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Happy Thursday, Camden Chatters! Baseball’s postseason is rolling on as we get deeper into the month of October. I look forward to the day that the Orioles are back in the group of teams playing in October, maybe we are just a few years away!
Yesterday in American League action, the Oakland Athletics came from behind to beat the Houston Astros and stay alive for another day. The Astros are now up 2-1 in the series so the A’s have their work cut out for them if they’re going to get to the ALCS. In the other American League game, the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Yankees to take a 2-1 lead. This is good news.
Over in the National League, the Braves beat the Marlins 2-0 and are close to advancing to their first NLCS since 2001. Nick Markakis had one of the Braves’ four hits, a double. He also threw out a runner at second. As for the Padres-Dodgers series, it didn’t end before I went to bed so you’ll have to Google it. Hopefully Manny Machado did something good!
There isn’t much going on in Birdland at the moment. The fall instructional camp is up and running but I don’t expect we’ll hear too much from them. And any player moves will wait until the postseason is over.
Links
In 2020, O's 'pen was good again - Steve Melewski
Melewski puts on the orange-tinted glasses to sing the praises of the 2020 Orioles bullpen.
Pat Valaika was Orioles' most pleasant surprise in 2020 - BaltimoreBaseball.com
Yesterday must have been Pat Valaika day as both Camden Chat and Baltimore Baseball wrote about him. Naming him "Most pleasant surprise" feels like a stretch.
60 years later, Brooks Robinson recalls flight to Boston where he met his wife – The Athletic
I think we could all use a lovely story, and here is one about the nicest Oriole in history.
Orioles With Something Extra To Prove In 2021 - PressBoxOnline.com
Matt Kremnitzer looks at some of the Orioles who will enter 2021 with something extra to prove as they compete for more playing time.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have four Orioles birthday buddies, but you may not remember any of them. Keith Reed turns 42 years old today. His entire major league career is made of up six games played for the 2005 Orioles.
It’s the 61st birthday for pitcher Mike Morgan. Morgan had a 22-season career on 12 different teams, including the 1988 Orioles! Enos Cabell played 15 season in the big leagues, playing in 115 games for the Orioles from 1972-74. Today he turns 71. And Bob Mabe appeared in two games with the O’s in 1960. He passed away in 2005 at the age of 75.
On this day in Orioles playoff history:
- In 1966, the Orioles won their third straight against the Dodgers to go up 3-0 in the World Series. Wally Bunker pitched a shutout and Paul Blair’s homer accounted for the only run.
- In 1973, the A’s beat the Orioles by a score of 6-3 in game two of the ALCS. Those jerks! I can’t believe I’m now rooting for them in the 2020 postseason. Dave McNally gave up four home runs in the loss.
- In 1974, lost to the A’s again! The 1-0 loss put them in a 1-2 series hole and they’d go on to lose the series the next day. Jim Palmer pitched a complete game, giving up just one run on a solo homer to Sal Bando. The Orioles offense had just two hits.
- In 1997, the Orioles beat the Indians 3-0 in game one of the ALCS. Brady Anderson hit a lead off home run and Roberto Alomar had a two-run dinger of his own as Scott Erickson pitched eight shutout innings and Randy Myers closed out the win with a perfect ninth.
- In 2012, the Orioles defeated the Yankees in game two of the ALDS. Wei-Yin Chen outpitched Andy Pettitte. Chris Davis had two RBI in the 3-2 win.