Wednesday Bird Droppings: Where the Orioles are reminding us that they are really bad

Good morning, Birdland!

Are you one of the people that was worried the Orioles would screw up this whole taking thing? They were all set o nab back-to-back first overall picks, and then they had to go and play pretty well in July and hold onto just about all of their intriguing trade chips. Welp, maybe these last two games against the Yankees will ease your mind.

The Yankees are one of the best teams in the league, so there is no shame in losing to them. But this is just the straight of a brutal stretch in the O’s schedule. They finish up with the Yankees today, then host the Houston Astros for three, followed by a four-game stop in the Bronx, then a weekend set with the Red Sox. And that doesn’t even mention games against the Rays and Nationals later in the month.

The Orioles are not going to have a .500 winning percentage in August. That doesn’t mean they will “beat” out the Detroit Tigers for the worst record in the league, but they should remain comfortable in the top three of next summer’s draft.

Links & Notes

Orioles Outfielder Bonked On The Head By Badly Misjudged Pop Fly -Deadspin
Of all the Baltimore Orioles in the world, these guys are the Baltimore Orioles-est.

Renato Nunez Drew Interest At Trade Deadline - MLB Trade Rumors
Sure, why not? Renato Nunez has oodles of team control remaining, and the guy can handle his business at the plate. There is obvious value there. But this is likely another situation where what other teams were offering probably provided the Orioles with limited upside. Again, they have no reason to trade a guy like Nunez unless they are blown away with an offer. Clearly, that did not happen.

The Astros May Have Salvaged Another Pitcher’s Career - FanGraphs
I’m mentioning this article because there is this guy named Mike Elias who used to work in the Houston Astros, and now he is in charge of the Orioles entire front office. Isn’t that neat? I’m willing to bet he picked up a thing or two while with the Astros, and maybe he will bring some of that to the Orioles and now they can be a place where pitching careers are rectified rather than smothered to death.

Grading Mike Elias’s first trade deadline with the Orioles (Ep. 40) - The Warehouse Podcast
Do you miss all of that sweet, sweet trade deadline analysis from last week? Well, here is an episode of my podcast where we take a look at the Mike Elias’s first season in charge of the Birds decision-making.

Orioles birthdays and history

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

Ryan Lavarnway, a catcher for 10 games on the 2015 Orioles, is 32. Another backstop, Geronimo Gil, an Oriole from 2001 through 2005, turns 44. Reliever Jason Grimsley from the 2004 and ‘05 O’s is 52 years old. And Don Larsen, an Oriole on two separate occasions (1954 & ‘65) is turning 90. We also want to give posthumous birthday shoutouts to Bob Alexander (b. 1922, d. 1993), Art Houtteman (b. 1927, d. 2003) and Tex Nelson (b. 1936, 2011).

1901 - Orioles first baseman Burt Hart is suspended for striking an umpire. Hart, 31 years old at the time, would never play in another game.

2016 - Orioles third baseman Manny Machado hits a three home runs in the first three innings of a 10-6 win over the White Sox.