Saturday’s Bird Droppings: Where the Orioles are looking for their first August win

Good morning, Birdland!

Did any of us expect the Orioles experience a non-losing month during this season? Coming into 2019, it was pretty clear that the level of talent on this roster was substantially lower than the roster assembled at the start of 2018. And yet those 2018 guys were just awful, and came nowhere near a winning month.

These Orioles, on the other hand, just wrapped up a 12-12 month of July. It was fun. It was good baseball. And it made the current rebuild a little easier to handle. But that month is over now, and we turn to August. August is not going nearly as well.

In two games so far, the O’s have scored just four runs while allowing 16. The bats have fallen asleep, and the arms haven’t been any better. But alas, it is just a pair of games. There is nowhere to go but up from here.

Links

Dillon Tate impresses Hyde; Sisco slumping; Wilkerson resting sore knee - Baltimore Baseball
Just sort of an update piece here with a bunch of Brandon Hyde quotes. Nothing earth shattering. Sounds like the club has seen a lot of improvement from Dillion Tate since spring training. Once again, it is an example of this crew just knowing how to handle young pitchers better than the previous regime.

Mancini Extension Not A Near-Term Priority For Orioles - MLBTradeRumors
This makes sense. Trey Mancini is a good player and he has oodles of team control remaining. The Orioles shouldn’t feel pressured to do anything with him at this time apart from offering a raise through arbitration this offseason. Mike Elias has been pretty upfront about everything, and he was yet again by saying that he isn’t looking to extend anyone, not just Mancini.

Little things make big difference for Martin - MLB.com
It’s no secret that Richie Martin has struggled at the plate in his debut season. So, it seems like the Orioles are going to do something a little different with him and go old school.

Orioles birthdays and history

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

Your favorite sunflower seed-eating slugger, Mark Reynolds, turns 36 years old today. The O’s acquired Reynolds in a 2010 trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for relievers David Hernandez and Kam Mickolio. Reynolds then played in 290 games for the Orioles between 2011 and 2012. In that time, he hit .221/.328/.458 with 60 home runs while playing first and third base for the O’s first playoff team in 14 years.

Also turning another year old today is Dick Hyde, a pitcher for the O’s during the 1961 season. Hyde appeared in 15 games and accrued a 5.57 ERA and 15 strikeouts over 21 total innings. He is 91 years old.

1969 - Dave McNally’s streak of 17 straight wins is ended in a 5-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins. McNally now has a 15-1 record on the season. He would go on to finish fourth in the Cy Young voting.

1970 - The O’s beat the Kansas City Royals for the 23rd consecutive time, a major league record.

1977 - Orioles switch-hitting rookie Eddie Murray hits a home run from each side of the plate in a 10-inning win over the Oakland Athletics.