Storm Davis

Baseball managers sometimes say the darndest things at the darndest moments and in the darndest places.It certainly appeared to all 45,472 gathered at Oriole Park last night that Johnny Oates was simply making a pitching change in the fourth inning, bringing in Storm Davis to replace Bob Milacki in the midst of a 5-3 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.It even seemed that way to Davis, who pitched 5 1/3 effective innings, giving up one run and four hits. That is, until Oates was about to leave the mound.

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.

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."

MILWAUKEE -- Glenn Davis guards his clean-cut, nice-guy image very closely, but the day after Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Chris Bosio drilled him in the back with a retaliatory fastball, he thought it would be a good time to clear up any possible misconceptions."

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 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."I wore that [Orioles] uniform with pride, and I put it back on with pride," Davis said.

Storm Davis came in from the bullpen last night and found out right then and there that he would not be going back.Right-hander Bob Milacki had just self-destructed again. The Milwaukee Brewers were well on their way to a 5-3 victory over the Orioles. Manager Johnny Oates was in no mood to be either coy or conservative when he went to the mound to change pitchers in the fourth inning."I told Storm, 'I don't know if you've ever been told this on the mound before, but you're in the starting rotation starting right now,' " Oates said.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS* RECORD LAST YEAR: 75-86, sixth, 27 1/2 GB* PITCHING: Two additions could mean a recovery from a failed 1990 spending spree. Mike Boddicker brings savvy, and new pitching coach Pat Dobson will try to straighten out closer Mark Davis (2-7, 5.11 ERA, 6 saves). Bret Saberhagen (5-9, 3.27) is due for a banner year, and Kevin Appier and Tom Gordon are young and proven. Storm Davis (7-10, 4.74) needs to begin to justify his contract. Jeff Montgomery blossomed as the finisher when Mark Davis faltered.

There's little disputing that the 1993 Orioles are a talented team. But so are the 1993 ex-Orioles, especially on the mound:Starters: Dennis Martinez (Expos), Mike Morgan (Cubs), Curt Schilling (Phillies), Pete Harnisch (Astros), Jose Mesa (Indians)Relievers: Storm Davis (Athletics), John Habyan (Yankees), Jose Bautista (Cubs), Mike Boddicker (Royals)Catcher: Mickey Tettleton (Tigers)First base: Eddie Murray (Mets)Second base: Bill Ripken (Rangers)Shortstop: Juan Bell (Phillies)Third base: Rene Gonzales (Angels)

On the field: Scott Kamieniecki was trying to become the Orioles' fifth pitcher with at least 10 wins, joining Mike Mussina, Scott Erickson, Jimmy Key and Arthur Rhodes. It would be the first time the Orioles had that many double-digit winners since 1985 (Scott McGregor, Dennis Martinez, Mike Boddicker, Storm Davis and Don Aase).In the dugout: Manager Davey Johnson moved Brady Anderson back into the leadoff spot, dropping Roberto Alomar to second. Anderson had batted cleanup his past four games.