Wednesday’s Bird Droppings: Where Chris Davis is failing upward

Morning, Birdland!

Of course the Orioles lost on Tuesday night, and of course they lost in the way that they did. Jeremy Hellickson, who looked downright atrocious during his time in Baltimore last year, out-pitched Dylan Bundy. And former fan favorite Mark Reynolds hit another dong after being pick up off of the scrap heap. Meanwhile, Chris Davis had another stellar night at the plate (0-for-4, 2 SO). Paul’s got the not-so-lovely totals for you in the recap.

Lineup construction probably isn’t at the top of the Orioles list of problems, but what exactly is the thinking behind that starting IX Buck Showalter trotted out? Jonathan Schoop at the top? Davis in the four spot? There is something wrong with Davis. Maybe it’s mental. Maybe it’s physical. Whatever it is, he cannot be playing everyday and he certainly shouldn’t be batting clean-up. He is a black hole from which an offensive rally will not survive.

Is the management of Chance Sisco annoying anyone else? It seems Showalter has just decided that a 23-year-old former top prospect is incapable of hitting left-handed pitching. Why, in this lost season, are we not trying to get him more at-bats against lefties to see what he is actually capable of doing? It makes sense to manage his innings as a rookie catcher, but it doesn’t mean he should automatically be replaced against every southpaw.

Links

The Memorial Day Deadline is here - The Warehouse
Your favorite Orioles podcast (just go along with it, OK?) has posted a new episode. They touch on all of the topics that you care about in Birdland. Was Jim Palmer in the wrong? Is the front office a mess? Who should the Orioles draft next week? You can subscribe on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn and YouTube.

Nick Markakis, Ryan Flaherty more than just Braves teammates - ESPN
As Andy Bernard once said “I wish there was a way to know you’re in the good old days before you’ve actually left them.”

There Are Still Some Positives For The Very Bad Orioles - Camden Depot
Even a blind baseball team sometime’s finds a run...or something like that.

Tap-In Question: Showalter in a Caps’ jersey: good, bad or who cares? - Baltimore Baseball
Yes, please. Let’s talk about anything but baseball right now. I actually mean it.

Five truths the Orioles must confront with Memorial Day passed - Baltimore Sun

1. Mustard is a sucker’s choice.
2. Ryan Flaherty would be this team’s third-best hitter.
3. That new Arctic Monkeys album is not good.
4. Manny Machado’s hair, while still bad, is growing on me.
5. No, those Men in Black memory erase things are not real, Dan

Orioles birthdays and history

Is it your birthday? Happy Birthday! Also celebrating is 35-year-old Jairo Asencio (2013, four games, 2.1 IP, 7.71 ERA), 50-year-old Mike Oquist (1993-1995, 47 games, 124 IP, 5.08 ERA) and 77-year-old John Miller (1962-1967, 46 games, 227 IP, 3.89 ERA).

Other famous birthdays: Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers (1943), singer/actress Idina Menzel (1971), professional baseball player Manny Ramirez (1972), musician CeeLo Green (1974) and soccer player Steven Gerrard (1980).

1806 - Andrew Jackson kills Charles Dickinson in a duel. Jackson would go on to be elected the seventh President of the United States.

1913 - Albania becomes an independent nation as the Treaty of London is signed.

1922 - Washington D.C.’s Lincoln Memorial is dedicated.

1974 - The Airbus A300 aircraft enters service.

1982 - Cal Ripken, Jr. begins his record-setting consecutive games played streak. The 21-year-old starts at third base and bats eighth in the order. The O’s lose 6-0 to the Blue Jays and manage just one hit (Rick Dempsey). Ripken goes 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout.