Commentary : August Is Time of Optimism for Orioles

The office of Orioles Manager Frank Robinson has been paneled and decorated, a nicety that escaped the notice of Earl Weaver for 15 years. Looks like Robby plans to stay for a while. All around Robinson, under the photos of Orioles champions for which he played, sit his coaches and farm director Doug Melvin. They are laughing, taking bets on a two-lap race around the stadium involving a bat boy and a clubhouse attendant.

Orioles laughing? Isn’t that a contradiction in terms? Not at the moment. This isn’t the dark of April. This is light in August. Perhaps it is all illusion. But it’s sweet for a team that, at 0-21, became a national symbol for total incompetence.

“Our morale is real good throughout the organization,” said General Manager Roland Hemond. “What we’ve seen this summer at every level is encouraging for all of us. We’re not fabricating it. We have the confidence that it’s actually happening. Not everybody sees it, but we do, as an organization.”

Sitting around Robinson’s new office, swapping wise cracks, the men at the heart of the Orioles reorganization play a game that might be called “Name The Rotation” or “How To Win 90 in ’90.” Okay, maybe 80 in ’90. When they gaze into the future . . . they actually see a future.

“Jeff Ballard, Ozzie Peraza, Jose Bautista and Pete Harnisch. And Harnisch is my ace,” the manager said of the emerging star who struck out 17 in a game at Rochester recently.

“I wanted to wrap Harnisch up and bring him back to Baltimore with me,” recalled Hemond of his visit to see the ’87 draftee. “He’s built, to some extent, like Bob Feller. . . . He can smell a victory . . . looks like a closer.”

Slowly, the fantasy rotation expands. Robinson remembers Dave Schmidt, who’s done nicely lately, and Curt Schilling, 4-1 at Charlotte after arriving in the Mike Boddicker trade. “Bob Milacki, too,” said Robinson of the Rochester pitcher who may lead the International League in victories. “And Gregg Olson, our top draft choice, could end up a starter.”

Melvin said, “Don’t forget the guys who are injured,” but who have power pitching arms: Jose Mesa, Tony Telford and Chris Myers. Don’t ignore injured southpaw Eric Bell, who won 10 games in Baltimore as a rookie in ’87.

“And we may get the top draft pick in the whole country next year,” said Melvin. “That might be a pitcher, too.”

So far in August, the Orioles’ pitchers have had the second-best earned-run average in the American League. So what if it’s only for three weeks. Bumblers can’t be choosers. “All of a sudden, who’d have thought we could trade a Mike Boddicker (on July 29) and have this kind of pitching,” Hemond said. “But it was easier to trade Mike because of Peraza and Bautista’s progress.”

Three months ago, the Orioles’ brass assumed its hope for the future was through trades. Deal Boddicker and Fred Lynn for prospects, as they had dealt Mike Flanagan to Toronto last season. If Eddie Murray could be packaged, so be it. As for Schmidt, Tom Niedenfuer and Terry Kennedy--any player of any value who was close to 30 was automatically a potential fire sale item.

Now, the Orioles almost seem calm. If the right offer is made for Schmidt, 31, bet on a deal; his value never will be higher. “But it still has to be (for) a real player,” said Hemond who knows that, as Aug. 31 approaches, teams in contention will get doubly hungry. Once, June 15 was the trading deadline. Now, it’s more like Aug. 31, since any player acquired after that is ineligible for postseason play.

As for Niedenfuer and Lynn, the Orioles can bide their time, just as General Manager Syd Thrift held his cards in rebuilding the Pirates. Niedenfuer, 29, one of only four pitchers with 10 or more saves each of the past six years, should hold his market value until ’89. By then, the Orioles will know more about Don Aase’s sore arm and Olson’s bullpen development.

The Orioles aren’t even furious at Lynn, although some teams would be. In July, Baltimore thought it had the aging star all but shipped to Oakland for kids. Then, Lynn slowed the swap, asking for more money and years on his deal. Insiders were stunned that Lynn, after his $6.8-million Orioles contract, would still be playing leverage angles. Why wouldn’t Lynn take a shot in Oakland at the championship ring he’s never won?

When Lynn twisted his ankle and missed 24 games, the trade evaporated. Now, Lynn’s name brings front office yawns here. He’ll be traded somewhere for something some day. No rush.

Hard as it is to believe, the Orioles no longer feel like a team in chaos. They’re bad, but they’re not hopeless. Or heartless. At home, the Orioles actually are over .500 for three months: 22-21. “Our whole ballclub could have thrown in the towel,” Hemond said. “I said in the long run we’d derive some benefit from that 0-21-if we didn’t quit. They have proved that they do have character. Other teams tell us, ‘Your club is really improved.’ In some cases, they do it to make us feel better. But there’s truth in it, too.”

Several keys are positive. Murray no longer plays like rigor mortis has set in. In 70 games since Robinson demoted him to half-DH and half-first baseman, he’s hit .320 and been the big leagues’ leading home run hitter (19).

Just when catching looked like the Orioles’ nightmare of the ‘90s, Mickey Tettleton, 27, emerged as a switch-hitter with some power. His arm is negligible, but he handles a staff decently. Next to Kennedy, he’s gold.

For years, the Orioles had a vacuum cleaner at third base. Now, they have a vacuum. That should change, however. Craig Worthington, given a second year in triple-A, was named most valuable player in the International League.

The Orioles know that the large statue (it resembles Larry Sheets) that often stands in left field must be replaced with a living outfielder, and fairly soon. Otherwise, fans may storm the dugout to lynch Robinson. The answer could be Steve Finley, the leading batter in the International League, who might eventually team with Brady Anderson to give the Orioles the sort of speed and defensive outfield that Hemond and Robinson love.

Not long ago, August looked like it would be the bleakest of times for the Orioles. Now, Hemond can wait for his phone to ring, rather than doing all the wire-burning himself. “We’re not getting carried away,” he said. “We recognize all the things that can go wrong with young, unproven players.”

Who’d have believed it? The Orioles in danger of getting carried away with optimism before the ’88 season ended.

“I like what I see,” Robinson said. And his hands aren’t even over his eyes anymore.