Thrifty Exec Finds Orioles Best Bargains

Congratulations to Syd Thrift, who clinched the executive-of-the-year award last week.

Thrift made no trades or signings that will help the Baltimore Orioles win this year, or next year for that matter. But he succeeded where both of his more acclaimed predecessors as the Orioles’ general manager, Pat Gillick and Frank Wren, had failed, by persuading owner Peter Angelos to stop the practice of signing expensive veterans to appease the crowds that pack Camden Yards.

Teams can avoid rebuilding by purchasing mediocrity, and the Orioles did. Without a strong supplement of success in scouting and developing players, that’s simply a treadmill toward .500--out with some free agents, in with more free agents. With the Orioles sputtering toward their third consecutive losing season for the first time since the second managerial coming of Earl Weaver, Thrift got Angelos to say yes to rebuilding.

Before Angelos could change his mind, as he often does, Thrift struck. Within four days, he traded six veterans for 14 youngsters. Out went designated hitter Harold Baines, shortstop Mike Bordick, first baseman Will Clark, catcher Charles Johnson, outfielder B.J. Surhoff and pitcher Mike Timlin.

Outfielders Brady Anderson and Albert Belle were spared by no-trade clauses, at least for now. Franchise icon Cal Ripken Jr. might retire at the end of the season.

The Orioles plan to rebuild around ace Mike Mussina. With apologies to David Wells, Mussina is the best pitcher in the American League not named Pedro. But Mussina, eligible for free agency this fall, did not exactly give Thrift a thumbs-up.

“Obviously, we needed to trade some people,” Mussina said. “It just seemed like we were having a little too much fun doing it.”

Scouts zinged Thrift too, since only two of the 14 players he acquired--pitchers Lesli Brea and Luis Rivera--are considered top prospects. But you never know. In 1995, the Angels declared George Arias and Todd Greene can’t-miss prospects, so they kept them and traded four other minor leaguers to the Chicago White Sox for pitcher Jim Abbott.

Arias missed. Greene missed. The White Sox are happy to have Bill Simas, one of the best setup men in the league.

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After Detroit beat the Angels on Wednesday, the first words out of the mouth of Tiger Manager Phil Garner concerned the standings.

“That was our biggest game of the year,” Garner said. “Kansas City won, Minnesota won. They’re sneaking up on us.”

Who cares? The Tigers (51-57) are 14 1/2 games out of first place in the American League Central. The Royals and Twins are 17 1/2 games out.

Garner cares, because the Tigers haven’t finished fewer than 10 games out of first since 1991. They started 9-23 this year, pretty much killing the excitement over the new Comerica Park, but they posted winning records in June and July, the Tigers’ first consecutive winning months since 1993. For Garner, August and September are attitude-adjustment months.

“These guys don’t know that playing meaningful games the last two months of the season is what it’s all about,” Garner said. “It’s imperative we get to .500.”

And is that why Garner campaigned last week against trading slugger Juan Gonzalez for prospects, even though Gonzalez might well flee as a free agent and a .500 finish wins nothing?

“Damn right,” Garner said.

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The White Sox acquired Baines, forcing them to bring his uniform number out of retirement. The Sox retired No. 3 when they traded Baines to the Texas Rangers . . . in 1989!

Baines, 41, made his major league debut for the White Sox on April 10, 1980, barely eight months after the Sox staged the infamous Disco Demolition Night. Stayin’ alive, indeed.