Tejada backs off trade demands, ready to help O's

January 08, 2006

BALTIMORE -

Miguel Tejada rescinded his demand to be traded by the Orioles, telling team officials during a phone call Saturday that he's willing to help Baltimore become a contender in the AL East.

Angered over the Orioles' inability to garner additional talent this offseason, Tejada twice expressed his desire to be traded, the last time on Dec. 29. But he backed off that stance during a conversation with teammate Melvin Mora and vice president Jim Duquette.

"Miguel said all he wanted was for the team to improve. He wants to win," Duquette said. "He doesn't know how that got blown out of proportion, and he feels terrible the way it played out."

After Tejada expressed the desire for "a change of scenery" in early December, the Orioles began fielding trade requests for the three-time All-Star.

But the Orioles, who signed Tejada to a six-year, $72 million contract in December 2003, had no intention of merely giving him away.

"What we're doing is looking for a fair and reasonable return," executive vice president Mike Flanagan said earlier Saturday. "He's a guy that's under a long-term contract with us, a targeted player, a terrific player. We're just not going to do something for the sake of doing something."

Now, the Orioles intend to do nothing.

"This is the first time we heard this directly from him," Duquette said. "We're elated that he's chosen to stay. We're all committed to improving the team, and it's easier to do it with Miguel than without him."

Tejada in recent weeks refused to return calls from Flanagan, Duquette and first-year manager Sam Perlozzo. But on Saturday he told Mora, one of his closest friends on the team, that he wanted to clear the air.

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