Thursday Bird Droppings: Where the Orioles are still giving up homers

Hello, friends.

If there’s one thing that can be said about the current Orioles series against the Rays, it’s that this is probably about what was expected from the 2019 O’s. They’re not as good as a good team, and it shows in these games. It’s not awful. They’re not embarrassing defeats that make me want to wring my hands and think the Orioles will never play good baseball again. They’re just not playing good baseball right now.

After last night’s 8-1 loss, the Orioles are 7-12. It’s not a good record. It’s still better than last year, when they were 7-20 at one point in time. Things never got better from that. The 2019 squad gives me some hope that they may actually win ten or more games in a calendar month, which the 2018 team never did. It’s one of the many absurd yet true things about those moribund losers.

Check out Stacey Folkemer’s recap of the loss if you didn’t see it for yourself. I’ll give you a preview: Homers, homers, homers. And it wasn’t the Orioles hitting them. The O’s have now allowed a positively ridiculous 44 home runs through their first 19 games. The weather isn’t even warm yet! Who knows what will happen in July and August?

The last two losses leave the Orioles 7.5 games back of the first place Rays. That doesn’t matter so much since it’s not like the O’s were ever competing for the division this year. What’s interesting is that they’re tied for third, with the Blue Jays, and still a game ahead of the last place Red Sox. Across all of MLB, there are five teams who have a worse record than the O’s. They may not run away with the 2020 #1 pick after all.

Mike Mussina was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame 86 days ago. The Orioles have not announced any plans to retire his jersey or erect his statue at Camden Yards.

Around the blogO’sphere

Brandon Hyde: A day in the life of a big league manager (Fangraphs)
This is a great read. Brandon Hyde’s life seems to involve a bit less of Siberian prisons, so his day’s got that going for him over Ivan Denisovich.

The Orioles are better than last year, and Hyde thinks they can be even better (Baltimore Baseball)
The last couple of games against the Rays have put a dent somewhat in my belief that this year’s Orioles are better than last year’s Orioles, but still, I think it’s been true so far.

Orioles option Austin Wynns to Triple-A Norfolk (School of Roch)
The good news for Austin Wynns is that he’s healthy now. The bad news for him is that’s not good enough to get him back to Baltimore.

Former Oriole Hyun Soo Kim’s ties to Baltimore evident in Korean Under Armour commercial (Baltimore Sun)
Na na nanana!

Birthdays and anniversaries

There are a pair of former Orioles with birthdays today. They are: 1987-88 reserve Pete Stanicek, and 1986 reliever Rich Bordi. If you remember either of these fellows, give yourself a cookie.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Your birthday buddies for today include: lawyer Clarence Darrow (1857), actor Rick Moranis (1953), funny man Conan O’Brien (1963), actor David Tennant (1971), and actress Melissa Joan Hart (1976).

On this day in history...

In 1775, Paul Revere went on his midnight ride to warn of the British march from Boston to Concord, a march that would, the next day, lead to the first battles of the Revolutionary War.

In 1847, during the Mexican-American War, the Americans were victorious in the Battle of Cerro Gordo, which opened the way for an invasion of the rest of Mexico. The Mexican general, Santa Anna, had to flee the field without his artificial leg. You can find the leg today at a museum in Springfield, Illinois.

In 1942, during World War II, 16 American bombers launched from the USS Hornet to attack mainland Japan, including Tokyo. The last survivor of the 80 Doolittle’s Raiders, Doolittle’s co-pilot Lt. Col. Richard Cole, passed away on April 9 of this year at the age of 103.

In 1983, the American embassy to Lebanon was destroyed by a suicide bomber. There were 63 people killed, including 17 Americans.

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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on April 18 - or at least, until something happens later when the Orioles play the Rays. Have a safe Thursday. Go O’s!