— Miguel Tejada first started dealing with the trade rumors while he was an Oriole during the 2005 season and they never stopped until the former shortstop was dealt to the Houston Astros in December 2007.
Not all that long into his tenure with the Astros, he was hearing that he could be on the move again although that's where he stayed until he signed with the Orioles for a second stint in January. With the Orioles carrying the league-worst record, Tejada signed to just a one-year deal, and the organization's projected future third baseman Josh Bell already on the Major League roster, there is again speculation that Tejada could be traded before the July 31 deadline.
"I've already gotten use to that [trade talk]," said Tejada who entered Saturday hitting .283 with six homers and 32 RBIs. "The last two years in Houston was always the same thing. There were always rumors that I was about to get traded. But one thing I've always done is I don't pay attention to what can happen. I just take it one day at a time. I love this game, and I don't let anything distract me or take me out of my game."
The Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies are among the teams looking for help at third base, though the Phillies' need is more immediate with injuries to both third baseman Placido Polanco and second baseman Chase Utley. Tejada and teammate Ty Wigginton have been mentioned repeatedly as fits for Philadelphia.
However, Tejada said that if he got his way, he'd stay in Baltimore, not just for the rest of the season, but for the next couple of years.
"I'd like to stay here," Tejada said. "I love being around this group of young guys. It's the best group of young guys that I've been around. They listen a lot and they love playing — [Adam] Jones, [Nick] Markakis, [Matt] Wieters. You can really see it, and I love that. Even though we're not winning, they're always upbeat. If they want me to be here, I'm staying here. I definitely like it. I live in Florida, but I've always said, Baltimore is like my home. I signed my big contract here, and the fans really have treated me this time like they did last time. I love playing at Camden Yards. But there's nothing I can do. It's out of my hands."
Johnson feels discomfort
Reliever Jim Johnson, who is on the disabled list with right elbow inflammation, cut short his throwing session Saturday at the team's spring training complex in Sarasota, Fla., after he was still experiencing some minor discomfort in his elbow. Johnson was throwing from 120 feet when he decided to shut it down after consulting with the training staff.
"We're going to give it a little more time. We're going to treat it and exhaust all the avenues that we can. I think we're on the right path," said Johnson, who hasn't pitched in a game since throwing one inning for Triple-A Norfolk on May 4. "I'm dealing with just the flare ups. Our team doctor and our medical coordinator don't think it's the ligament right now. They think it's more related to the muscles around the elbow, and the soft tissue."
Johnson had been shut down for four days after he started feeling some discomfort while throwing his fourth bullpen session earlier last week. He had gone the whole throwing program, two bullpen sessions and a live batting practice session without feeling any pain.
Johnson said that he doesn't consider the news a significant setback, and he's still optimistic that he'll avoid Tommy John ligament-reconstruction surgery.
"It's less [pain] definitely than what it was," he said. "With the four days off, it's remarkably better, but there's still a little bit going on. They want me totally pain free to really gauge it. It's a timing thing. It [stinks] because you can't make time speed up. The next week to 10 days, we're just going to be doing treatment, exercises and some rigorous stretching to just really give it time to go away. I'm taking some medicine to help. We're doing everything we can to get this thing taken care of.
"Deep down, I really don't think I need surgery. It just needs to get better and I don't think surgery is the answer. We're not really thinking the ligament is the main issue at this point."
Was it? Or wasn't it?
Replays showed that a fan seated over the Green Monster reached over the wall and made contact with J.D. Drew's home run in the second inning. It appeared questionable enough to at least warrant an umpiring review, but one never came and interim manager Juan Samuel didn't leave the dugout to protest the call.
"We talked to our players and they thought the ball was gone by the way it looked so that's why we didn't [argue]," Samuel said.
It's the second debatable call in a home run situation since Samuel has been the manager. The first also went against the Orioles as umpires ruled that Wigginton's shot that hit off the right field wall on June 14 against San Francisco was a double and not a home run although replays showed the opposite. Samuel didn't argue at the time but acknowledged a day later Wigginton should have been credited with a home run.
Around the horn
Orioles owner Peter Angelos turns 81 Sunday. … Outfielder Felix Pie reported no problems after playing the full nine innings for Double-A Bowie on Friday night. Pie will play for the Baysox again Saturday and then is expected to head for Detroit Sunday to meet his teammates, and then be activated in time for Monday's series opener. Josh Bell is the most likely candidate for demotion, but the club also could opt to send down Frank Mata or Matt Albers … The Orioles' Player Development Department named Double-A Bowie left-hander Zach Britton its Pitcher of the Month for June, and Bowie outfielder Tyler Henson its Player of the Month. Britton, who has since been promoted to Triple-A Norfolk, was 3-0 with an 0.66 ERA in four June starts, while Henson batted .350 with nine doubles, four homers and 13 RBIs in 27 games. … Designated hitter Jake Fox got his second start as an Oriole.