Storm Davis

All in all, it was a pretty good weekend for Storm Davis -- even if he only got one of the two wins he had coming to him.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.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Orioles catcher Chris Hoiles has taken another step forward in his recovery from a fractured wrist, throwing yesterday for the first time since he went on the disabled list nearly four weeks ago.Hoiles also swung a broomstick to simulate the mechanics of hitting without bearing the weight of a bat."I think I'm a little ahead of schedule," he said. "This is going to be a big test as far as how it feels tomorrow."He reported no pain during 12 minutes of long toss yesterday afternoon, but said that he did feel some soreness when he swung the broomstick.

ARLINGTON, Texas -- When Johnny Oates and Gregg Olson arrived at Arlington Stadium last night, both expected the Orioles' relief ace would be available for the game against the Texas Rangers.But after further review the manager quickly changed his attitude."He [Olson] threw [Wednesday, before the club left Baltimore] and said he was OK," Oates reported before last night's opener of this four-game series with the Rangers.Then Olson threw in the bullpen last night and Oates found out his ace closer wasn't 100 percent.

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."

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.

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.

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.

The signing of a couple of veteran players has helped push the Orioles' average pay up more than 50 percent, but the team still has one of the lowest player payrolls in the majors.Ranked by average salary, the Orioles are above only the Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros and Montreal Expos. Last year, the Orioles were next to last; the year before, they were last.According to The Associated Press, the Orioles' 25-man roster carries an average pay of $777,526, up 51 percent from $514,599 last year.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- If the best trades sometimes are the ones you never make, how do you explain Bob Melvin for Storm Davis, a trade intended to satisfy goals no longer relevant to either side?The Orioles wanted Davis to bolster a starting rotation that suddenly appears formidable without him. The Kansas City Royals wanted Melvin as insurance for two scenarios that never unfolded and left him expecting another trade.Maybe it's fitting the deal was considered an afterthought when it was announced Dec. 11, moments after the Royals electrified the winter meetings by sending two-time Cy Young winner Bret Saberhagen to the New York Mets.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Slowly but surely, the picture is getting clearer. The Orioles' spring rotation has been whittled to six pitchers, and at least one of the leftover candidates probably will end up in the bullpen.Manager John Oates confirmed yesterday that the field has been narrowed to the five pitchers originally projected to be in the rotation and stubborn Jose Mesa, who seems intent on forcing his way into the regular-season rotation. Left-hander Dennis Rasmussen is being steered to the bullpen, where the club may have to find a replacement for middle reliever Jim Poole.