Albert Belle could have owned this town. He's the kind of tough guy that local fans would love to have on their side, but he's either too bitter or too self-centered to take advantage of a rich opportunity to bond with Baltimore.

Even on his own terms.

Belle has done just the opposite during the few weeks that he has been in town. He played the PR game to get another huge contract, but he withdrew into a sullen shell after a relatively minor incident this spring ended his brief detente with the Baltimore media.

Strike one:

He made a few headlines -- small headlines -- for hurling some of his equipment during a clubhouse tantrum after striking out in an exhibition game in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., so Belle immediately ended contact with the local media.

Granted, no one seriously believes that the fans give a hoot what kind of relationship he has with the press, but the incident was a perfect illustration of Belle's uncanny ability to choose the wrong option whenever a difficult situation presents itself.

His outburst was blown way out of proportion. Players routinely vent their frustration after a strikeout or a home run pitch, usually out of the public eye. Former Orioles pitcher Kevin Brown made a habit of trashing clubhouses and training rooms after bad performances -- behavior far in excess of what Belle did that day in spring training -- but the incidents seldom made news.

Belle had a legitimate gripe, but he could have turned the incident to his advantage if he had not already been looking for an excuse to turn inward again. He apparently does not understand the concept of spin.

The day after the clubhouse blowup, he should have called the local media together and challenged everyone who had criticized the lifeless Orioles in 1998 to put up or shut up.

"You said all winter that the clubhouse was dead," Belle could have said. "Well, it won't be anymore. You want intensity? You want the team to have an edge? Well, fasten your seat belts. It's going to be a bumpy ride."

He could have been in-your-face defiant and still come off looking like a hero. He could have thrown his bat and his helmet all year long and the fans would have cheered him every time. Instead, he withdrew like a petulant child and squandered a tremendous opportunity to turn a negative situation positive.

Strike two:

Belle looked as if he were somewhere else Monday night while the Orioles were getting their hats handed to them in the second exhibition game against a team of Cuban all-stars.

Again, he chose the worst possible way to show his disdain for the in-season exhibition, which clearly was not high on the priority list of a number of Orioles players.

Belle all but thumbed his nose at owner Peter Angelos when he failed to run hard on a ground ball he might have beat out. He went through the motions in his next two at-bats and then failed to come out of the clubhouse to shake hands with the Cuban guests after the game.

Apparently, $65 million doesn't buy what it used to.

It's only May -- one month into his five-year contract -- and Belle is down 0-2 in the count. He could own this town, but he doesn't seem to care if he strikes out.

Big Cat makes big stride

Atlanta Braves first baseman Andres Galarraga is making solid progress in his fight against non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Doctors informed him recently that three months of chemotherapy have reduced the size of the tumor in his back by 75 percent.

Galarraga is scheduled for one more round of chemo, but may undergo an additional round of treatment in the hope of eradicating the disease.

The Big Cat reportedly is installing a batting cage at his West Palm Beach, Fla., home so that he can begin working his way back into playing shape, but Braves officials are downplaying any talk of a return this season.

"I don't know if it's even fair to speculate on that," general manager John Schuerholz told reporters recently. "He's got cancer and is fighting through the disease. We're delighted for all the good that is happening, but I haven't even thought about that. We're just going to keep hoping he continues to win his fight."

Great deal

Chicago White Sox general manager Ron Schueler took some heat when he traded left-hander Jim Abbott back to the Angels for prospects in 1995. Now he's enjoying some delayed gratification.

He got pitcher John Snyder, outfielder McKay Christensen, reliever Bill Simas and left-hander Andrew Lorraine in that deal. Lorraine has since moved on, but the other three are playing important roles on this year's club.

Snyder is 5-1 and is fourth in the American League in ERA. Christensen is playing regularly in center field and Simas is off to a strong start in middle relief.

Back in '95, a lot of people -- including White Sox third baseman Robin Ventura -- made it known that they didn't like the deal, but Abbott went into decline soon thereafter and the Sox beefed up their minor-league system.

"I don't blame people for being upset," Schueler said the other day. "Abbott was such a fan favorite and role model. But I was hunting for the future."

A matter of semantics

Don't call Boston Red Sox pitcher Pedro Martinez a headhunter. He is very sensitive to the implication that he throws at batters on purpose, but he didn't make a very convincing case that he's Pedro the Pacifist after the Oakland Athletics took offense at a pitch that hit Olmedo Saenz last weekend.

"If you get fresh with me on the mound or do something to show me up, I'll drill you and I'm not afraid to do that," Martinez told reporters afterward, "but I don't know that kid and that's the first time I faced him."

Oakland manager Art Howe felt that Martinez hit Olmedo intentionally, perhaps because the youngster had won a game earlier in the series with a home run.

"I wasn't happy. Let's put it that way," Howe said. "He has a history of that, and, if he continues, he's going to get somebody hurt on their side. If I were them, I'd start policing it a little better."

Coming home

Seattle Mariners star Ken Griffey took a quick detour on Tuesday when the club headed for Cleveland. He stopped in Cincinnati for a quick batting practice and coaching session with his dad -- Reds coach Ken Griffey Sr.

"Nobody knows my swing better than him," the younger Griffey said. "I've been fighting myself a little. He usually stays in my head. He's still the dad, and I'm still the little kid."

Of course, everything is relative. The younger Griffey still ranks among the major-league leaders with 11 home runs.

Mile-high bargain

Colorado Rockies manager Jim Leyland may have been the only one who thought Brian Bohanon was a better pitcher than Todd Stottlemyre, but he is starting to look pretty smart.

Bohanon set a club record by starting the season with five straight wins. Stottlemyre is doing fine, too, with a 4-1 record and a 3.66 ERA for the Arizona Diamondbacks, but his $8 million annual salary is almost three times what Bohanon signed for in Colorado.

While on the subject, Bohanan also has more wins than Randy Johnson or Kevin Brown, but it's a little early to do any real counting.

Hayes lashes out again

Giants third baseman Charlie Hayes seems to have a thing about opposing pitchers. He recently charged the mound from second base to get at Stottlemyre, and went off verbally on the three New York Mets starting pitchers who presided over a three-game sweep of San Francisco last weekend.

Allen Watson, Orel Hershiser and Masato Yoshii drove Hayes crazy with their off-speed stuff, holding him to one hit in 11 at-bats.

"The last few days here we've faced probably the three worst starters we've faced all year -- Watson, Hershiser and this guy here today [Yoshii]," Hayes said after Sunday's game. "Right now, they're all good against me."

Watson didn't take kindly to that assessment and blasted back from the Mets clubhouse.

"That doesn't show much for Charlie -- he didn't get a hit," Watson said. "What's that say about Charlie? If we're the worst three pitchers he's faced, he must be the worst third baseman we faced. I don't think he got a hit -- maybe one -- so he's got a big mouth.

"It's just showing everybody in the league how immature he is to say we're the three worst starters. He should have been 12-for-12, right, if we're the three worst starters. I know he had problems with Stottlemyre. He should stop talking about all the other pitchers and get in the batting cage and worry about himself. He has too much to say for a guy who hasn't done anything."

Pub Date: 5/09/99