Saturday Bird Droppings

Baltimore Orioles, Bud Norris fall flat in 12-5 loss to Blue Jays in home opener - Baltimore Sun
"He just never got into rhythm like he's capable of," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. "Everything they put the bat on found the hole. Obviously, they hit some balls hard, too. It was one of those days. We all know Bud is capable of better. It will happen. It wasn't there today, for sure."

Baltimore Orioles reliever Wesley Wright leaves game with soreness in neck, shoulder - Baltimore Sun
"We're going to kind of monitor it and see how it feels in the morning. It's just one of those things where I feel a little discomfort in the back of my shoulder," he said. "Just didn't feel like me standing out there and trying to compete through it was something that was best for the team, and I decided to say something about it and get it treated."

On baseball: Orioles try not to read too much into 12-5 loss in their home opener - The Washington Post
"And now for the portion of our program, repeated every April, when we take an event from a home opener somewhere and irresponsibly assign to it unwarranted and outsized meaning. Friday’s stage: Camden Yards. Friday’s subject: Bud Norris and the Baltimore Orioles’ starting rotation. Friday’s result: three innings pitched and eight runs yielded to the powerful Toronto Blue Jays, who squirted mustard all over the Orioles’ home opener in a 12-5 thrashing."

Orioles' Showalter plans short leave of absence - 04-10-2015
"Baltimore Orioles manager Buck Showalter will leave the team briefly later this month to attend a memorial service for his father-in-law, who died Thursday. Showalter is expected to travel to Nashville for the service around April 25. The Orioles host a series against the Boston Red Sox from April 24 to April 26."

Happy Birthday to O's LF Alejandro de Aza, and former O's Steve Scarsone, Willie Royster, and Art Quirk.

On this date in Orioles history, in 1961, "The Los Angeles Angels play the first game in franchise history, defeating a strong Baltimore Orioles team, 7 - 2. In 1966 - Emmett Ashford becomes the first black umpire in major league history. Ashford, who had started his professional career 15 years earlier in the low minor leagues, makes his big league debut on Opening Day at RFK Stadium in Washington, DC, in Cleveland's 5 - 2 win against the Senators. In 2002 - The Baltimore Orioles pound the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 15 - 6, scoring a franchise-high 12 runs in the 6th inning. Baltimore also collects a club-high 11 hits in 16 at bats during the frame."

Consider this your discussion space for UFC Fight Night: Krakow - Gonzaga vs Cro Cop 2.