FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- He is 25 with three years of professional experience and hears his career clock ticking. Because of it, in addition to tightening his swing, accepting a few ground balls at first base and granting a disproportionate number of interviews for a minor-league infielder, Ryan Minor must devote spring training to practicing patience.

The former NBA draftee and last year's camp phenom now finds himself hindered by roster considerations and a troubled '98 season lowlighted by 152 strikeouts, frustrating lapses in power and perhaps unrealistic expectations.

"If I was playing basketball I don't know if I could be patient. You'd just go out and play," said Minor, a former Big Eight Player of the Year at Oklahoma. "Baseball is more a one-on-one thing. It's not a team-oriented concept, and most of the time you have to wait and wait and wait. It's not like basketball where you can go out and make an impact right away. It's a difficult situation in that you've definitely got to learn patience."

Until recently Minor was considered the organization's poster prospect, the heir to Cal Ripken at third base. But that was before he labored for 17 home runs and a .250 average in 521 at-bats at Double-A Bowie and before the Orioles imported general manager Frank Wren.

The Orioles also must make a decision on third baseman Willis Otanez, who blossomed last season at Rochester with 27 home runs and 100 RBIs. Otanez, 26 in April, is out of minor-league options. If he doesn't make the club, he must be traded or released.

"We need to know about Otanez now," Wren said.

The result is a frustrating six weeks for Minor, who played almost daily last exhibition season but now finds his time rationed while the Orioles expose Otanez -- either for trade or as a possible right-handed designated hitter.

Wren classified Minor as "close" to major-league ready.

"When you get close to the major leagues, each year is significant. And Ryan is close to being in the major leagues," Wren said. "Age is certainly a consideration, but with someone in his situation, baseball experience is more important."

Because of his dalliance with basketball, Minor entered the organization at 22. He begins his fourth professional season with only 1,096 at-bats.

"It's a big year. People always make a big deal about my age, but I'm still young as far as a baseball player goes," said Minor, who eventually signed with the Orioles in 1996 after spending a season with the Oklahoma City Calvary of the Continental Basketball Association.

"People seem to want to talk about [age] more than anything else. I've seen a lot of people play for a long time who got late starts. That's what I'm looking forward to doing. I really don't care what's said about my age. I just want to play as well as I can and as long as I can."

Otanez is recovered from a broken wrist suffered in Chicago while playing a foreign position, right field, last September. His issues are less subtle.

Claimed on waivers from the Seattle Mariners less than two weeks after Minor signed, he understands his future with the club must arrive within five weeks or he heads elsewhere.

"I'm just here to show them what I can do," Otanez said after producing two hits, including a home run off closer Mike Timlin, during yesterday's intrasquad game. "I can't control anything else. It is their decision."

Minor knows that feeling. He acknowledges that last season represented his first setback as an athlete. His name also has surfaced during trade talks, eliminating his status as an untouchable.

"It's kind of a traditional baseball stereotype," Minor said. "I'm going to go out and play hard every day. It takes breaks and it takes luck to get where you want to go. I'll do whatever they tell me to do. I can't go out there and say, 'I should be on the team. That's where I need to be.' It doesn't work that way. I realized that early."

Minor forced the organization to take notice last spring when he batted .304 with a .543 slugging percentage that included six extra-base hits.

After an exhibition game in Jupiter, Fla., manager Ray Miller suggested that then-general manager Pat Gillick and assistant Kevin Malone consider allowing the 6-foot-7 Minor to skip Double-A Bowie to play alongside Otanez at shortstop. The notion was quickly dismissed by the front office, but hardly prevented Miller from heaping on the superlatives.

Yet somewhere between South Florida and Bowie, Minor's efficient swing lengthened, creating holes that breaking pitches made obvious.

"Some of that was mechanical because I was thinking too much and trying different things instead of just doing what got me there," said Minor. "When I started to do what I do best with what I have, I got going."

Earlier this week Miller admitted Otanez will be the more visible player when the Grapefruit League schedule begins on Saturday. Now it is Otanez who stands beside Ripken as Miller installs a series of rundowns, pickoffs and relays.

Minor, meanwhile, works on an adjacent field, striving for patience but wondering about his return.

Pub Date: 3/03/99