Sunday Bird Droppings: The Orioles are tied for first place in the AL East

Hello, friends.

It’s official. The Orioles will not go 0-60 in the 2020 season. It took them only until the second game to pick up a win as they beat the Red Sox, 7-2. Check out Paul Folkemer’s recap of a game that saw Alex Cobb have a nice season debut and Hanser Alberto keep up his onslaught of singles and doubles against left-handed pitchers. And don’t forget to vote in the MBP poll!

What a difference a day makes. The Opening Day game could not have done much more to make an Orioles fan miserable. There was nothing good to say about it, unless it makes you feel better that they didn’t get shut out. Now it’s like, well, maybe there will be some fun moments this year. I don’t expect that today’s game, when Wade LeBlanc gets the start, will add to that, but you never know. The Red Sox rotation picture is a mess.

The Orioles are even tied for first place in the AL East right now. The Blue Jays and Rays split their first two games against one another, and the Yankees have gone 1-1 against the Nationals as well, so it’s a five-way tie for now. At least two and no more than three of the teams will be 2-1 at the end of the day. If something interesting happens today, maybe the Orioles will be one of the teams.

The one thing I’m waiting to see in this young season is for Chris Davis to show us a sign of life. It’s only been two games, so even in a 60-game season it’s too early to pronounce that he remains a failure. But it would be nice if he had been able to do something great right away so that he could change the narrative about himself with real game action.

Maybe Davis will hit two home runs today and do just that, but until he does, all the spring training and summer camp commentary about how he’s gained 30 pounds just doesn’t amount to much.

Around the blogO’sphere

Notes on lineup trend, bullpen, and more (School of Roch)
After Friday’s loss, Brandon Hyde put some relievers on notice that if they don’t throw strikes they might not stick around for long.

Updates on John Means, Hunter Harvey injuries (Orioles.com)
We’re going to get to see Means during the first Orioles home series. For Harvey, it sounds like it’s going to be a bit longer.

Cobb gets first win in nearly two years, leading Orioles to first win of season (Baltimore Baseball)
Cobb looked like his signature split-finger fastball was back in his arsenal on Saturday. If that continues in subsequent starts, the Orioles might have a little trade piece.

Orioles begin season aiming small, even with 16 playoff teams: ‘We’re a long ways away from that’ (Baltimore Sun)
You know there’s tanking going on when there’s not even lip service paid to how a 16-team playoff field opens doors for the O’s.

Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries

There is one current Oriole with a birthday today. Happy 28th birthday to Paul Fry.

Several former Orioles were also born on this day. They are: 2017 reliever Vidal Nuno, 2013 two-game pitcher Alex Burnett, 1962 reserve outfielder Pete Ward, 1964 four-gamer Lou Jackson, 1964-65 infielder Norm Siebern, 1955 five-game pitcher Bill Miller, and Baseball Hall of Famer, 1958-62 knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: playwright George Bernard Shaw (1856), psychiatrist Carl Jung (1875), actress Vivian Vance (1909), film auteur Stanley Kubrick (1928), Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger (1943), actress Helen Mirren (1945), gold medal figure skater Dorothy Hamill (1956), actress Sandra Bullock (1964), and gold medal snowboarder Kelly Clark (1983).

On this day in history...

In 1775, the Second Continental Congress established the office that would later become the United States Post Office, with Benjamin Franklin as the first Postmaster General.

In 1936, Germany and Italy joined the Spanish Civil War on the side of Francisco Franco.

In 1948, the U.S. military was desegregated by executive order of President Harry Truman.

In 1971, the Apollo 15 mission launched. This was the first lunar landing to feature the use of the lunar roving vehicle.

**

And that’s the way it is in Birdland on July 26. Have a safe Sunday. Go O’s!