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It's all the little things that kill...
Longoria homers again as Rays beat Orioles | Tampa Bay Times
"After taking two of three from the playoff-contending Blue Jays last week in Toronto, the Rays on Saturday beat the Orioles for the second time in three nights, 5-2." Always beat the teams you're supposed to beat. This one's gonna sting.
Miley making start with split on the line - School of Roch
"If the Orioles fail to make the playoffs, and they’re still tied for the top wild card spot, they can look back to the three losses last month in Oakland and how the bats went silent against Kendall Graveman, Zach Neal and Ross Detwiler. And they may point to this series against the last-place Rays, which threatens to produce three more losses in four games."
Ace of Spades
(OK, now I'm just forcing these)
Ace turn by Kevin Gausman adds missing ingredient to Orioles rotation - Baltimore Sun
"At times, the hardest thing for an organization and fans is to be patient with young pitching, especially when it's young pitching that has terrific stuff," said Dan Plesac, a three-time All-Star reliever and an MLB Network analyst. "You see flashes and you beat your head up against the wall thinking, 'Why can't Kevin Gausman do this all the time?'" Unless your name is Clayton Kershaw, NOBODY does it all the time.
"Catcher Chance Sisco was named the Brooks Robinson Minor League Player of the Year, while left-hander Donnie Hart was named the Jim Palmer Minor League Pitcher of the Year." We shall follow their careers with great interest.
'Tis but a flesh wound
Showalter provides injury updates - School of Roch
"It’s one of those things where you kind of lean on him because he’s got a real good feel for this. He’s had it before. He talked about one time he tried to go too quick, but he’s close." - Buck Showalter on Mark Trumbo. Roch says expect to see him again Monday night.
The loneliness of the long distance ... back-up catcher?
(OK, I'll stop, I promise)
Orioles' Caleb Joseph finds perspective in team success as search for an RBI continues - Baltimore Sun
"Every time Caleb Joseph finds his name in the Orioles lineup, he hears it. "Hey, you’re going to do it today," a teammate will say. "We’re going to do it today," another will chirp." Today is not that day.
Boras coming to Baltimore next week to talk possible Wieters' extension - BaltimoreBaseball.com
"Player agent Scott Boras is coming to Baltimore for several days, starting Monday, and will meet with club executive vice president Dan Duquette to discuss myriad subjects, including a potential extension for pending free agent Matt Wieters." This is the best bad idea we have, sir. By far.
Birthdays and history
Happy Birthday to former Oriole Harvey Haddix, who did that thing with an extra-innings perfect game that wasn't REALLY a perfect game ... anyway, go look it up. It's kinda cool and kinda depressing all at the same time. He shares it with a bunch of famous people, who've I've already compiled into a list once this morning but my computer ate it and I don't want to look them up again. Sue me if you must.
Today in Baltimore baseball history...
1976 - In his last major league at-bat, future Hall of Fame Cleveland player-manager Frank Robinson strokes a pinch-hit single against the Orioles.
1991 - Despite Cal Ripken's 30th homer of the year, Baltimore loses to Boston, 7 - 5. With 42 doubles already, Cal is the first SS in major league history to top 30 home runs and 40 doubles in the same year.
2012 - Taylor Teagarden strokes a pinch-hit single in the 18th inning to give the Orioles a 4 - 2 win over the Seattle Mariners, and put them in a first-place tie with the New York Yankees in the AL East. The O's need to rally from a 2 - 0 deficit in the top of the 9th, as Ryan Flaherty and Nate McLouth, open the frame with singles, chasing starter Erasmo Ramirez, who had only given up 2 hits until then. J.J. Hardy bunts the two runners over, then Chris Davis drives them both in with a single off closer Tom Wilhelmsen, sending the game into extra innings.
2013 - Chris Davis of the Orioles drives in a pair of 12th-inning runs in a 5 - 3 win over Boston.
On this day in world history...
1811 British expeditionary army conquerors Dutch Indies
1812 Great Fire of Moscow burns out after 5 day, 75% of the city destroyed and 12,000 killed
1873 Government bond agent Jay Cooke & Co collapses, causing panic on Wall St, the start of the panic of 1873 and the Long depression
1914 Irish Home Rule bill receives Royal assent
1931 To create a pretext for the invasion of Manchuria, China, a railway explosion is faked by the Japanese
1942 The order for 'extermination of asocials through labour' is approved by Otto Thierack, Nazi minister of justice
1976 Mao Zedong's funeral takes place in Beijing
Consider this your discussion space for NASCAR's race in Chicago, sponsored by some huge corporation I didn't both looking up. It's been that kind of morning already. Hopefully the Orioles make it better.