Monday Bird Droppings: Where the Orioles actually won a game

Hello, friends.

Another day has dawned with the Orioles in last place in the American League East. They trail both the Yankees and Red Sox by 27.5 games and they also trail the tied-for-third Rays and Blue Jays by 12.5 games. Are we having fun yet?

Sunday’s game was fun, as a matter of fact. If you missed it because you were doing something with your dad, that’s okay. You only missed the O’s finally winning a game! Let’s hope they didn’t use up all of their runs for the next month in hitting double digit runs. You can read Ben Hansford’s recap of the game for the lovely totals. Don’t forget to vote in the MBP poll! They are so rarely seen this season.

The 2018 Orioles cling to an edge over the 1988 team’s record through this point. The 1988 O’s were losers in their 70th game, falling to the Blue Jays, 4-2, to drop to 19-51 on the season. Jeff Ballard went the distance for the Orioles, giving up four runs on nine hits and three walks. It just wasn’t enough to win when the O’s themselves only got six hits. They did not win their 20th game until they were 20-52.

However, the 2018 O’s are going to have to win some games eventually or they won’t stay ahead of the 1988 team for long. The current version of the O’s are on track to win just 46 games - eight fewer than the 1988 squad. Sheesh.

The O’s cannot lose since they do not play today. No promises about Tuesday, when they will face their TV money-grubbing neighbors to the south.

Around the blogO’sphere

Caleb Joseph rejoining the Orioles with Chance Sisco optioned (School of Roch)
The Orioles appear to have chosen to option Sisco to the minors after Buck Showalter finished his post-game remarks yesterday, so no reason has been offered as of yet for this decision.

Duquette on report that O’s are interviewing other executives: ‘My understanding is it’s not true’ (Baltimore Baseball)
Man, this is just kind of sad.

The Orioles replaced a fan’s damaged Brian Roberts picture (Orioles.com)
This is what passes for good news around Birdland right now.

Father’s Day: Kevin Gausman learns lessons in persistence, patience from his dad (Baltimore Sun)
Gausman’s dad was a college football referee for 25 years. Better than being a ref for your kid’s chosen sport! I still remember one time my dad called me out on strikes as a volunteer little league umpire.

The connection between the Orioles and a legendary Mexican baseball team (ESPN)
This is just a lovely story that you should see for yourself if you didn’t come across it over the weekend.

Chris Davis might be having the worst season ever (Fangraphs)
It’s a sad time that the most intriguing storyline is figuring out when the highest paid player on the team will actually be allowed to play again.

Birthdays and anniversaries

In 2007, the Orioles fired manager Sam Perlozzo, replacing him with Dave Trembley, who made it for almost three years before getting fired himself.

One erstwhile Oriole has a birthday today: Happy 32nd to Caleb Joseph. It seems that his present for his birthday is that he is returning to the big leagues to be on the same team as his brother for a little while! Though the official move may not be made until after his birthday. Today is also the birthday of 2003 reserve Carlos Mendez.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Your birthday buddies for today include: philanthropist Henry Clay Folger (1857), baseball Hall of Famer Lou Brock (1939), film critic Roger Ebert (1942), and singer-songwriter Blake Shelton (1976).

On this day in history...

In 618, Sui dynasty chancellor Li Yuan overthrew the puppet Chinese emperor and founded his own dynasty, the Tang, which reigned for three centuries.

In 1429, a Joan of Arc-led French army defeated the English in the Battle of Patay, swinging the Hundred Years’ War towards an eventual French victory.

In 1873, Susan B. Anthony was fined $100 after having attempted to vote in the 1872 presidential election.

In 1940, after the fall of France to Nazi Germany, Free French leader Charles de Gaulle issued his Appeal of 18 June, an appeal for the French people to continue to resist the Germans.

In 1983, astronaut Sally Ride became the first woman in space in a mission on the Challenger space shuttle.

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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on June 18 - or at least, unless something happens later, which you never know, it might. Have a safe Monday.