By Dave Sheinin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, March 30, 1999; Page D1

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., March 29 – The Baltimore Orioles returned to the United States and 1999 today, and found everything pretty much as they had left it. Playing a historic game in Cuba on Sunday did not appear to have changed them in any profound way, other than making them tired, sluggish and thankful for small luxuries such as running water.

"I'm just fatigued," said pitcher Doug Linton, who nonetheless started and pitched five solid innings in the Orioles' 7-6 exhibition win over St. Louis today. "I think everyone feels the same. It was a long two days [in Cuba]."

With the Cuba game and all its attending hoopla finally behind them, the Orioles returned to the task at hand – preparing for Opening Day, which looms only a week away. The first order of business was paring down the roster, which they accomplished by optioning second baseman Jerry Hairston Jr. and outfielder Lyle Mouton to Class AAA Rochester, and reassigning catcher Julio Vinas to the team's minor league camp. The moves left the club with 32 players.

In addition, the Orioles made a minor trade, sending minor league outfielder Danny Clyburn to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for pitcher Jason Johnson, a big (6 feet 6), hard-throwing, 25-year-old right-hander who impressed the Orioles when they faced him last September.

Johnson has started and relieved in his career, and he made 13 major league starts for the Devil Rays last season. He is expected to pitch for the Orioles in Wednesday's exhibition game against the Florida Marlins. However, unless he is so impressive that he unseats Linton as the team's fill-in starter, Johnson likely will begin the season in Rochester.

"We've been talking about [Johnson] all spring," Orioles Manager Ray Miller said. "He throws in the mid-nineties is a big, strong kid. Just another strong arm. [General Manager] Frank Wren is my hero because he keeps accumulating as many strong, young arms as he can."

The Orioles need a fill-in starter because the number four starter is likely to miss his first start of the season. Scott Kamieniecki has been hampered by a tight hamstring that has caused him to miss two starts this spring. Miller said today Kamieniecki most likely will start the season on the disabled list because he hasn't pitched enough to develop the arm strength necessary to work more than a few innings.

"You don't want to start a guy who is on a 40- or 50-pitch count, and mess up your bullpen," Miller said.

Linton, 34, continued his impressive spring today, giving up only three hits in five innings. But he finally gave up an earned run in the fourth inning today – breaking a string of 15 scoreless innings and raising his ERA from 0.00 to 0.53. And he was unhappy with the three walks he issued.

"I don't think I've pitched myself off the team," Linton said. "I felt my body was out ahead of my arm, which is a sign of fatigue."

It was clear from the team's three errors and countless other defensive lapses that Linton's teammates shared his fatigue. And it is understandable. The team's chartered plane was kept on the ground in Havana for more than two hours Sunday night for reasons that were never explained to players. As a result, they didn't get here until midnight. Even after Miller gave them this morning off, most players showed up bleary-eyed.

Other problems the team encountered in Cuba were a lack of edible food and no running water in their stadium clubhouse.

"It was a time warp, a really different feeling, not knowing what to expect, then seeing a parking lot full of '57 Chevys," shortstop Mike Bordick said. "It's good to be back. To tell you the truth, we didn't eat very much. I think I had some pork. . . . But all in all it was a good experience. The fans were great, and it was a great game. It was not just baseball. It was deeper than that."

Second baseman Jesse Garcia, whose two stellar defensive plays on consecutive grounders in the bottom of the 11th inning of the Cuba game sealed the win for the Orioles, said he could sense the team's attitude changing from nonchalance to burning intensity as the game progressed.

"When we got down there everyone was relaxed," Garcia said. "But when the late innings came around, it really came down to USA versus Cuba. I've never played in the World Series, but to me it felt like Game 7 of the World Series."

After the game, Cuban leader Fidel Castro, in his own way, made a point of congratulating Garcia, a native of Texas, on the fine defensive plays.

"He said, 'You should have let those balls go through,' " Garcia said. "I said, 'Nah.' "

Orioles Notes
With Hairston on his way to Rochester, Garcia is a clear favorite to begin the season on the major league roster, at least until starting second baseman Delino DeShields (broken thumb) is ready to play. DeShields fielded ground balls today before the game and will hit for the first time Thursday, but he still is likely to miss the first week of the season.

Miller is also toying with the idea of carrying only 11 pitchers – four starters – that first week because there are two off days. That would allow him to carry an extra position player until the schedule forces him to add a fifth starter, likely on April 11. . . .

The Baseball Hall of Fame and the Babe Ruth Museum in Baltimore received some historic memorabilia from Sunday's game. The Hall received the jersey of Scott Erickson (the Orioles' starting pitcher), the bat of B.J. Surhoff (Orioles' first hit), the cap of Mike Fetters (winning pitcher) and a copy of the Orioles' lineup card. The Ruth Museum received the bats of Charles Johnson (Orioles' first homer) and Harold Baines (game-winning hit), the batting glove of Surhoff and a copy of the Orioles' lineup. . . .

Orioles bench coach Eddie Murray flew to Baltimore after today's game to attend the funeral of Cal Ripken Sr., Murray's former manager and the father of Orioles third baseman Cal Ripken Jr. The funeral for Ripken Sr., who passed away Thursday at the age of 63, is Tuesday.