Orioles Making a Constructive Effort

BALTIMORE

An hour before the first pitch of Opening Day at Oriole Park, there was little traffic outside the majestic yard and parking was plentiful. In the first inning of Baltimore's 6-2 loss to Tampa Bay, the stands were little more than two-thirds full. Worst of all, towering far above the left field grandstand were two recently built civic monstrosities -- a 25-story apartment building and a 30-story hotel -- both lording their eyesore selves over previously perfect Camden Yards.

"Zenith Apartments 4 Lease" was spelled out on the windows of one. Nadir Apartments would be more appropriate. The Hilton Convention Center Hotel next door, when finished, may merely be ugly. However, in its current state, with huge random splotches of yellow, white and blue, it's like a cruel cubist joke. Forever, it will dominate the horizon and block views of the amusing and adored Bromo Seltzer Tower.

So, the Orioles, who have traded Miguel Tejada and Erik Bedard, who just released Jay Gibbons and who may soon trade Brian Roberts, began their season as expected -- in the utter misery of a complete rebuilding program. In the stands, some fans still wore last season's protest shirts: "Free the Birds." When designated hitter Aubrey Huff, who denigrated Baltimore on an offseason radio show, came to the plate in the first inning, he was loudly booed.

In other words, the contrast between the Orioles' afternoon opener and the Washington Nationals' electrifying inauguration of their park the night before, seemed to be symbols of franchises going their opposite ways at warp speed.

Sometimes, however, things aren't exactly what they first seem. By the third inning, the casual late-arriving crowd, announced at 46,807 and certainly satisfactory for a franchise with 10 straight losing seasons, had filled most of the park. If you walked among the relaxed fans you realized many were milling at concession stands, socializing, ignoring the game, yet dutifully wearing O's gear.

As bad as the Orioles may be this season, and 100 losses is a popular prediction, the love of Baltimore baseball runs so deep here that it is virtually impossible to extinguish. And, heaven knows, the team's owner, who bleeds Bal'mer, has tried to still that beating heart.

Anybody who wants to jump up and down on Peter Angelos, and pummel him with Washington's pride in its new park, now has an unfettered opportunity. Interviewing fans for two days at Nationals Park, I heard variations on the same taunting quip: "This park is exactly what Angelos deserves." For what he's done to the Orioles and all the years he labored to keep baseball out of Washington.

The Nats themselves, stung by the short stick they got on the MASN profits split, are eager to steal market share from the Orioles and don't hide it. "The largest parking lot for any Metro station is in Greenbelt directly to the north. It's only 24 minutes from there to our front door," team president Stan Kasten said. "So that's the direction where we ought to pick up a lot of fans. My daughter lives in Baltimore and drives to Greenbelt. Of course, she was already a Nationals fan."

The Orioles were especially gracious in praising Nationals Park after Saturday evening's exhibition. Manager Dave Trembley raved. Yet it was odd and unsettling to talk with former Orioles players, like executive vice president Mike Flanagan and hitting coach Terry Crowley, who once brought so much pleasure to baseball-bereft fans in Washington with their World Series exploits and pennant races.

"Beautiful park," Flanagan said. "The town deserves it."