third straight game last night against the Chicago White Sox."I...

SARASOTA, Fla. -- Which Oriole is the most dangerous to approach after he makes an out? Judging by the number of bats and helmets thrown, the surprise answer is mild-mannered David Segui."

OAKLAND, Calif. -- David Segui knew he hadn't had much success against Oakland relief ace Dennis Eckersley.In fact, Segui knew he hadn't had any success against Eckersley."

ANAHEIM, Calif. -- David Segui will not have to share first base with anyone for at least the next three weeks, but he took no joy in the news Thursday that veteran Glenn Davis had accepted an optional assignment to join the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings.If that constitutes a major career opportunity, Segui is choosing to look at it in more personal terms."I'm glad to play every day," he said, "but I don't like to see it at his expense. I think we've become pretty close friends. Glenn and Tim [Hulett]

Former Oriole David Segui is mentioned continually throughout baseball's newly released Mitchell Report on steroids, but what irks him most is that his ex-teammate Brian Roberts also is implicated as a performance-enhancing drug user based on what Segui believes is a combination of hearsay and inaccuracies from a trusted mutual friend. Roberts, the Orioles' All-Star second baseman, was included in the scathing report after ex-Orioles outfielder Larry Bigbie relayed a 2004 conversation to investigators in which Roberts allegedly admitted injecting himself with steroids "once or twice" in 2003.

When Major League Baseball's Mitchell Report on performance-enhancing drug use is released, likely later this week, at least one former Oriole fully expects to be mentioned prominently. Retired first baseman David Segui said yesterday he has experimented with anabolic steroids, bought shipments from his friend, former New York Mets clubhouse attendant and admitted drug distributor Kirk Radomski, and reiterated he used human growth hormone with a legal prescription from a Florida doctor.

I don't understand why everyone is so skeptical about David Segui and his explanation for using human growth hormone, though I have to admit that I was a little concerned when I found out they don't have any doctors in Kansas. That's kind of a big deal, especially if you have kids. Sometimes you need a doctor for a legitimate medical condition and not everyone is rich enough to fly to Florida every time they need a legitimate blood test or a completely legal prescription. Segui had plenty of money.

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.

On the same day that three key members of the Orioles' organization met with an investigative committee looking into performance-enhancing drugs in baseball, the club's former top executive detailed a conversation he had with an Orioles player in 2004 about human growth hormone. Jim Beattie, the Orioles' executive vice president from December 2002 until he was demoted to a consultant's position last October, told The Sun yesterday that former Orioles first baseman David Segui informed him on Sept.

Former Orioles first baseman David Segui, who revealed over the weekend that he is one of the players named in Jason Grimsley's affidavit on drug use in baseball, said yesterday that he informed the club in 2003 that he had obtained a prescription for human growth hormone. However, one team official said last night he wasn't aware that Segui, who retired a year later, had received the medication through a physician. "He never revealed to us or the medical staff that he had a chronic condition that required human growth hormone," said Mike Flanagan, executive vice president of baseball operations.

I don't understand why everyone is so skeptical about David Segui and his explanation for using human growth hormone, though I have to admit that I was a little concerned when I found out they don't have any doctors in Kansas. That's kind of a big deal, especially if you have kids. Sometimes you need a doctor for a legitimate medical condition and not everyone is rich enough to fly to Florida every time they need a legitimate blood test or a completely legal prescription. Segui had plenty of money.

Glenn Davis was back in the starting lineup for the Orioles last night, but it wasn't part of a master plan to help get the struggling first baseman on track.Manager Johnny Oates inserted Davis into the No. 8 spot in the batting order because David Segui's right knee had become inflamed overnight. Segui had started 11 straight games at first base before last night."I don't see it keeping me out more than a couple of days," said Segui, who was given a cortisone shot yesterday. "I've had some tendinitis off and on and it had been a little tight.

NEW YORK -- Former Orioles first baseman David Segui told ESPN yesterday that he is one of the players named in Jason Grimsley's affidavit on drug use in baseball and that he used human growth hormone obtained through a doctor's prescription. Segui, the first player in the affidavit to be identified, was a 15-year major league veteran who finished his career with the Orioles in 2004. He is the third former Oriole along with Grimsley and Rafael Palmeiro to be connected to baseball's battle against the use of performance enhancers.

Two of the Orioles' five potential free agents, left-handed pitcher Omar Daal and first baseman David Segui, took their next steps toward leaving the organization by filing yesterday. Team officials said the Orioles won't attempt to re-sign either player, and it's possible that Segui will retire after having another surgery on his left knee. Daal signed a two-year, $7.5 million contract in January 2003, but he appeared in only 19 games because of injuries, going 4-11 with a 6.34 ERA. He missed all of 2004 after having surgery on his left shoulder.