Wednesday’s Bird Droppings: Where at least the Orioles signed their first-round draft pick

Morning, Birdland!

It’s always strange the way that an amateur draft can inject a minute amount of hope into a completely hopeless situation. Grayson Rodriguez is only 18 years old, and he’s practically eons away from pitching in Baltimore, but his mere presence is exciting.

However, pitching, for once, is not the Orioles major problem. Bring Manny Machado pack into the fold. Sit Chris Davis on the bench. Bat future club legend Joey Rickard lead-off. Nothing works! This team is incapable of scoring more than a couple of runs a night. The four runs they plated in last night’s 6-4 loss to the Red Sox qualifies as an outburst for this squad.

Links

Introducing Orioles first round draft pick, Grayson Rodriguez - Baltimore Sun
Stop the presses! Something GOOD has happened to the baseball team in Baltimore. That good thing is that they signed an 18-year-old who may eventually be good. Glass half-full, people.

These ‘No O’ Orioles are brutally bad - Baltimore Baseball
Is it possible to demote an entire roster?

Orioles’ Andrew Cashner heads to disabled list - ESPN
There were a bunch of roster moves prior to Tuesday’s game. Andrew Cashner hits the DL, Yefrey Ramirez comes up from Triple-A. It is between Ramirez and Miguel Castro to start on Wednesday. At this point, that qualifies as an exciting storyline!

If Duquette is ready to focus on future, what’s the Orioles’ holdup? - Baltimore Sun
Do you like Dan Duquette quotes? This piece has GOT Duquette quotes!

Looking for a new Baltimore Orioles podcast? - Camden Depot
My podcast, The Warehouse, is partnering with Camden Depot! Woo! Not much is changing, but you can now head over to the Depot every Tuesday morning to get the latest episode. This week: Jesse is confused by the internet, I’m confused by IHOb, Chris Davis circles the drain, Ryan McKenna is crushing it and the O’s drafted some guys. Listen on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Podbean and TuneIn. A five-star review would be awesome too! Thanks for putting up with my self-promotion.

Orioles birthdays and history

Is it your birthday? Happy Birthday!

Pedro Strop celebrates his 33rd birthday today. The reliever came to Baltimore in 2011 in a trade that sent Mike Gonzalez to the Texas Rangers. From 2011 through 2013, Strop pitched to a 3.30 ERA in 101 innings out of the O’s bullpen before being traded, along with Jake Arrieta, to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Scott Feldman and a racist catcher.

Ernie Whitt turns 66 today. The backstop played in 35 games for the 1991 Birds and hit .242/.329/.274 in his final season in the bigs. And it is a posthumous celebration for Tom Gastall, a catcher for the 1955 and ‘56 O’s who passed away in September of ‘56 when the plane he was piloting crashed into the Chesapeake Bay. Over 52 career games, Gastall hit .181/.242/.217.

Other notable birthdays: Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo (1970), actor Chris Evans (1981), actress Kat Dennings (1986), soccer player Keisuke Honda (1986) and famous twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (1986).

1966 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Miranda v. Arizona establishes the Miranda rights, police must inform suspects of their rights before questioning them.

1967 - Baltimore’s own Thurgood Marshall is nominated by U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson to become the first black justice on the Supreme Court.

1983 - Pioneer 10, an American space probe that was launched in 1972, passes Neptune’s orbit and becomes the first man-made object to leave the central Solar System.

1999 - The O’s set a franchise record for runs scored, beating the Atlanta Braves 22-1 at Turner Field.