/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/53648283/651826720.0.jpg)
It’s a mere 23 days until Opening Day. That’s the uniform number of O’s catching great Chris Hoiles, whose wife has a fine line of jewelry she’d love for you to hear about. Hey, I’m not a presidential spokesman, I’m allowed to mention it. It was also worn by one-year favorite Nelson Cruz, All-Star Ty Wigginton, LaTroy Hawkins and pick-off move artist Tippy Martinez. Onto the Orioles news, but goodness knows I don’t want to talk about Maryland men’s basketball this morning...
Orioles' Adam Jones saves Team USA from disastrous fate in World Baseball Classic opener - The Sun
Just a tad bit of hyperbole in that headline, but it would have been pretty embarrassing. “Obviously I had a lot of good moments with the Orioles playing against Major League Baseball teams,” Jones said. “But this one, playing against countries, obviously everything is individualized from country to country, this ranks up there pretty high.”
Orioles' Chris Davis: Dealing with bronchitis-CBS Sports
Shouldn’t be out long, but Trey Mancini will see some at-bats he probably otherwise wouldn’t get.
Logan Ondrusek To See Dr. James Andrews For Second Opinion On Elbow - PressBox
The dude that looks like a roadie for The Black Crowes is getting his elbow looked at by a guy who usually ends seasons with his medical advice. Good luck, Logan, and I’ll even avoid making comic book jokes so I don’t have to look up the spelling of what hardened the bones of the X-Men character.
Orioles' Zach Britton: Could debut in next few days - CBS Sports
Which would be nice.
Orioles' Chris Tillman has pivotal bullpen scheduled for Saturday - The Sun
Which will also be nice if it goes well.
Spring Training 2017: Orioles halted Angel Pagan deal due to familiar issue - Big League Stew
You know, the O’s are usually right about this.
Orioles Toy With Moving Dariel Alvarez To Mound - Baseball America
It’s a Roch Kubatko article, so nothing you didn’t already know.
Is this finally the year for Dylan Bundy? - Beyond the Box Score
Um, sure. Why not?
Orioles' Ubaldo Jimenez struggles in 4-0 loss to Red Sox - The Sun
Because exactly no one should care about the scores of Spring Training games, THAT’S why it’s so far down the links, thanks for asking.
Orioles finally, officially announce minor league coaching staffs - The Sun
“The Orioles finally released their complete minor league coaching roster, which will include former Orioles left-hander Mark Hendrickson as the pitching coach at short-season Aberdeen and former O's prospect Buck Britton as a field coach at Delmarva.”
Quincy Orioles claim district crown - The Daily Reporter
The Quincy Orioles claimed the Class C District 67 title. Although looking at that team photo, I shudder to think what Poly in Baltimore would do to that team. Eesh.
Birthdays and History
Happy Birthday to former Orioles Frank Mata, Rich Hill, Steve Reed, and Phil Bradley. They share this birthday with famous people including actor Shemp Howard 1895; band leader and weekly tourture device to 8-year-olds Lawrence Welk 1903; FoxNews super villain Rupert Murdoch 1931; journalist and Ronald Reagan nemesis Sam Donaldson 1934; SCOTUS Justice Antonin Scalia 1936; performer Bobby McFerrin 1950; comic diector Jerry Zucker 1950; author Douglas Adams 1952; actress Alex Kingston 1963 - Actress; singer and should-be Dorian Grey remake lead Lisa Loeb 1968; actor Terrence Howard 1969; "actor" Johnny Knoxville 1971; from the mean streets of Waldorf, MD, musicians Joel and Benji Madden 1979 (Good Charlotte); actress Thora Birch 1982; and Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin 1989.
Today in Baltimore baseball history...
1901 - The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that Baltimore Orioles manager John McGraw has signed a Cherokee Indian named "Tokohama" to play second base. In reality, Tokohama isn't a Native American; he is an African-American whose actual name is Charlie Grant, who McGraw is trying to pass off as an Indian, but the ruse does not work. Baseball's color line will prevent Grant from ever playing a game for the Orioles.
1991 - Jim Palmer, who is in the Baltimore Orioles' training camp as a non-roster player, has a shaky outing against the Boston Red Sox, giving up five hits and two runs in two innings. Palmer, who retired in 1984, will retire again tomorrow, citing a hamstring injury.
537 - The Goths began their siege on Rome. They started out blaring Bauhaus songs, then moved onto Siouxsie and the Banshees before Rome finally broke after they put The Cure's Why Can't I Be You? on repeat, as no group of humans could possibly stand hearing that song even three times in a row.
1702 - The Daily Courant, the first regular English newspaper was published.
1824 - The U.S. War Department created the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Seneca Indian Ely Parker became the first Indian to lead the Bureau.
1867 - In Hawaii, the volcano Great Mauna Loa erupted.
1882 - The Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association was formed in Princeton, NJ.
1969 - Levi-Strauss started selling bell-bottomed jeans.
1986 - Popsicle announced its plan to end the traditional twin-stick frozen treat for a one-stick model. History's greatest monsters, I tell ya.
Consider this your discussion space for anything aside from the Big Ten Mens’ Basketball tournament, because in the words of Phil Collins from the 1980s, I don’t care anymore. Sing it, Phil.