O’s cut Gibbons, eat $11.9 million of his deal

Jay Gibbons was released Sunday by the Baltimore Orioles, who lost patience waiting for the oft-injured outfielder to regain the form that enabled him to hit 26 home runs in 2005.

Gibbons batted .189 with no homers and four RBIs in 16 games this spring training after playing in only 84 games last season. Baltimore owes him $11.9 million for the next two seasons as part of a $21.1 million, four-year contract he agreed to in January 2006.

The 31-year-old Gibbons was suspended for 15 days on Dec. 6 by commissioner Bud Selig following a media report that he received a shipment of the human growth hormone after January 2005, when it was banned by baseball. Kansas City outfielder Jose Guillen also was suspended for 15 days.

On Friday, the commissioner’s office and players’ players association put the penalties on hold for 10 days to allow for further negotiations over their drug agreement. If a deal is struck, the suspensions likely would be dropped.

That, however, appeared to have nothing to do with the Orioles’ decision to cut Gibbons. The team didn’t see him getting much time as a reserve outfielder and left-handed designated hitter, and keeping the more versatile Scott Moore made far more sense.

“The decision was essentially down to two players, and we made a baseball decision,” said club president Andy MacPhail, who delivered the news to Gibbons.

“We laid it out pretty clearly,” MacPhail said. “For you to be a productive player you need to play, and that opportunity just doesn’t exist here absent some horrific injury. His words were, ‘I agree completely.’ “

Clearing the bases

As expected, the Los Angeles Dodgers placed third basemen Nomar Garciaparra and Andy LaRoche and right-hander Jason Schmidt on the 15-day disabled list. … Randy Johnson was one of three Diamondbacks placed on the 15-day disabled list as Arizona finalized its opening-day roster. Arizona also put catcher Miguel Montero and infielder Chad Tracy on the disabled list. … The Mets made Mike Pelfrey their fifth starter as they finalized their 25-man opening-day roster. The move means right-hander Orlando Hernandez, who has been bothered by a foot issue, will start the season on the 15-day disabled list.