Tuesday Bird Droppings: Where just five Orioles games remain

Good morning, Camden Chatters.

There’s less than a week of Orioles baseball remaining in 2019. After games like last night’s, that’s probably for the best.

If you didn’t catch that utterly ridiculous affair between the Orioles and Blue Jays, Stacey’s recap captured it in all its, um, glory.

I don’t know about you, but I’m at the point of the season where I’m not super jazzed about staying up until the wee hours of the morning to watch two lousy teams repeatedly try to give away the game. I get that a back-and-forth, 15-inning game should, on paper, be tense and thrilling and emotional. But once you’re 157 games deep into the season, it’s hard to really muster up the passion and fervor. No offense, Orioles.

Just five games remain. The O’s have two more in Toronto and then head to Boston for the final three. Perhaps, after some time has passed, I’ll look back and say, “You know who I miss? The 2019 Orioles.” Right now, though? I think it’s about the right time to close the book on this season.

Links

Orioles GM Mike Elias is ruffling some feathers as he continues overhauling Baltimore’s organization - CBS Sports
R.J. Anderson references B.J. Surhoff’s recent criticism of Mike Elias in the Athletic, and comes to the conclusion that Elias is “treating people poorly” and being “a jerk.” I’ve read that Surhoff interview, and I really don’t see evidence that Elias acted like a jerk at all. Fired people generally don’t like getting fired, but that doesn’t mean Elias handled it poorly.

Hyde on Hays making push for 2020 spot and more (game update) - Steve Melewski
Talk about a well-timed article. Steve Melewski’s piece about Austin Hays’ breakout came before Hays added another two home runs and a couple of nifty defensive plays to his already impressive September ledger.

Mancini ‘not afraid’ to become O’s new leader - Orioles.com
I’m old enough to remember when Trey Mancini was just a rookie. Because it was two years ago. It’s weird to think that he’s now the grizzled veteran leader of the Orioles, but here we are.

Mancini chosen as AL Player of the Week - School of Roch
Speaking of Mancini, his last week was pretty, pretty good. And MLB took notice.

Can John Means Keep It Going For Orioles In 2020? - PressBoxOnline.com
So just what is the secret behind John Means’ magical 2019 season? Matt Kremnitzer offers his analysis, while also getting in a dig at people who make puns on the guy's last name. This Means war, Kremnitzer!

Orioles birthdays and history

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Your most high-profile O’s birthday buddy is Rafael Palmeiro (55), one of the most prolific sluggers in club history, who ranks seventh on the team’s all-time list in home runs (223) and eighth in RBIs (701). With his 569 career homers and 3,020 career hits, Palmeiro was well on his way to the Hall of Fame until...well, you know. The steroids thing. Palmeiro attempted a comeback at age 53 last year, hitting .301 with six homers in 31 games for the independent Cleburne Railroaders. Shockingly, that wasn’t enough to get him signed by a major league team.

Other Orioles born on this day include first baseman Kevin Millar (48), infielder Jesse Garcia (46), six-gamer Travis Ishikawa (36), and the late outfielder Curt Motton, who would have been 79 today.

Sept. 24 has been a big day for the Orioles clinching playoff spots. On this date in 1971, the O’s clinched the AL East by sweeping the Indians in a doubleheader, with both Mike Cuellar and Pat Dobson notching their 20th win of the season (part of the Orioles’ record four 20-game winners that year). The doubleheader sweep came during the Orioles’ 11-game winning streak to end the regular season.

And on this day in 1997, the Orioles sewed up the AL East pennant, and a wire-to-wire season in first place, with a 9-3 victory in Toronto. The aforementioned Rafael Palmeiro smacked a pinch-hit, two-run homer in the seventh and later added an RBI double.