Orioles shortstop Miguel Tejada met with Andy MacPhail for 45 minutes yesterday, telling Baltimore's president of baseball operations that it's his preference to remain a shortstop but that being on a winning team remains his biggest priority. On the eve of what could be his last game in an Orioles uniform, Tejada said he didn't ask MacPhail for a trade, but he made it clear he's not interested in being with a team that's rebuilding. "I want to win," Tejada said. "It's not about changing positions. My point isn't about changing positions. My point is winning. I don't want to play every day just for money. I'm not that kind of person. I play for pride. I don't care about changing positions if we're going to be a winner, and I want to be on a team that is going to compete to win."

Orioles reliever Danys Baez informed team officials yesterday that he has decided to have surgery to repair a partially torn ligament in his right elbow. Baez, who started the season as the Orioles' top setup man but struggled mightily after a solid April, still hasn't set a date or chosen a doctor for the surgery, but it will force him to miss next season, joining closer Chris Ray on the sideline. "We feel that's clearly the right course of action with the information that we have," Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said about Baez's decision to have the surgery.

As the Orioles head into the final days of the season, they also are moving closer to having to make a tough decision on their most accomplished player, Miguel Tejada, whose future in Baltimore and at shortstop remains unsettled. Though no Orioles executive will say it publicly, there's plenty of sentiment in the front office that if Tejada returns, it should be at another position. Tejada has struggled defensively this season at the only position he has ever played, making 15 errors and compiling a .969 fielding percentage, which would be his worst since he became an everyday player for the Oakland Athletics in 1998. "He doesn't move real well," said Orioles third base and infield coach Juan Samuel. "I don't know how we can [fix] it. He's not overweight. People say that he's in better shape this year than he was last year. I don't know if he's tired, or if all those games in a row [1,152 before a June injury] are catching up to him. I can't put my finger on it. He just really hasn't been consistent."

Eight days after a report alleged that Jay Gibbons received shipments of steroids and human growth hormone from 2003 to 2005, the Orioles outfielder met with baseball officials at their headquarters in New York City. Gibbons, making his first public comments since the story broke Sept. 9, told The Sun, "I met with Major League Baseball representatives [yesterday] and was happy to answer all of their questions." He would not offer further comment on any aspect of the meeting or SI.com's allegations that he was among the clientele of Orlando-based Signature Pharmacy, which was raided earlier this year.

Orioles reliever Danys Baez will get a second opinion after a magnetic resonance imaging taken Friday confirmed a partial tear in his right elbow, an injury that ends his disappointing 2007 season and could force him to miss parts if not all of next season. Baez, whose season will end with an 0-6 record, a 6.44 ERA and three saves in 53 games, will decide shortly whether he'll try to rehabilitate the injury and be ready for spring training or have the surgery done and be out for an extended period. The worst-case scenario is that he would be out the entire 2008 season. "The injury is significant, but he's getting a second opinion," said Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail. "We don't know which way it's going to go yet. We're just trying to sort it out."

A day after expressing some frustration after he was left out of the Orioles' lineup, shortstop Miguel Tejada said his reaction was spurred by the team's recent run of losses, not by manager Dave Trembley's decision to give him a day off. "I knew I was going to have a day off the day before, and I had no problem with that," said Tejada, who was back in the lineup last night. "I get mad because I want to do something better here. The losing part, that's the problem. It's tough on all of us." Trembley approached Tejada earlier this week and informed the shortstop that he was going to start Luis Hernandez in Thursday's series finale against the Los Angeles Angels. Trembley asked Tejada whether he wanted to serve as the team's designated hitter, but Tejada declined.

Orioles manager Dave Trembley and pitcher Daniel Cabrera were suspended Thursday by Major League Baseball for their roles in separate incidents during the last week. Trembley was suspended for three games because he followed his ejection from Wednesday's 18-6 loss to the Angels with an animated tirade near second base. Cabrera was suspended for six games for intentionally throwing a pitch at the head of Boston's Dustin Pedroia on Sept. 7 and his part in the bench-clearing incident that followed.

The Orioles could release veteran outfielder Jay Gibbons by voiding the final two seasons of his four-year, $21 million contract if allegations of his involvement with performance-enhancing drugs are true, a high-ranking source close to the team said Monday. ?It?s still too early to tell at this point,? the source said. ?He?s been pretty adamant about his innocence. He hasn?t tested positive for anything, but the recent revelations aren?t very encouraging.? Gibbons, 30, is owed roughly $11 million of the deal he signed in January 2006. The source confirmed there is no specific language in the guaranteed portion of Gibbons? contract pertaining to performance-enhancing drugs.

Orioles outfielder Jay Gibbons received performance-enhancing steroids and human growth hormone after both substances were banned by baseball, SI.com reported Sunday. Gibbons is the latest athlete to be linked to the Florida pharmacy under investigation for illegally distributing prescription medications.

Erik Bedard's stellar season is over. The Orioles on Sunday placed the ace lefthander on the 60-day disabled list with a strained right oblique muscle, ending his campaign. A leading Cy Young Award candidate, Bedard is 13-5 with a 3.16 ERA in 28 starts. The 28-year-old also leads the major leagues with a 221 strikeouts - an Orioles club record.