BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- Mike Hargrove again is the manager of a high-priced team that fell short of expectations.

The Baltimore Orioles today hired Hargrove, who led the Cleveland Indians to five straight division titles before being fired last month, as their fifth field boss since 1994.

Financial terms of his three-year contract were not disclosed.

Hargrove replaces Ray Miller, who paid the price after the Orioles finished fourth in the American League East with a disappointing 78-84 record despite baseball's third-highest payroll at $78 million.

"It's good to be back in the big leagues even though I was gone only a couple of weeks," Hargrove said. "I see a team and a city passionate about the game of baseball. I want to build on that."

The 50-year-old Hargrove often was at odds with Cleveland general manager John Hart and was dismissed after the Indians blew a 2-0 lead to the Boston Red Sox in the Division Series. Cleveland's injury-plagued staff allowed 44 runs in the final three games of the series.

Cleveland reached the World Series twice in the last five years, but with a $68 million payroll, even more was expected. The Indians remain in search of their first title since 1948.

"The powers that be in Cleveland said that it was time to make a change," Hargrove said. "I'll accept that. I'm a big boy."

Now he will have to deal with Orioles owner Peter Angelos, renowned for his impatience and often meddlesome ways.

"I told Mr. Angelos, 'I don't need this job. I want this job.'" Hargrove said. "Every job before, I needed."

The Orioles have not been to the World Series since defeating Philadelphia in 1983, a drought Angelos hopes to end with Hargrove.

"He brings an atmosphere of winning baseball that we believe will help us achieve the goal of the entire Orioles organization -- to put a team of excitement on the field and bring a world championship to our fans," Angelos said.

Miller went 157-167 in two seasons in Baltimore after succeeding the highly successful Davey Johnson, who had a stormy relationship with Angelos. Johnson guided the Orioles into the American League Championship Series in 1996 and 1997. Johnny Oates finished his tenure in 1994 and was followed by Phil Regan in 1995.

On the same day that Miller was fired, the Orioles dismissed general manager Frank Wren, who has yet to be replaced.

Angelos handled the interviews of managerial candidates, which reportedly included Orioles third base coach Sam Perlozzo and Boston Red Sox coach Grady Little.

The move to Baltimore reunites Hargrove with temperamental slugger Albert Belle, who began his career in Cleveland before landing with the Chicago White Sox in 1997 and the Orioles this past season.

"I was Albert's first professional manager. I found Albert a man of very few words but a man who will listen in the right setting," Hargrove said. "I found him to be a proud person. When he comes to the ballpark, he comes to play."

Hargrove was named manager of the Indians on July 6, 1991 and posted a 721-591 record, along with a 27-25 mark in the postseason. He was seven wins shy of Lou Boudreau's record for most wins by a Cleveland manager.

His 8 1/2-year tenure was the third-longest in the majors behind Minnesota's Tom Kelly and Atlanta's Bobby Cox and the longest by an Indians manager since Boudreau (1942-50).

Hargrove played 12 seasons in the majors and was a career .290 hitter.