Sunday Bird Droppings: Where it’s time for the Super Bowl

Happy Super Bowl Sunday, Camden Chatters! This year’s Super Bowl is between a team that everyone hates and/or is tired of seeing and a team that is only there because of an egregious mistake by the referees, so it’s a little hard to get excited for them. And it feels like the past few years the commercials aren’t quite as enjoyable. But yet I’ll still be turning on the TV like some kind of chump to watch the game.

What are your plans? Will you go to a party? Have people over to your house? Sit alone and watch? What’s on the menu? I’m making jambalaya. Or will your Sunday be Super Bowl free?

One good thing about the Super Bowl is that as soon as it’s over, there will be nothing else to do but wait for baseball. I mean, I’ve been doing that for awhile now, even with our beloved team being thoroughly miserable in 2018 with promise of more in 2019. There are just nine days until pitchers and catchers report to spring training and 53 days until Opening Day.

It’s always about this time of year that I look forward to seeing what giveaways the Orioles promotions team has cooked up for the season, but so far nothing yet! Maybe they are still trying to coordinate dates for the Mike Mussina bobblehead, to be given out to all fans on the day that they invite Mussina to Baltimore for a number retiring ceremony. Another idea I’ve been pushing for years now is the Jim Palmer and Gary Thorne bobblehead. Maybe this is the year! It’s not like they have a lot of other options. I have lots of ideas.

Links

Being on 40-man roster only "small stepping stone" for Kline - School of Roch
“Guys don’t dream as kids saying, ‘My goal is to get on the 40-man.’ No, it’s to be in the big leagues. It’s a great opportunity, but at the same time the goal has not been reached."

Unpacking the Orioles current catching situation - Birds Watcher
So many catchers and none of them is Caleb Joseph.

Orioles' Kirvin Moesquit Is Off-Radar Player To Watch - The Runner Sports
Get to know 24th round pick Kirvin Moesquit. He is a base stealer!

On 'Analytics in Baseball Operations' panel, new executives Sig Mejdal, Koby Pérez outline Orioles' future | fredericknewspost.com
Jon Meoli breaks down this panel, which was held at FanFest last weekend. I look forward to the day that the methods now being employed by the Orioles are just considered regular business instead of something to ooh and ahh over.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have five Orioles birthday buddies. They are:

• Scott Klingenbeck, whose four-season major league career kicked off with one start for the Orioles in 1994. He followed that with six games in 1995 before he was traded to the Twins for a more memorable Oriole named Scott, Scott Erickson. He turns 48 years old today.
• Don Welchel, who pitched in 13 games in relief for the Orioles from 1982-83. Those 13 games makes up his entire MLB career. He turns 62 today.
• Fred Lynn, who is most well known for his time with the Boston Red Sox. Lynn was signed as free agent with the Orioles before the 1985 season and played for them through August 1988 when he was traded to the Tigers for Chris Hoiles. Lynn turns 67 today.
• Harry Byrd, who pitched in 14 games for the 1955 Orioles as part of his seven-year career. Born in 1925, he passed away in 1985 at the age of 60. Today would have been his 94th birthday.
• Jim Dyck, who played for both the St. Louis Browns and the Baltimore Orioles, with a stop in Cleveland in between. Dyck played outfield and third base for 72 games for the O’s from 1955-56. He passed away in 1999 at the age of 76. Today would have been his 97th birthday.