As aftershocks continue, damage from Rafael Palmeiro's Tuesday defection to the Texas Rangers is still being assessed. The Orioles lost an All-Star first baseman whom they expected to re-sign for $50 million over five years, and club officials maintain that by waiting for Palmeiro, they compromised their chances with free-agent third baseman Robin Ventura.

Ventura accepted a four-year, $32 million offer from the New York Mets at almost exactly the same time the Rangers announced Palmeiro's return to Texas, the organization that allowed him to escape five years earlier.

The Orioles, poised to sign Palmeiro or Ventura but not both, had little opportunity to counter the Mets' offer. General manager Frank Wren offered to match the Mets' bid; however, the Orioles' package included $4 million deferred while the Mets offered all their money during the contract's term.

"What it came down to is both players signed at the same time simultaneously," Wren said. "It was an either/or situation for us, and there wasn't much we could do at that point."

Having signed Albert Belle to a five-year, $65 million no-trade contract, Wren is again modifying a blueprint that has been bent, folded and mutilated. Obtaining Palmeiro would have given focus to the process. Losing him as they did only left the Orioles feeling a sense of betrayal.

"We were blindsided," Wren said.

The Orioles may salve their hurt today by re-signing free agent outfielder B. J. Surhoff to a four-year, $17 million deal. The parties drew closer yesterday when Wren spoke with Surhoff's agent, Gregg Clifton, and modified the club's previous three-year, $13.5 million offer that included a vesting option for 2002. The Pittsburgh Pirates remain the Orioles' only competition since the Mets withdrew their offer after Ventura's signing. The Pirates also have offered Surhoff a four-year deal.

While Surhoff likely will return to his former team, he will have to find a new position. Left field now belongs to Belle.

Surhoff, fifth in the American League in outfield assists last season, would either move to right field or factor in an ad hoc arrangement at first base.

That the Orioles must still address the first base issue continues to irritate front-office members confident that Palmeiro would announce his return by yesterday at the latest. Earlier this week, Orioles officials thought possible a dual announcement of Belle and Palmeiro signing. The club was confident enough of Palmeiro's return that the media relations staff prepared release for distribution Tuesday night.

Palmeiro said he awoke Tuesday believing he would accept the more lucrative offer extended by the Orioles. However, he made a last-ditch appeal to Rangers general manager Doug Melvin, giving him the parameters of the Orioles' deal and laying out what it would take to return him to his hometown team. The Rangers hurriedly responded with a five-year, $45 million offer that did not include deferred money. Palmeiro never gave the Orioles a chance to respond.

Wren had meanwhile put Ventura on hold. The Orioles offered him $30 million over four years on Saturday, but the Mets countered on Monday.

Sensing a positive answer from Palmeiro, the Orioles paused.

"We didn't put a full-court press on Ventura because we felt we would sign Palmeiro," Wren said.

Palmeiro's agent, Jim Bronner, resuscitated talks with the Orioles when he requested a dinner meeting with owner Peter Angelos two weeks ago. Angelos agreed and the Orioles subsequently twice raised their offer from four years and $32 million. In hindsight, the club says Palmeiro postponed accepting to wait for the Rangers, who entered the bidding for him only after free-agent pitcher Randy Johnson chose the Arizona Diamondbacks over Texas on Monday.

"On Saturday, we gave them what they said it would take," Wren said, "and they danced away from us."

Ventura also wished to speak with Cal Ripken, whom he would have displaced at third base. The conversation never occurred. While the Orioles waited, Mets general manager Steve Phillips pressed Ventura's agent, John Boggs, for an answer.

"There was always the risk the Mets could withdraw their offer," Boggs said. "It was a risk we couldn't take."

Boggs confirmed the Orioles were "serious players" for his client. He even empathized with Wren's position.

"We just couldn't be sure what would happen if Raffy signed there," Boggs said. "The Mets had topped out. They were all in. They wanted an answer quickly."

The Orioles have interest in the man Palmeiro replaces in Texas, Will Clark. Though he downplayed the likelihood of landing Clark on Tuesday night, Wren has spoken with Clark's agent, Jeff Moorad. The Orioles may explore a shorter-term contract with Clark that would not derail the possibility of prospect Calvin Pickering eventually inheriting the position.

"What [Palmeiro] represents to the lineup today would have been big for us. But while it is a short-term setback, I think there are long-term advantages," Wren said. "I'm not sure there's going to be a short-term setback until the bell rings. There are some other things we can do. I'm not saying we're going to get a 43-home run, 130-RBI guy to replace him, but when you put the whole club together, it may be worked out."

Under a previous plan, the Orioles contemplated "going light" at second base with Jeff Reboulet and/or rookie Jerry Hairston while committing resources elsewhere.

With the $8 million they had allocated next season for Palmeiro (not including $2 million deferred), the Orioles may now more actively pursue free-agent second baseman Delino DeShields. Signing DeShields could also allow leadoff man Brady Anderson to drop into one of the lineup's vacant power slots.

The Orioles also are likely to inquire what it would take to land AL Cy Young Award-winner Roger Clemens, who yesterday demanded a trade from the Toronto Blue Jays. The Orioles talked with Toronto during the 1998 season about obtaining the right-hander.

Friendly confines

New Oriole Albert Belle has already had great success at Camden Yards, ranking first in home runs among Orioles opponents:

15: Albert Belle

13: Juan Gonzalez

12: Mo Vaughn

10: Dean Palmer, Frank Thomas

9: Jay Buhner, Ken Griffey, Tim Salmon

tTC 8: Chili Davis, Cecil Fielder, Edgar Martinez, Danny Tartabull

7: Jose Canseco, Joe Carter, Mickey Tettleton, Mike Stanley

Pub Date: 12/03/98