Sunday Bird Droppings

So after winning just three of 19 games in Oakland prior to this series, the Orioles have taken three in a row. They go for the series sweep today and travel to Seattle after the game. I like winning baseball games in April. I also like the fact Jon Jones murder-death-killed Chael Sonnen in the 1st round last night, but I did not like what he did to his big toe in the process (no, I didn't link to the photo). But that's neither here nor there, so on to the Orioles news of the day.

Orioles get third straight win vs. A's - chicagotribune.com
"After the Oakland A's honored their 1973 World Series championship team in a pre-game ceremony and Reggie Jackson threw out the first pitch Saturday, the Orioles took center stage and hammered their way to a 7-3 victory, their third straight win in this four-game series." This is the year of the party crasher...

Taylor Teagarden to miss time with fractured thumb | HardballTalk
"Orioles backup catcher Taylor Teagarden left today’s game against the Athletics with a dislocated thumb caused by a foul tip. He will be reevaluated tomorrow, but he is expected to miss three to four weeks." With the cameras as a witness he did suffer. That looked painful.

School of Roch: Orioles release Proctor
"The Orioles have released veteran right-hander Scott Proctor, who was pitching at Triple-A Norfolk." And Roch notes Freddy Garcia can opt out of his Norfolk contract after his next start. Don't say you can't be this bothered. Freddy Garcia may pitch for the Orioles.

Orioles pitching prospect Kevin Gausman handling Double-A learning curve well - baltimoresun.com
"(Kevin) Gausman, who is ranked the No. 2 prospect in the Orioles' organization and No. 26 in all of baseball by Baseball America, will enter his fifth start of the season on Sunday against Harrisburg with a 1-2 record and a 4.74 ERA and has allowed four or more earned runs in two of his four starts. But he’s throwing strikes at a 71.3 percent clip, has 21 strikeouts to just one walk and has a groundball-to-flyout ratio of 5.2 to 1, all good marks." All these stats, whew. Our mathematics and our faith are just ways of devouring space while we continue to devolve.

Orioles' Manny Machado recounts his recent first meeting with Brooks Robinson - baltimoresun.com
"I have seen all the clips. He was an actual vacuum cleaner. He was, phew …, " Manny Machado said, shaking his head. "Every time I see the clips it just gives me goosebumps to see him play, just how he cared about the game and the way he played the game." What loyalty, what elegance. Machado also said he wants to spend some time sitting down with Robinson at some point to talk more third base. Oh, to be a fly on the wall of that conversation.

It's also the birthday of Jim Miller and Jim Poole. In 1987, "Mike Boddicker tosses his second career one-hitter when the Orioles beat Kansas City at Royals Stadium‚ 3-0. The only hit given up by the 29 year-old right-hander is a sixth-inning single to Willie Wilson." In 1988, "The Orioles establish a new American League record with their 21st consecutive loss bowing to the Twins, 4-2. The O's are off to the worst start in baseball history." And in 2012, "Adam Jones, who is currently leading the Orioles in both homers and RBIs and has a 17-game hitting streak, has agreed to the richest contract in franchise history. The 26 year-old center fielder comes to terms with the team on a $85.5-million, six-year no-trade deal that will keep the All-Star ... in Baltimore through the 2018 season."