Sunday Bird Droppings: Where the Orioles are trying to avoid the sweep, again

Happy Sunday, Camden Chatters! What have you been up to this weekend? If you’re like the Orioles you spent the last few days giving up hundreds of home runs.

How many times can we talk about how the Orioles are on pace to obliterate the record for home runs allowed in a season? At least one more, because I’m about to. Let’s make note of the home-runs-allowed related records that Orioles have dealt with so far this season.

First, they allowed a home run in each of their first 16 games of the season, a record they merely tied with the 2009 Phillies. Then, last weekend, they passed the record for most home runs allowed before May 1st. The previous record was 50. Currently the Orioles sit at 69 with three games to go.

The most home runs allowed in any single month in baseball history before this season is 57, which the Athletics set in May 1964. If you take out the four home runs the Orioles allowed in three March games, they’re still well ahead of that. If things don’t slow down, the Orioles could hold the top five spots on that record list by the end of the season.

The most home runs allowed in one season is a record currently held by the 2016 Reds, who gave up 258. That seems laughably low compared to what the Orioles are doing, as they’re on pace for 399. Funnily enough, current O’s pitcher Dan Straily was on that 2016 team and gave up 31 home runs.

Yesterday’s game saw five more home runs allowed. The result was a 9-2 loss that Harrison Jozwiak watched so that you didn’t have to. You can check out his recap for the grisly details.

Today the Orioles and Twins wrap up their series at 2:10 p.m. with Dylan Bundy on the mound hoping to help his team avoid the season sweep.

Links

Orioles’ David Hess embraces temporary move to the bullpen - Baltimore Sun
Maybe he can help those guys out. Let’s face it, they could use some.

O's get good news on Mancini after blowout loss at Minnesota - Steve Melewski
Trey Mancini had to come out of the game after being hit by a pitch in the finger. But it looks like it won't result in a trip to the injured list.

Boy, 12, returns to game after being hit by a drunken driver - The Register Citizen
This doesn't really have to do with the Orioles, other than the subject being an Orioles fan. But it's a nice story about a home run hit by a young man who has been through a lot.

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

• Jackie Brandt, who played for the Orioles from 1960-1965. Brandt was an outfielder who appeared in 802 games for the Orioles before being traded to the Phillies for Jack Baldschun. Three days after he was acquired, Baldschun was included in the package sent to the Reds for Frank Robinson. Today is Brandt’s 85th birthday, so a very happy birthday to him.
• Jim Poole, who put together an 11-year career as a relief pitcher, including 123 games with the Orioles from 1991-1994. I remember being in middle school and getting his autograph at a baseball card show. Today is Poole’s 53rd birthday.
• Jimmy Myers, who made his major league debut at the age of 27 with the 1996 Orioles. Myers appeared in 11 games that season as a relief pitcher, his only major league experience. Myers turns 50 years old today.
• Sean Douglass, who appeared in 22 games from 2001-2003 with the Orioles. Today is his 40th birthday.
• Jim Miller, who appeared in eight games for the 2008 Orioles as a relief pitcher. He was traded to the Orioles in 2007 for Rodrigo Lopez. Today is his 37th birthday.

On this day in 1988, the Orioles lost their 21st game to start the season. They lost to the Twins, 4-2.

On this day in 2017, the Orioles blew a 9-1 lead against the Yankees and lost 14-11. I remember that game because I arrived at my Yankee fan BFF’s house in New Jersey just as Brad Brach blew the save. The next day we went to Yankee Stadium to watch Ubaldo Jimenez be terrible as the Orioles allowed double digit runs again.