Storm Davis

PHOENIX -- Storm Davis says the Orioles made a cold-hearted business decision in refusing to offer him a contract. The Orioles say they didn't want a pitcher who showed no interest in becoming a starter and was undependable as a reliever.Whom to believe? The game's changing economics offer no simple truths, just strange new realities. Davis went from a middle-inning reliever on a third-place club to a starter for the defending AL West champion Oakland Athletics. You figure it out."Back-to-back sequels," Davis says with a chuckle, referring to his homecoming with the Orioles last season and now his return to the A's. He wanted to finish his career in Baltimore, but he's just as happy with Oakland, the club that helped him achieve his greatest success.

Chris Hoiles drove in two runs both before and after a rain delay of almost two hours last night as the Orioles defeated the Oakland Athletics, 6-4, at Camden Yards.The win enabled the Orioles to extend their season-high winning streak to six and move to within three games of .500 (27-30) for the first time since April 16 (3-6). The loss was the fourth in the past five starts and eighth in the past 10 games for the A's.The game was delayed for an hour and 58 minutes in the fifth inning, shortly after the Orioles had wiped out a 2-0 Oakland lead with their first back-to-back home runs of the year.

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. -- Storm Davis is coming back to Baltimore.He is coming back to where he started his major-league career. He is coming back to solidify the Baltimore Orioles' starting rotation. He is coming back to make a family dream come true.The Orioles, who traded Davis to the San Diego Padres in 1986, traded reserve catcher Bob Melvin to the Kansas City Royals to reacquire him on the final night of baseball's annual winter meetings.This has to be good news to Orioles first baseman Glenn Davis, who has been like a brother to Storm since both were playing high school football and baseball at University Christian High School in Jacksonville, Fla.It also was a sudden turn of fortune for Orioles general manager Roland Hemond, who was in danger of being shut out at the winter trade convention after the Montreal Expos decided to pass on a long-discussed deal for first baseman Randy Milligan.

ATHLETICS: Oakland has not been swept in a three-game series this year. . . . Oakland's 20 days in last place in the AL West is its longest since its 25 days from June 29 to July 22, 1986. . . . Storm Davis is winless in an Oakland uniform since Sept. 24, 1989.

The first time Storm Davis passed this way, he was a 20-year-old phenom, his manager was the gruff-speaking Earl Weaver and the Orioles were an American League power.That was four teams, 10 years and 105 victories ago.A decade after he first broke into the Orioles' starting rotation -- hailed as the reincarnation of Jim Palmer -- Davis is back for a second run as a starting pitcher in Baltimore.Except for the fact Davis will wear the Orioles uniform, there are few similarities to 1982. No longer is he being asked to fill Palmer's shoes.

Storm Davis came back to Baltimore yesterday -- just for a visit, but soon to try his hand in the renovation of the Baltimore Orioles pitching staff.New teammate and old soulmate Glenn Davis picked him up at the airport and drove him to Memorial Stadium, where he talked about his past and his future at the press luncheon in his honor.He was acquired last week from the Kansas City Royals for catcher Bob Melvin. He and his wife, Angie, were flown in by the Orioles yesterday to meet the media, though Storm knew almost everybody from his first tour of duty here.

It's probably convenient that Eli Bashing is the area's principal in-season sport these days. That way, even the most mysterious moves made by the Orioles can be lumped under the heading of economic frugality and attributed to soon-to-be ex-owner Eli Jacobs.However, the most significant decisions that have been made for 1993 are related more to baseball than the bottom line, and should be evaluated as such.One -- replacing Bill Ripken and Mark McLemore with Harold Reynolds at second base -- actually represents a $600,000 gamble on the part of the Orioles.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Right-hander Richie Lewis has arrived in the major leagues, but his stay figures to be a short one if Storm Davis comes off the disabled list to start against the Chicago White Sox on Monday night."

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Storm Davis celebrated openly when he was reacquired by the Orioles at last year's winter meetings and said that his fondest wish would be to finish his pitching career in Baltimore. Yesterday, he was on his way out of town again.The Orioles did not show much interest in retaining him when his contract expired at the end of the 1992 season, so Davis signed a two-year contract with the Oakland Athletics worth a guaranteed $1.8 million and at least $200,000 in incentives.

ATHLETICS: Oakland has not been swept in a three-game series this year. . . . Oakland's 20 days in last place in the AL West is its longest since its 25 days from June 29 to July 22, 1986. . . . Storm Davis is winless in an Oakland uniform since Sept. 24, 1989.

TORONTO -- Baseball's proposed new television contract that would add another round of playoffs to the postseason drew little reaction from Orioles players yesterday.Shortstop Cal Ripken was the only one of those polled who voiced support for the idea. The others, while curious, said they knew little about the proposal, which received little attention here in the midst of the NHL playoffs."Right now, that is the last thing on my mind," said manager Johnny Oates. "Right now, they could have 50 rounds [of playoffs]

PHOENIX -- Storm Davis says the Orioles made a cold-hearted business decision in refusing to offer him a contract. The Orioles say they didn't want a pitcher who showed no interest in becoming a starter and was undependable as a reliever.Whom to believe? The game's changing economics offer no simple truths, just strange new realities. Davis went from a middle-inning reliever on a third-place club to a starter for the defending AL West champion Oakland Athletics. You figure it out."Back-to-back sequels," Davis says with a chuckle, referring to his homecoming with the Orioles last season and now his return to the A's. He wanted to finish his career in Baltimore, but he's just as happy with Oakland, the club that helped him achieve his greatest success.

It's probably convenient that Eli Bashing is the area's principal in-season sport these days. That way, even the most mysterious moves made by the Orioles can be lumped under the heading of economic frugality and attributed to soon-to-be ex-owner Eli Jacobs.However, the most significant decisions that have been made for 1993 are related more to baseball than the bottom line, and should be evaluated as such.One -- replacing Bill Ripken and Mark McLemore with Harold Reynolds at second base -- actually represents a $600,000 gamble on the part of the Orioles.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Storm Davis celebrated openly when he was reacquired by the Orioles at last year's winter meetings and said that his fondest wish would be to finish his pitching career in Baltimore. Yesterday, he was on his way out of town again.The Orioles did not show much interest in retaining him when his contract expired at the end of the 1992 season, so Davis signed a two-year contract with the Oakland Athletics worth a guaranteed $1.8 million and at least $200,000 in incentives.

Looking for a heavyweight season, Glenn Davis may enlist the services of Riddick Bowe's strength and conditioning coach.The Orioles first baseman and designated hitter, who has been beset by injuries his two years here, has received permission from the club to explore the possibility of a personal training program. The arrangement is part of his agreement to waive his no-trade clause for today's National League expansion draft."It's not for sure yet," Davis said of his hookup with Mackie Shilstone, who, in addition to the newly crowned heavyweight champ Bowe, also has worked with boxer Michael Spinks and basketball player Manute Bol. "I've heard that Mackie has a good program and I'm currently in the process of exploring it."

Oates puts Mills on hold, calls Davis, WilliamsonThe temporary absence of Alan Mills from the Orioles bullpen is forcing manager Johnny Oates to do a little shuffling.Mills, who, with Todd Frohwirth, is being counted on for middlrelief to bridge the gap between the starter and closer Gregg Olson, has an irritation in his right elbow.Oates said yesterday that Mills, who last worked two inningSunday against the Milwaukee Brewers, had undergone a magnetic resonance imaging, which, in Oates' words, was "clean."

Fans are not convinced that Storm Davis is the answer to the Orioles' pitching problems.Out of 369 respondents to yesterday's "It's Your Call" question, 226 (61 percent) said he isn't enough to solidify the Orioles staff. The other 39 percent (143) said his acquisition is all the Orioles rotation needed."It's Your Call" represents a sampling of opinions from certain segments of the community, but it is not balanced demographically, as would be done in a scientific public opinion poll.

All in all, it was a pretty good weekend for Storm Davis -- even if he didn't get the wins to show for it.Davis, who has re-inherited the long-reliever mantle, pitched brilliantly this weekend against the Cleveland Indians, holding them scoreless in seven innings over two appearances and allowing just two hits.But because the Orioles botched a few opportunities and Gregg Olson blew a save Friday night, all Davis could get was the win in yesterday's 3-2 victory over Cleveland in 10 innings.