Monday Bird Droppings: Where we’re basking in an unlikely series win

So, how about those Orioles? The team that many consider to be the worst in baseball went into Boston this weekend and came away with a 2-1 series win and a share of first place in the A.L. East. Not bad for a bunch of guys nobody in Baltimore would recognize walking down the street!

Yesterday’s game wasn’t as decisive a win as the one the O’s picked up on Saturday, but it’s probably too much to expect for two easy wins in a row. Starter Wade LeBlanc’s pitching line would a lot better if Miguel Castro could have stranded the runners he left on base, but as it was LeBlanc was charged with four runs.

Thankfully, the mighty Orioles offense was too much for the Red Sox and our guys came away with a 7-4 win. You can read all about the feelgood series clincher in Tyler Young’s game recap. Don’t forget to vote for MBP! I went with Jose Iglesias. He had four hits!

Next the Orioles head to Florida for two games with the Miami Marlins. That brings us to the “should these guys even be playing?” portion of our story. The Marlins yesterday had possibly four positive COVID-19 tests on their team. Those who tested positive will remain in Philadelphia to quarantine and the rest of the team has postponed their flight back to Miami and will return just hours before tonight’s first pitch.

It sounds like this development isn’t changing any plans for MLB or for the Orioles to travel to Miami.

Links

Orioles' Alex Cobb showed Boston why he could be an Aug. 31 target - Yahoo! Sports
Could Alex Cobb pitch well enough to get himself traded from the Orioles? A few more starts like he had this weekend and the answer could be yes.

Orioles leave Boston with two wins - School of Roch
Roch Kubatko has your game wrap up and quotes from players and Brandon Hyde on yesterday's game an Hyde's thoughts on traveling to Miami.

What the New Playoffs Format Means for the Baltimore Orioles - Birds Watcher
If someone asked me what the new playoff format meant for the Orioles, my answer would be that it means nothing. Our friends over at Birds Watcher are trying to to be a little more optimistic.

Remembering the Orioles’ 1970 World Series title: O’s edge Detroit, 3-2, on Opening Day - Baltimore Sun
The Sun is dusting off some of its old stories to commemorate the 50 year anniversary of the 1970 world series champion Orioles. Here is a recap of Opening Day, a game they won in extra innings.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have four Orioles birthday buddies. Rich Dauer, recently unveiled as Camden Chat’s 46th greatest Oriole, turns 68 years old today. It’s also the birthday of everyone’s favorite Rule 5 pick, Ryan Flaherty. Flaherty, who retired as a player to take a job with the Padres this season, is turning 34.

Floyd Rayford, who spent six of his seven major league seasons with the Orioles, is 63. And Preston Guilmet, who I have no recollection of, turns 33. Guilmet appeared in ten games with the 2014 A.L. East champs.

On this day in baseball history, courtesy of Baseball Reference:

• In 1927, Mel Ott hit the first of 511 major league home runs. Unlike the other 510 homers of his career, this one is an inside-the-parker.
• In 1938, the Tigers’ Hank Greenberg hits home runs in each of his first two plate appearances. He also homered in the last two plate appearances the day before, giving him four straight home runs.
• In 1973, Jim Palmer took a no-hitter into the eighth inning before losing it on a single to George Hendrick. Palmer had to settle for a one-hit shutout as the Orioles beat Cleveland, 9-0.
• In 1999, the Mets and Pirates kick off “Turn Ahead the Clock Night,” possibly the dumbest promotion MLB has come up with yet. Here is the description from Baseball Reference: “The futuristic theme is carried out throughout the evening, with the scoreboard flashing computerized photos of the players as each comes to the plate. Rickey Henderson, for example, is given three eyes and pointy ears, and plays “left quadrant.” Al Martin hits the first of his two home runs in the 1st “sector,” and rookie Kris Benson goes the distance for the win.