Fort Lauderdale, Fla. ? The Baltimore Orioles opened spring-training camp Wednesday confident that this season couldn’t possibly be as problematic as last year.

“This is a new spring. A new year,” first-year manager Sam Perlozzo said. “Dwelling on the past is a negative, and we would like to deal with positives.”

Then Javy Lopez showed up.

Lopez made it clear he’s still not enamored with learning to play first base during the final season of his three-year, $22.5 million contract. Lopez, a catcher throughout his entire major-league career, was asked to master a new position after the team signed free-agent catcher Ramon Hernandez during the winter.

Lopez, 35, would have felt a lot better about the switch if it was accompanied by a contract extension.

“It’s going to be a challenge for me. If I don’t do well, I’m in trouble,” he said.

Soon after the Orioles signed Hernandez, Lopez asked to be traded, then rescinded the request after speaking with team officials.

Lopez’s uncertain situation, combined with Miguel Tejada’s offseason request to be traded, proves the Orioles aren’t in position to start anew this spring training – no matter how much Perlozzo is seeking to distance himself from a disastrous 2005 season. Perlozzo finished the final two months as interim manager.

New Baltimore manager Sam Perlozzo throws batting practice before a game last summer, when he was a coach on ex-manager Lee Mazzilli's staff. Few teams need a fresh start this spring as much as the Orioles. Last season was a disaster for the Orioles, who dealt with the steroid-related suspension of Rafael Palmeiro, the firing of Mazzilli and the antics of Sidney Ponson.

Baltimore led the powerful AL East in late June before finishing fourth. That was only a small portion of what went wrong.

The Orioles had to deal with the steroid-related suspension of first baseman Rafael Palmeiro, who denied using the performance-enhancing drug and enraged Tejada by implying that the positive test stemmed from a shot of B-12 provided by the All-Star shortstop.

Baltimore also was forced to cope with the firing of manager Lee Mazzilli, the antics of Sidney Ponson and the angst of watching Sammy Sosa struggle to hit the ball out of the infield.

“We’ve got a new cast of characters, on the team and the staff,” Perlozzo insisted.

Perlozzo will attempt to end the Orioles’ run of eight straight losing seasons with aid from pitching coach Leo Mazzone, who came from the Atlanta Braves, bench coach Lee Elia and bullpen coach Rick Dempsey.

The new faces on the field will include Hernandez, pitchers Kris Benson and LaTroy Hawkins, first baseman-outfielder Jeff Conine, infielder Kevin Millar and outfielder Corey Patterson.

Then there’s Lopez, who will adjust to a new position in camp and playing with Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic.

“I think Javy is a great guy. He’s no different from anyone else as far as his contract is concerned,” Perlozzo said. “But when he gets his uniform on and gets out on the field, when we get him at first and behind the plate and he steps in the batter’s box all the time, hopefully that will soften everything.”

If not, then the Orioles could be headed for another season of off-the-field headaches.

“Every year you’re excited when the first day gets here,” right-hander Rodrigo Lopez said. “But especially this year, because of all the things that happened last year that are not supposed to be a part of baseball.”