As the longest-tenured Oriole, Melvin Mora has seen plenty of changes since he arrived in Baltimore in 2001.
But the day before Opening Day, Mora learned the team?s second-longest tenured player, Jay Gibbons, would not be with the club for an eighth season.
With eight new players on the 25-man roster, Mora knows it?s just part of the business, particularly when the team is in the midst of a rebuilding plan.
“When you play professional baseball, anything can happen,” Mora said. “You have to continue to do your job. It?s sad because we?ve been together for a long time. But this is baseball. This is a business.”
Mora said he didn?t get a chance to talk to Gibbons after the move, which came shortly before Sunday?s 3 p.m. deadline for teams to submit to the league office which 25 players made the Opening Day roster.
Gibbons? old corner locker remained was not assigned to a player, as it was used for storage space for budding star Nick Markakis, who occupies the next locker.
The Opening Day lineup utilized two new players ? left fielder Luke Scott and
outfielder Adam Jones, acquired in offseason trades of shortstop
Miguel Tejada and
Erik Bedard.
The bullpen got the biggest overhaul of all. Of the team?s seven relievers, all but two ? Jamie Walker and Chad Bradford ? were in other organizations last season.
“It would appear the attitude is such that no one thinks they?re better than anyone else,” Manager Dave Trembley said. “I think that?s real important when you start the season.”
JONES GETS ADJUSTED TO NEW PARK: Jones sat in front of his locker in the Orioles clubhouse longer than most players before Monday?s game to get rid of the nerves before playing in his first regular season game as an Oriole.
“I?m not nervous anymore. Not now, at least, maybe later,” Jones said, sitting before his locker about two and a half hours before the first pitch. “I?m not as nervous as I thought I?d be.”
Jones, who spent Saturday and Sunday?s workouts familiarizing himself with the Camden Yards? outfield, said he?d approach opening day as “just another game.”
