Is Miguel Tejada destined to wear the Oriole black and orange past thisseason?
The seemingly unhappy shortstop has been the subject of trade rumors the last few weeks.
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There has been little talk from the shortstop himself, who declined to speak with the media after The Washington Post published a story Tuesday that quoted an unnamed American League official that the Orioles might be willing to trade the perennial All-Star.
Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo said the team is getting exactly what it needs from Tejada.
“We got this guy here to be our RBI guy and he?s leading the team in RBIs. He?s done what he?s supposed to be doing,” Perlozzo said. “When he comes in the dugout, there?s nobody more disappointed when he makes an out. What you perceive to see out on the field is not what?s really going on.”
The Post wrote Tejada refused to pay fines for his tardiness to the team?s clubhouse before games, and also wrote his sulkiness might be related to former teammate Jason Grimsley?s affidavit on drug use in baseball.
An Orioles spokesman dismissed the story as a “bad piece of journalism.”
Perlozzo refuted the Post?s claims that Tejada did not pay fines, saying payments were in his desk.
Tejada often arrives in the clubhouse late, while teammates typically arrive three hours before games. He arrived early for Tuesday?s postponed home game with the Phillies.
“I?m not saying him specifically, but if someone?s like late or something it does bother a certain few guys,” Orioles second baseman Chris Gomez said. “I know for me, I could care less. The guy shows up every day, plays hard, roots for his teammates, wants to win, carries our team on his back.”
Tejada was the subject of trade rumors during the off-season after he voiced displeasure with the direction of the organization.
“This stuff about trades and stuff, there isn?t a team out there that hasn?t gotten a call about all their players. That?s part of the business. (General Manager) Mike (Flanagan) and (Vice President of Baseball Operations) Jim (Duquette) field calls all the time from people, asking about our players,” Perlozzo said.
