Saturday Bird Droppings: Where Tanner Scott is on the way for some reason

Hello, friends.

To those who still harbor wild dreams of the Orioles making the postseason, they are still 5.5 games back of the Twins for the second wild card spot in the American League. However, with Friday’s loss, the Orioles tragic number - the number of Orioles losses and Twins wins that will eliminate them - is now just 10 with 14 games to play.

In short, the Orioles could now win every remaining game and still not even be guaranteed to make the playoffs if someone else ahead of them is even hotter than that - and let’s be honest, the Orioles aren’t going to win every remaining game. With Jeremy Hellickson in action this afternoon at 4:05 against the AL’s second-most potent offense, their chances of winning today don’t even seem too great.

If you missed last night’s game, make sure to check out Stacey’s recap of the not-so-lovely totals. Things are getting dark here in a hurry.

Around the blogO’sphere

Have the pitching reinforcements helped the Orioles? (Press Box)
I’m going to go ahead and go with no on this one.

Tanner Scott likely to have contract selected over the weekend (School of Roch)
With Scott being a pitcher and the Orioles staff being what it is, at least it shouldn’t be as hard for him to get playing time as Austin Hays. Why are they calling him up now? For that, I have no answer.

Breaking down where the wins have come from (Fangraphs)
Apparently, if you go by the sum total of Fangraphs WAR, the Orioles are the fourth-worst team in all of MLB.

Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy adjusting to life in a reserve role (Baltimore Sun)
It’s a bummer that things have gotten to this point with a long-time favorite Oriole, but alas, Father Time remains undefeated.

Birthdays and anniversaries

On this day in 2012, the Orioles beat the Athletics, 9-5, to secure their first winning season since 1997. Two years later, the Orioles beat the Blue Jays, 8-2, to clinch an AL East title.

There are a few former Orioles with birthdays today. They are: 30-3 participant Paul Shuey, 1992-93/96 catcher Mark Parent, 1988-90 slugger Mickey “Froot Loops” Tettleton, and 2001 short-timer and now-baseball Hall of Famer Tim Raines Sr. Today is the elder Raines’s 58th birthday. Happy birthday all around.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Along with those former Orioles, your birthday buddies for today include: botanist/explorer Engelbert Kaempfer (1651), Russian field marshal Mikhail Kutuzov (1743), J.C. Penney founder James Cash Penney (1875), Curious George co-creator H.A. Rey (1898), actress Lauren Bacall (1924), blues man B.B. King (1925), magician David Copperfield (1956), and Jonas Brother Nick Jonas (1992).

On this day in history...

In 1620, the Mayflower Pilgrims set sail from England.

In 1893, settlers in Oklahoma made a land run for the prime strip of Cherokee territory being parceled out. Some people left before they were supposed to do so and were still awarded claims. History calls them the Sooners.

In 1945, Japanese troops in Hong Kong surrendered to the Royal Navy.

In 1959, the Xerox 914, which was the first successful photocopier, was demonstrated on live television in New York City.

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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on September 16 - or at least, until something happens later. Maybe that something will be Tanner Scott throwing 100 miles per hour. Who knows? Have a safe Saturday. Go Orioles!