Wednesday Bird Droppings: Where the Orioles are almost done playing the Yankees

Good morning, Birdland!

The Orioles have been really bad against just about every team they have played this season, but no opponent has caused more pain and suffering for the Birds than the AL East-leading New York Yankees.

Last night saw the O’s lose their 15th straight contest against the Bombers. It was ugly and yet very predictable. As Brandon Hyde has said so many times before, the Orioles simply aren’t as good as the Yankees. They have better players and likely will continue to for quite some time.

Today’s game against the Yankees will, mercifully, be the final time that these two sides face off in 2019. Like some sort of cruel joke, the Orioles will play the Yanks to open the 2020 season. Will the Yankees be coming off a World Series-winning campaign made possible by a bunch of no-name players that suddenly become Superman when they don the pinstripes? Almost certainly.

Links & Notes

MLB Should Threaten Tanking Teams With Relegation - SI.com
I really enjoy Premier League soccer. I like waking up on Saturday mornings and having some compelling professional sports while enjoying a bowl of cereal. But you know what happens in the Premier League? One of the same six teams wins the league every season with the (very) occasional Cinderella mixed in. If you institute promotion and relegation you would have the same thing in MLB, where the Yankees, Red Sox and Dodgers win most seasons because they have the budget to support annual playoff runs.

Despite The Rumors, Orioles Will Almost Assuredly Remain In Baltimore - Forbes
Yeah, no duh.

O’s bullpen veterans pitch in to make newcomers feel comfortable - Baltimore Baseball
I mean, most of the guys out in that bullpen are newcomers. But that does seem to be the nature of modern baseball. The pitching load is spread across more arms, and that usually means bring players up and down with more frequency. The life of a professional reliever is not an easy one.

Former Oriole Doug DeCinces gets time served for insider trading - Baltimore Sun
I won’t pretend to know the ins and outs of this case. It sounds like DeCinces did some fishy stuff and he deserved some kind of punishment. Moving on!

Orioles birthdays and history

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

Tommy Shields, an infielder for two games on the 1992 Orioles, turns 55 today. Also turning 55 is Mark Leonard, an Orioles outfielder for 10 games in 1993. And Mike Cook, an O’s pitcher for 10 games during the ‘93 season, is 56.

1973 - The Orioles beat the Texas Rangers 12-10. Don Baylor goes 5-for-5 at the plate and now has nine hits in his last two games.

1976 - Reggie Jackson and Lee May both hit grand slams as the O’s sweep a double-header against the White Sox.

2009 - Felix Pie becomes the fourth player in Orioles history to hit for the cycle. The Birds beat the Angels 16-6 while also setting team records with 12 extra-base hits and nine doubles in one game.