Stafford native John Maine throws a pitch during the Orioles' 2004 spring camp. He reports again Thursday. Visit the Photo Place

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Maine bids for starting job

Still in Baltimore, Maine hopes to earn a spot in Orioles' rotation

By STEVE DeSHAZO

Date published: 2/15/2005

By STEVE DeSHAZO

John Maine was watching TV at a friend's house last month when the news broke that the Baltimore Orioles had acquired Sammy Sosa from the Chicago Cubs.

The elation of the chance to be the teammate of two of baseball's all-time home run leaders (Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro) quickly turned to uncertainty. The Orioles were giving the Cubs second baseman Jerry Hairston and two minor-leaguers, and Maine thought he might be one of them.

"I thought, 'Oh [no], is that me?'" Maine said.

It turned out Maine, a promising 23-year-old right-hander from Stafford County, wasn't included in the deal. The departing minor-leaguers were Mike Fontenot (an infielder) and David Crouthers (a pitcher).

Maine had legitimate reason for concern, though; according to published reports, he was part of the Orioles' earlier offer to Oakland for veteran pitcher Tim Hudson, who eventually was traded to the Atlanta Braves.

Last week, Orioles executive vice president Jim Beattie declined to discuss specifics of any negotiations. But he did say: "It's fair to say that John is a good young pitching prospect, and that the Orioles aren't the only club that values him."

Added Maine: "I try not to think about about it. It doesn't matter, I don't think the Orioles were trying to get rid of me. It's a business."

So Maine will head to spring training in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Thursday, trying to earn a spot in the Orioles' unsettled starting rotation.

He's a dark-horse candidate, and he'll likely begin the 2005 season where he ended 2004: at Triple-A Ottawa.

Still, he stands a better chance of wearing a big-league uniform sooner in Camden Yards than at Wrigley Field. While the Orioles don't have a consistent No. 1 starter, the Cubs boast one of baseball's best staffs, including Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, Carlos Zambrano and Gregg Maddux.

"It would have been a tougher rotation to crack [with the Cubs]," Maine said. " But if I pitched well, there's no reason they couldn't make room."

There have been few times in his 2-year pro career that Maine hasn't pitched well. He shot up through the Orioles' minor-league system, earning an emergency spot start last July against the eventual American League Central champion Minnesota Twins.

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Date published: 2/15/2005