Lopez has been a starter for the vast majority of his career, notching just 19 relief appearances spread out over six seasons. There has been only one season that he relieved more than five times, and that was 2004, when he had a lights-out April from the bullpen. Lopez averaged more than two innings per outing and posted an 0.55 ERA, earning back his rotation slot.

Lopez went 8-3 with a 3.30 ERA in the second half of 2004 and won 15 games last season. He also won 15 games during his rookie season, so it's hard to say he's never been successful as a starter. He's only 52-50 for his career, but he's been the Orioles' Opening Day starter in three of the last five years. Obviously, Baltimore thinks he can pitch.

And while it's true that Lopez has been inconsistent, he's still been more dependable than anyone else in town in recent years. Daniel Cabrera and Erik Bedard are just beginning to establish themselves, and Kris Benson just joined the O's from the National League. Southpaw Bruce Chen is struggling just as much as Lopez right now, without the prior pedigree.

Having said all that, he hasn't won since Opening Day and has allowed at least four earned runs in every outing. He still gets the O's deep in the game on a regular basis. Chen can't say that, and Cabrera couldn't before he got hurt. Ultimately, Lopez might fit best in the bullpen. But it's not fair to his career history to say he's had more success as a reliever.

How about Brandon Fahey? He looks like a very good defensive player with good overall baseball instincts. Will he stay or be sent down once the O's all get healthy? -- Bill M., Cedar Hill. Md.

Fahey was adequate in his first month as a fill-in, but he hasn't hit enough to merit consistent playing time. The only problem is the Orioles don't have much choice -- with Brian Roberts ailing from a groin injury and Chris Gomez stuck on the disabled list, Fahey's the best choice at second base. Baltimore doesn't expect offense. It just needs him to handle his position.

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And he's done that without fail, but whether he stays long-term really depends on what the Orioles expect out of him. If they want him to fill the Gomez role, sitting on the bench and starting occasionally, he's more than capable. But if the Orioles expect Fahey to fill a starting role sometime soon, he may need more finishing at Triple-A Ottawa.

But look around. Roberts and Miguel Tejada are entrenched in the middle infield, and Melvin Mora just signed a three-year extension at third base. Fahey will have nowhere to start in the foreseeable future, so the Orioles don't have to worry about stifling him in a utility role. That may very well be his long-term occupation anyway, and he's ready to be one now.

And what are their options? If not Fahey, who's the best choice at utilityman? That would be Ed Rogers, who's played well on a limited basis thus far. The two players are close enough to be a virtual push at this point, so the Orioles can afford to choose and choose wisely between them. And to err on the side of caution, if they think Fahey needs more time.

Do you think that the O's will stick with Nick Markakis all season? I know he's struggled a little this past month, but it sure is fun watching him play everyday. I'd hate to see the O's send him down and destroy his confidence. He looks like the real deal to me. -- Bob G., Burlington, Ky.

Markakis may very well be the real deal, but it's hard to look at his numbers through two months and not say he's overmatched at the present moment. The 22-year-old is hitting just .213 through his first 108 at-bats in the big leagues, and his on-base percentage (.309) and slugging mark (.315) don't do much to mitigate the batting average.

How much of that was predictable? Markakis was huge in Spring Training, which caused the Orioles to push him a little more aggressively than they would've liked. He has a track record of success in the Minor Leagues, but he only played 33 games at Double-A Bowie before his promotion, which means he had little or no experience against upper-level arms.

That's not a kiss of death. Markakis may not be producing, but he's having good at-bats and swinging at good pitches. The left-handed hitter is already developing a reputation for knowing the strike zone as well as 10-year veterans, and he hasn't let his slump affect his approach. Markakis isn't afraid to hit with two strikes and rarely strikes out looking.

Again, Baltimore will be as loyal to Markakis as its options. Right now, his defense and athleticism makes him one of the team's best bets in left field, and the brain-trust is hoping that he'll kick-start his offense sometime soon. But if he doesn't, the Orioles will have to think long and hard about moving him back to the minors -- and perhaps all the way back to Bowie.

If Millar can't have a beard, why does Mazzone get to keep his 'stache? BEARDS FOR THE BIRDS! -- Steve Z., Owings Mills, Md.

That's a reference to Millar's MLB.com whimsical diary, when he lobbied for the Orioles to relax their policy on facial hair. Baltimore's current policy allows for hair above the lip but not below, which means no beards and no goatees. It also means players have to shave more often than they'd like, with no stubbly growth allowed. This is what Millar had to say:

We've got to find a way to break this facial-hair barrier. I need help from the fans. I need help from the media. I need help from everybody around. I call it, "Beards for the Birds." That's the sign I want to see in the stands, and I'm going to give all the fans two weeks. You guys know the odds better than I do, but that's the help I'm hoping for, and I've got my fingers crossed. Let's shock the world. Let's go to the playoffs. Let's win the World Series. And let's start with the facial hair.

Is there a connection between facial hair and playoff success? The Yankees would beg to differ. They have a similar policy and have won four World Series in the last 10 years. The Orioles don't have to budge on this, and most likely, they won't. It's really a matter of taste, and like any other workplace, the people that sign the checks get to create the policy.