Saturday Bird Droppings

About Last Night

Texas Rangers vs Baltimore Orioles August 28, 2015 - SI.com
"Cole Hamels delivered the type of performance the Texas Rangers hoped to get when they traded for him. Hamels pitched his best game since being acquired by Texas, striking out 10 in eight innings Friday night in a 4-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles."

Orioles notes and observations on offense, Buck Showalter, Dariel Alvarez - Baltimore Sun
“It’s the big leagues, we’ve figured out how to score off some of those people. But it’s been tough on our pitchers -- they know that runs are going to be at a premium. I was looking and we haven’t scored enough runs to give them much room for error. We've got to turn that part of it around.” - Buck Showalter

Obligatory Daily Roster Move

Orioles notebook: Dariel Alvarez's call-up a 'dream come true' - Baltimore Sun
"New Orioles outfielder Dariel Alvarez escaped Cuba in the dark of night in a speedboat that ran out of gas once in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico before finally reaching Mexico's shore in 2012. He began another kind of journey Friday night."

In Other News

Adam Jones of Baltimore Orioles in lineup a day after running into wall - SI.com
"Adam Jones was examined before the game at Texas by Rangers team doctor Keith Meister. Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Jones passed all of the exams, including a concussion test."

Kevin Gausman shows signs of development in latest Orioles' loss - BaseballEsential
"Last night, Gausman did not have his best fastball. For whatever reason, the usual 96 mph cruising velocity turned into 94. Miracle of miracles, Matt Wieters began calling Gausman’s changeup and breaking ball with regularity. Finally, Gausman looked like a pitcher rather than a thrower."

Baltimore Orioles Top 20 2015 PRE-SEASON prospects in review - Minor League Ball
'Tis a story of heartbreak and anguish, for the most part.

Pix We Love: Check Out the Baltimore Orioles 2016 Pet Calendar - Dogster
"The 2016 calendar, featuring players with their pets, raises money for the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter."

Birthdays and History

Happy Birthday to former Orioles Ed Rogers (he of the infamous baseball-in-jersey miscue), Doug DeCinces (whose June 22, 1979 home run started Orioles Magic), Dave Nicholson, and Frank Zuppo.  They share it with 1387 - Henry V, king of England; 1619 - Jean-Baptiste Colbert, French minister; 1632 – philosopher John Locke; 1915 – actress Ingrid Bergman; 1920 – jazz musician Charlie "Bird" Parker;  1922 - American fashion critic Mr. Blackwell; 1923 - actor/director  Richard Attenborough; 1935 - director/producer/writer  William Friedkin;  1936 – Sen. John McCain; 1938 – actor Elliott Gould; 1940 –Pres. Reagan press secretary James Brady; 1941 – TV host Robin Leach; 1946 – Olympic gold medalist long jumper Bob Beamon; 1956 -  rock “singer”  GG Allin; 1958 – King of Pop Michael Jackson; 1993 – One Direction member Liam Payne.

On this date in Orioles history, "1954: Orioles bespectacled C Clint Courtney goes 5 for 5, as Baltimore defeats the Senators, 5 - 0."

Also on this date...

708 - Copper coins are minted in Japan for the first time (Traditional Japanese date: August 10, 708).

1786 - Shay's Rebellion in Springfield, Mass

1831 - Michael Faraday demonstrates 1st electric transformer

1833 - Britain's Slavery Abolition Act becomes law

1842 - Great Britain & China sign Treaty of Nanking, ends Opium war

1844 - 1st white-Indian lacrosse game in Montreal, Indians win

1862 - 2nd Battle of Bull Run Va (Manassas) during US Civil War

1945 - British liberate Hong Kong from Japan

1945 - Gen MacArthur named Supreme Commander of Allied Powers in Japan

1949 - USSR performs its first nuclear test at at Semipalatinsk, Kazakh SSR

1958 - US Air Force Academy opens in Colorado Springs, Colo

1958 - George Harrison joins The Quarrymen (Lennon-McCartney-Best-Sutcliffe)

1991 - USSR suspends Communist Party activities