BALTIMORE (AP) -- This much is certain: Cal Ripken will play third base for the Baltimore Orioles in 1999.
If nothing else, that will enable baseball fans to recognize a team that has already undergone dramatic change this offseason. General manager Frank Wren has already added three players to compensate for the loss of five others, yet still must fill the right side of the infield and locate at least a couple of pitchers.Wren picked up Albert Belle at the airport Tuesday morning before joining the free agent outfielder at a news conference to announce Belle's $65 million, five-year contract. Eleven hours later, Wren finally turned out the lights in his office after working a trade for catcher Charles Johnson.
But he drove home thinking about two players that got away. First baseman Rafael Palmeiro left Baltimore for the Texas Rangers and free agent third baseman Robin Ventura picked the New York Mets over the Orioles.
With Ventura out of the picture, Wren said Ripken will play third base next season.
At least that position is settled, and free agent acquisition Mike Timlin will likely be the closer. But the Orioles still have to fill the holes left by the departure of Palmeiro, second baseman Roberto Alomar, outfielder Eric Davis and relievers Alan Mills and Armando Benitez.
In addition, the starting rotation is at least one good left arm short of being complete. Mike Mussina, Scott Erickson, Juan Guzman and Sidney Ponson are all right-handers, as is Scott Kamieniecki, who is coming off neck surgery and a dreadful 2-6 season.
Kevin Brown would fit nicely into the mix. Wren, who found time to contact Brown's agent Tuesday, said of the pitcher: "I did not get the sense that he is close to making a decision."
Ripken, with 61 RBIs last season, is the Orioles' top returning run-producer. The Orioles figured they had Palmeiro reeled in with their offer of $50 million over five years, but he picked the Rangers for $5 million less.
"Losing Palmeiro upset me a little bit," manager Ray Miller said Wednesday. "We met his first demand and met his second demand and then he goes to Texas. It looks like he was using us as to get as much out of Texas as he could. I don't want to see our general manager work his butt off for nothing -- that's not right."
Palmeiro, who averaged 36 homers and 111 RBIs in five seasons with the Orioles, never sold his Texas home after joining the Orioles in December 1993. Now he can make it his full-time residence.
"My first priority was to get it done in Baltimore, despite the inconvenience for my kids and family. But the closer we got to a decision, the more I wanted to come home," Palmeiro said.
Wren worked to avoid another defection Wednesday by placing another call to the agent of outfielder B.J. Surhoff. Baltimore, the Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates are all in the hunt for the .277 career hitter.
But Surhoff is valuable in ways that stretch beyond mere numbers. His work ethic is relentless, he has played hurt and he isn't afraid to show emotion on the field.
Those are qualities that also apply to Belle, whom Miller hopes can ultimately be a positive influence on a team that last season could not be categorized as extremely focused or intense.
"I heard a lot of stuff last year about people wanting to see intensity," Miller said. "I don't know if that means being more rah-rah on the bench, but if you want intensity, watch this guy (Belle) at the plate. It's scary."
Opposing pitchers might find it particularly scary facing Belle at Camden Yards, where the left-field foul pole is only 333 feet from the plate. No other Orioles opponent has more home runs in Camden Yards than Belle (15).
"I told him I'm looking forward to seeing him hit in about 90 games in this ballpark instead of the six that he terrorized it in the last couple years," Miller said.
Notes: Belle's contract calls for yearly salaries of $13 million, of which $3 million a year is deferred without interest. The deferred money will paid paid in three installments of $5 million on July 15 of 2004, 2005 and 2006. He has a no-trade clause for the first three years. In the final two seasons, the Orioles can deal him to eight specified teams.