FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- First, the Orioles tried to give away his position in the outfield. Then, they tried to replace him at the top of the batting order.

Was Brady Anderson concerned? Angry? Anything?

Dude, he wasn't even paying attention.

OK, maybe that's a stretch. Anderson had some knowledge of what was going on as the off-season unfolded and the Orioles underwent their annual reshuffling.

But it's hard to stay plugged in when you're in Japan, Australia, South Africa, Germany and Switzerland, where Anderson traveled with Amanda Coetzer, a women's tennis pro currently ranked No. 9 in the world.

"I was all over the place," Anderson said. "I carried [Coetzer's equipment] bags. I was the best bag-carrier on the women's tour."

He didn't forsake baseball altogether, mind you. He hit off a tee and worked out with Hideo Nomo in Japan, and he took batting practice in Australia with the Melbourne Reds, a winter league team.

"They wanted me to play for them in their weekend series," Anderson said. "[Brewers catcher] Dave Nilsson owns the whole league down there, and it was legal for me to play, apparently. But I didn't."

He did play hours of tennis -- "I'm good now" -- and stayed in his usual, top shape working out with Coetzer, a fellow fitness fanatic whom he met 16 months ago at Pam Shriver's charity tennis event in Baltimore and later began dating. He traveled with her to seven tournaments on four continents last winter and met her family in Cape Town, South Africa.

So, no, he was hardly obsessing over the Orioles' various maneuverings, which included a failed, $40 million run at free-agent outfielder Brian Jordan and a three-year agreement with second baseman Delino DeShields.

Each had implications for Anderson, who turned 35 in January. Jordan was expected to take over center field, Anderson's home since 1996, with Anderson moving to right. And the fleet DeShields was expected to bat first, dropping Anderson in the order.

All in all, it was quite a show of nonsupport from a team that signed Anderson to a five-year, $30 million contract just a year earlier. Was Anderson upset?

"I don't get bothered by things like that," he said. "They aren't things I control or worry about. They're energy-depriving worries. I don't need 'em."

Just as well. Months later, it's as if none of the territorial threats happened. Anderson's on-field life is the same as ever.

He's still the unchallenged starting center fielder -- Jordan is playing right for the Braves -- and he's set again at the top of the order thanks to a command performance this spring and DeShields' broken thumb.

DeShields probably will bat sixth or ninth when he returns, manager Ray Miller said recently.

Anderson made that decision easy by reporting to camp healthy, a welcomed change after two years of battling injuries, and giving a clinic in leadoff hitting in the Grapefruit League season.

"He's getting on base, using the whole field and driving the ball to left," Miller said. "He's been outstanding."

Anderson said: "I feel good. And I'm hitting well. When I do that, I hit balls all over the field. It's not like I'm trying to guide it."

His love of home runs may have compromised him in that area at times over the past two seasons, and injuries such as broken ribs, a broken hand and a strained sternoclavicular joint certainly hurt his overall production.

A measurable falloff in 1998 was the Orioles' rationale for contemplating alternatives over the winter. Anderson's batting average dropped 52 points to .236, and he scored fewer runs than he'd scored in any season but one since becoming an everyday player in 1992.

Sitting by his locker yesterday, he denied he was homer-hungry: "I just want to get on base, score runs and play good defense. Everything else is a bonus."

He also denied he'd slipped since his 50-homer high in 1996: "I had a great 1997 [.288, 18 homers, 97 runs], and the best performance of my life was the '97 playoffs [.357].

"Last year, I got hurt in the second game of the season. But just my first 70 at-bats were bad [.063]. After that, I was back to normal [.262]."

Miller still sat him down for a long talk when Anderson arrived at camp last month.

"I told Brady he's a great player, and I know he's a great player, but he's been hurt," Miller said.

"I don't remember him saying that," Anderson said. "I do remember him saying he couldn't understand why [the front office] wanted to put someone else in center field. He said he loves the way I play center."

Regardless, Anderson is back there again for another season, and also back at the top of the order. A return to his prior form would benefit the club and probably end any challenges to his position.

Not that Anderson is obsessing over any of that. The women's tennis tour is in South Florida this week, and Anderson is driving to as many of Coetzer's matches as possible.

"You know," he said, "I think maybe I could have been a [pro] tennis player."

Stressed out, he isn't.

Pub Date: 3/25/99