Saturday Bird Droppings

I've nothing particularly witty or loquacious to state here. That game last night truly did suck the life-force from me. When this team looks bad at a particular facet of the game they, like the character Mike in Breaking Bad, take 'no half-measures'. They take looking bad and turn it into theater of the absurd. Sometimes it's the offense. Sometimes it's the defense. Sometimes it's the pitching. Sometimes it's an amalgamation of each of these individual aspects. But, in the end, I do love them so, and shall return to them this eve; hoping against hope that they will entertain me with a bit of Oriole Magic. Time will tell....Onto the day's news:

Homers costly for Tommy Hunter and Orioles lose 2-0 to Tampa Bay - The Washington Post
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Homers hurt Tommy Hunter again.

Hal Bodley: Rays, Orioles hold key to one Wild Card | MLB.com: News
How these two AL East teams fare against each other down the stretch should go a long way to determining at least one of the American League's two Wild Cards.

Cal Ripken Jr.: Mom's kidnapping 'bizarre' - Lebanon Daily News
BALTIMORE—Cal Ripken Jr. said Friday that his family and the police were still searching for answers about the kidnapping of his mother last week, a crime he called both bizarre and unsettling.

O's might platoon Andino and Betemit at third | orioles.com: News
Robert Andino made his first start on Friday since returning from the disabled list, with Orioles manager Buck Showalter penciling him in at third base against Rays left-hander Matt Moore.

School of Roch: Reynolds: "I was overthinking a little too much"
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Orioles first baseman Mark Reynolds played a guessing game tonight with Rays catcher Jose Lobaton and didn't get the desired results. ...

Steve Melewski: Minor league updates on Erbe, Delmonico and more
Single-A Delmarva infielder Nicky Delmonico, the Orioles' sixth-round pick in 2011 and one of the organization's better hitting prospects, may be able to continue to ...

Camden Depot: 2012 Playoffs: Who Gets In? (8/2/2012)

The Orioles Stand Pat At The Trade Deadline | July

Happy 48th Birthday wishes go out to B.J. Surhoff!
On this day in 1927, the longest no-hitter in Negro League history (11 innings) was tossed in Baltimore's Maryland Park by Joe Strong of the Baltimore Black Sox. In 1996, Earl Weaver was inducted into the Hall of Fame. In 1998, Mike Mussina would take a no-hitter into the 8th inning. He would ultimately allow 2 hits, 0 runs, and K 8. In 2005, Lee Mazzilli would be relieved of his duties as Manager and replaced by Sam Perlazzo.