Good morning, Camden Chatters.
We all knew coming into this season that the Orioles weren’t going to win a lot of games. We knew they’d most likely play a brand of baseball that would, at times, be difficult to stomach.
That doesn’t make it any easier to do so.
Last night, the O’s stumbled through the type of humiliating loss that stood as a clear reminder that they’re one of the league’s worst teams. There were baserunning blunders. There were fielding miscues galore. And oh, my goodness, was there horrendous pitching. Just so, so much horrendous pitching. Read Mark Brown’s recap for a blow-by-blow of how it all unfolded, including one cringeworthy play that, as Mark astutely noted, “will contend for the iconic piece of 2019 Orioles failure.” It was that bad, folks.
The frustrating thing is that the game actually seemed to be going the Orioles’ way in the early innings. They built up an early lead by laying waste to one of baseball’s biggest irritants, Trevor Bauer. But in the end, it didn’t matter. A loss is a loss, and there will be plenty more to come for the 2019 Orioles.
Links
Orioles lose two leads and Cleveland pulls away to 14-7 win - Steve Melewski
Brandon Hyde, Trey Mancini, and Dan Straily speak after the Orioles’ loss, with Straily saying it’s time to give himself an “honest evaluation.” There are plenty of Orioles fans who could offer Straily an honest evaluation, but he probably wouldn’t like what he hears.
Orioles activate Bleier from injured list - School of Roch
Richard Bleier is back, everyone! This would be more exciting news if his return outing last night hadn’t been so unimpressive.
Someone Should Put Andrew Cashner In Their Bullpen - MLB Trade Rumors
Steve Adams suggests that Andrew Cashner could have some trade value -- but only as a reliever. It’s kind of sad that a guy who is practically the Orioles’ staff ace seems to have no value as a starting pitcher to any other team in baseball.
Chris Davis could be an All-Star ... really - MLB.com
Like you, I guffawed when I saw this headline. But Mike Petriello actually lays out a pretty interesting case that Davis could merit All-Star consideration if he keeps hitting like he has for the past month. Imagine?
Orioles birthdays and history
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You share your day with four ex-Orioles, including Ozzie Virgil (87), who had the easiest O’s career in history. He appeared in only one game, in which he came up as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning and was intentionally walked. Nice work if you can get it! Your other living O’s birthday buddy is 1992-95 outfielder Jack Voigt (53). And two late Orioles have this birthday: 1955 righty Jim McDonald (b. 1927, d. 2004) and 1959-62 lefty Billy Hoeft (b. 1932, d. 2010).
On this day in 1967, the Orioles bashed seven home runs — by seven different hitters — in a 12-8 slugfest victory at Fenway Park. Paul Blair, Frank Robinson, and Brooks Robinson hit solo dingers, but the O’s trailed the game 6-3 in the seventh before crushing four more roundtrippers in a nine-run inning. Andy Etchebarren and Sam Bowens went back-to-back with a three-run homer and solo shot, and later in the inning, Boog Powell and Davey Johnson did exactly the same. The Orioles’ seven home runs set a club record that wasn’t broken until 2015.
Race for the HRs allowed record (through 43 games)
Team | HRs allowed | 162-game pace | Final season total |
---|---|---|---|
Team | HRs allowed | 162-game pace | Final season total |
2019 Orioles | 91 | 343 | ?? |
2016 Reds | 75 | 283 | 258 |
2017 Orioles | 54 | 203 | 242 |
The Orioles, in their quest to shatter all records for homer-allowing, are way ahead of the pace of both the all-time MLB leaders (the 2016 Reds) and the franchise leaders (the 2017 Orioles). Through 43 games, they’re on pace to give up a whopping 343 long balls. They gave up two more homers last night, both to the previously homerless Jason Kipnis.
The 2016 Reds, in game No. 43, coughed up a pair of homers in a 4-0 loss to the Mariners. The 2017 Orioles, in their 43rd game, also gave up a pair of blasts, two of the 21 hits they allowed to the Twins that night. I guess it’s not just this year’s Orioles who get trounced by the Twins.