Baltimore Orioles 2003 Finish: 71-91, 4th AL East	Select Team Angels Astros Athletics Blue Jays Braves Brewers Cardinals Cubs Devil Rays Diamondbacks Dodgers Expos Giants Indians Mariners Marlins Mets Orioles Padres Phillies Pirates Rangers Red Sox Reds Rockies Royals Tigers Twins White Sox Yankees

Miguel Tejada AP
Batting Order
2B	Jerry Hairston Jr. Must fend off Brian Roberts and prove broken foot is healed.
3B	Melvin Mora Led American League in hitting before hand injury.
SS	Miguel Tejada Just what the lineup needed: a big bat and durable body.
1B	Rafael Palmeiro Returns to team with creaky knees but consistent bat.
C	Javy Lopez Set major league record for most homers by a catcher last year.
RF	Jay Gibbons Team MVP drove in 100 runs; could move to first base.
DH	David Segui Needed wrist surgery again; a health risk at any position.
LF	Larry Bigbie Former No. 1 pick batted .345 in last 46 games.
CF	Luis Matos Speed gives team another leadoff hitter at bottom of order.
Rotation
RHP	Sidney Ponson So much for burning bridges when he left in July.
RHP	Kurt Ainsworth Could emerge as ace now that shoulder is healed.
LHP	Eric DuBose Converted to starter in minors; first big league win in August.
RHP	Rodrigo Lopez Opening Day starter was hurt and inconsistent.
LHP	Omar Daal Spent more than two months on DL and demoted to pen.
Bullpen
RHP	Jorge Julio Was 36-for-44 in save opportunities.
RHP	Mike DeJean Setup man also will take some saves from Julio.
LHP	Buddy Groom His ERA jumped from 1.60 in 2002 to 5.36 in '03.
LHP	B.J. Ryan Tied club record with 76 relief appearances.
LHP	John Parrish Arrived from Double-A in August after missing 2002.
RHP	Rick Bauer All-purpose pitcher who could end up a starter.
Prospects
2B	Mike Fontenot Former first-round pick was organization's MVP at Double-A.
RHP	Denny Bautista Acquired from Marlins in Jeff Conine deal. Future ace.
RHP	Eddy Rodriguez Had 13 saves at Double-A. Opponents hit .188.

In any other division, the Orioles could expect to move up in 2004 after six consecutive fourth-place finishes. But they'll have to petition to leave the AL East before leapfrogging all the teams ahead of them. At least they'll be more interesting to watch this season -- and more difficult to beat -- after signing free agent shortstop Miguel Tejada (six years, $72 million), catcher Javy Lopez (three years, $22.5 million), pitcher Sindey Ponson (three years, $22.5 million) and first baseman/DH Rafael Palmeiro (one year with an option). Runs won't be as scarce. Neither will wins.

It was a mess as 2003 expired, with Jason Johnson and Damian Moss being non-tendered and no one qualified to be the ace. But the Orioles reacquired Sidney Ponson, who left in a July trade to San Francisco, and he projects to be the Opening Day starter. Rodrigo Lopez, who started last year's opener, went 7-10 and continued to struggle in the Mexican Winter League. The front office seems prepared to let Kurt Ainsworth, Eric DuBose and Matt Riley continue their growth at the major league level. The Orioles also might give Omar Daal another chance. A free agent bust last summer, Daal lost his place in the rotation when he went on the DL.

Jorge Julio returns as the closer, bringing the usual heat, but the team signed Mike DeJean as a free agent to shoulder some of the load and assist in a set-up role. He was 27-for-30 in save chances with Milwaukee in 2002. The strength of this unit is on the left side with Buddy Groom, B.J. Ryan and John Parrish. Groom was not as reliable last season. If Rick Bauer isn't moved into the rotation, he'll be invaluable because of his ability to pitch in any situation and eat up innings. Riley, Daal or Lopez could be used in relief if the rotation is too crowded.

Tejada, signed during the winter meetings, continues the long line of exceptional shortstops in Orioles history. He's the marquee player the team has been missing and fans have been craving, and he's a huge upgrade over Deivi Cruz. Second base could belong exclusively to Jerry Hairston Jr. or Brian Roberts, both leadoff hitters, or the club might decide to let them share it.

Barring a late signing or trade, the Orioles were prepared to shift super-utility player Melvin Mora to third base. Used mostly as an outfielder last year, Mora gives the team better range than Tony Batista, but the position won't yield as much run production. With Jeff Conine traded to the Florida Marlins in August, the team signed Rafael Palmeiro as a free agent to play first base and DH. They also can use Jay Gibbons in both spots. He's totaled 51 homers and 169 RBIs in 1,115 at-bats the past two seasons and was named Most Valuable Oriole in 2003.

Larry Bigbie, a first-round draft pick in 1999, will be given the chance to stick in the lineup as the left fielder. He has a good stroke, deceptive speed and developing power. Another homegrown product, Luis Matos, has been ready defensively to play center field for a few years, but the offensive side of his game finally began catching up last year. He's a keeper. Free agent Vladimir Guerrero was targeted as the right fielder, but he turned down a $65 million offer from the O's and signed with Anaheim. As a result, Gibbons likely will get the majority of the starts in right. Marty Cordova appeared in only nine games last season because of an elbow injury and underwent Tommy John surgery in August, but he's expected to be ready for spring training.

The addition of Lopez upgrades a position that has not yielded much offense in recent years. Lopez, who at times will serve as the designated hitter, could get 550 at-bats with the Orioles and make Brook Fordyce easily forgotten. Lopez admits to being only "average" defensively. Geronimo Gil, whose strong throwing arm is offset by sloppy habits behind the plate, should be a capable backup.

David Segui's four-year, $28 million contract finally expires after the season, and the Orioles couldn't be more grateful. He's always hurt, and it's risky to count on him as a switch-hitting DH and pinch-hitter. Cordova's elbow surgery could reduce him to DH, if he's healthy enough to play at all. The Orioles resigned B.J. Surhoff to a minor league contract. If he makes the team out of spring training, he will give Baltimore a left-handed bat off the bench and an occasional starter in the field. Jack Cust, another left-handed hitter, could be part of a DH platoon. Roberts or Hairston will become a utility player if one of them isn't traded. Third baseman Jose Bautista was chosen in the Rule 5 draft from the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, so he must stay on the roster all year or be offered back for $25,000. He also can play the outfield.

Majority owner Peter Angelos trusts his management team of Jim Beattie and Mike Flanagan, and that faith was rewarded with the additions of Tejada and Lopez to a lineup begging for offensive punch. Beattie and Flanagan are extremely patient and deliberate in their dealings with agents and other teams, which can be an irritant, but the organization has regained much of the respect it lost after Syd Thrift "retired" as general manager. The Orioles gambled by hiring Lee Mazzilli, the New York Yankees' first base coach, as their manager after four losing seasons under Mike Hargrove. More qualified candidates were bypassed, including a few with ties to the organization.

The Orioles are convinced that the organization eventually will yield legitimate No. 1 and 2 starters, but for now, Ponson must prove he's ready to be a staff ace. The rotation stood out as a major weakness before he resigned in January. Perhaps Ainsworth will emerge as the ace after the Orioles acquired him from San Francisco in July for Ponson. An offense that ranked 10th in the AL in runs scored last year will be better because of Tejada and Lopez, who combined for 70 homers last season, and the defense should be improved with Tony Batista no longer a statue at third base and Gibbons possibly vacating right field. The Orioles gained payroll and roster flexibility when the contracts belonging to Fordyce, Batista, Albert Belle and Scott Erickson finally came off the books. It was a big step in the healing process for a franchise that's gone without a winning season since 1997.

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