Friday Bird Droppings: Where the Orioles couldn’t run again

Hello, friends.

There are now 152 days remaining until Orioles Opening Day 2018. The good news is that tonight, the exciting World Series gets back underway as the Astros and Dodgers look to break the 1-1 tie in the series in Game 3 in Houston.

It’s going to be hard to top that second game, with its cute little Vin Scully intro before a wild and crazy game of baseball that featured a ton of late dramatics. There won’t be any Clayton Kershaw or Justin Verlander tonight, but I have a feeling there will still be fun to be had.

How do you think the rest of this series will go? The Astros sure pulled their bacon out of the fire on Wednesday night. Can they seize the momentum as the series gets back to their home? Something tells me we haven’t seen the last of the surprising things in this series. Anyway, let’s hit the links.

Around the blogO’sphere

Never fleet of foot, Orioles base running lagged behind league yet again (Baltimore Sun)
Turns out that the Orioles really stunk on the basepaths again this season. Who could have imagined?

Notes on Dauer, Sardinas, Wilkerson (School of Roch)
Dan Duquette doesn’t even have to wait for the official start of hot stove season to start picking up people off the scrap heap.

In major leagues, you need both dollars and sense to win (Steve Melewski)
Steve Melewski has some thoughts on World Series payrolls. The Orioles are spending - now they just need to spend smarter!

‘The Ubaldo Whisperer’ lands a managerial job (Baltimore Baseball)
The new Mets manager has apparently been credited in the past with being the Ubaldo whisperer. So... boy, it’s going to be weird if he signs with the Mets and doesn’t stink, right?

Orioles’ Arizona Fall League overview (MLB Pipeline)
Things are going well out there for Ryan Mountcastle. Hooray!

Birthdays and anniversaries

There are a few former Orioles with birthdays today. They are: 2017 utility infielder Ruben Tejada, 1999-2003 pitcher Jason Johnson, 2003 eight-gamer Pedro Swann, 1985-87 pitcher Eric Bell, and the late 1960 one-gamer Del Rice.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Your birthday buddies for today include: Singer Corporation founder Isaac Singer (1811), President Theodore Roosevelt (1858), baseball Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner (1922), writer Sylvia Plath (1932), actor John Cleese (1939), E Street Band bassist Garry Tallent (1949), Duran Duran’s Simon Le Bon (1958), and noted self-amputee Aron Ralston (1975).

On this day in history...

In 312, Constantine the Great received the Vision of the Cross, which is credited with his victory in the Battle of the Milvian Bridge. This led to the end of the Tetrachy and Constantine’s rule over the whole empire.

In 1275, the city of Amsterdam was founded, according to tradition.

In 1904, the first underground line of the New York City Subway opened.

In 1936, Mrs. Wallis Simpson received a divorce, allowing her to later marry King Edward VIII, which in turn led to his abdication from the British throne.

In 1967, Catholic priest Philip Berrigan and others of the Baltimore Four protested the Vietnam War by pouring blood on Selective Service cards.

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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on October 27 - or at least, unless something happens later. Maybe some other team will part ways with its manager today! Prolong somebody else’s games with unnecessary ninth-inning pitching changes, Joe Girardi. Have a safe Friday.