Sidney

Ponson

The Orioles have been making an effort to get the 26-year-old with the 3.85 ERA signed to an extension, but if they can’t agree on terms, the O’s will surely see what they can get for him. It would be exciting to see what Leo Mazzone could do with Ponson’s potential.

The team was expected to offer Ponson a three-year, incentive-laden deal. If no agreement can be reached this week, the Orioles may trade Ponson rather than risk letting him become a free agent.

Ponson said his agent likely would respond to the team today. ''The proposal they made, I didn’t like; that’s the only thing I can say,’' Ponson said.

The Orioles offered Ponson a three-year, $15 million guaranteed contract with a club option for 2007. There are also incentives for number of starts and innings pitched, All-Star appearances, and Cy Young awards. Ponson refused to attach a dollar amount when asked what he is looking for in his next contract.

The O’s still haven’t received a counter-proposal from Sidney Ponson’s agent, but even if they can’t get Ponson signed to an extension, they seem content to let him go in free agency after the season for compensatory draft picks rather than trading him for less than a top prospect (such as Atlanta’s Johnny Estrada).

“I will be requesting his release,” lawyer Chris Lejuez said, “and I have very good hopes that the judge will go along.” Ponson has been in jail since Christmas, when he was involved in an incident in which he allegedly punched a man.

The Orioles would surely have preferred to have this out of the way before the start of spring training, but that won’t happen.

The brothers would like to sign with the same team at the same time. The Orioles have worked out Maels Rodriguez three times this spring, but they’ve yet to start serious negotiations.

Weight problems got you down? Try the Aruban Prison Diet. It worked for Sir Sid and it can work for you.

It’s nice to see that the Orioles want to deal Ponson while they still can, but the Cardinals don’t have room in their budget for a pitcher making $4.25 million this season.