Wednesday Bird Droppings: It’s back to the field for the Orioles

Good morning, Birdland!

Major League Baseball is making it pretty clear that they are going to do whatever it takes to get through this 60-game regular season, and they aren’t gonna let all those fancy protocols and recommended processes get in the way either.

On Tuesday, the league did make a good decision to keep the Miami Marlins away from any other team for the rest of the week, at least. Not that it should have been a difficult decision to make in the first place. After all, epidemiologists were publicly saying that Maryland governor Larry Hogan should prevent the Marlins from even entering the state. And the “vast majority” of players on the Washington Nationals, who were supposed to be the Marlins opponent over the weekend, were against traveling to Miami at all.

As a result, the Orioles will instead play two games against the New York Yankees at Camden Yards, with the series starting tonight. The four postponed games against the Marlins will (hopefully) take place later in the summer.

If MLB wants to have any chance at getting through the remainder of this season, they need to get serious. The league and player’s association could not come to an agreement on a “bubble” approach like is being used in the NWSL, MLS, NBA, WNBA and NHL (none of which have experienced the same issues with positive tests that MLB is facing).

Without such a bubble, and MLB leadership seeming more or less unfazed by an outbreak within one of their 30 franchises, the onus falls to the players, coaches, staff and all people interacting with those folks on a daily basis. They are the ones who need to be responsible, limit outside exposure and follow all protocols both on and off the field.

Links & Notes

Superfan ‘Mo’ Gaba dies, will join O’s HOF - Orioles.com
This is extremely sad. Mo had become a huge part of the Baltimore sports world over the last few years. He had formed friendships with Adam Jones and Trey Mancini among others on both the Orioles and Ravens. And he did it all will showing off an infectious laugh. The Orioles inducting him into the team Hall of Fame is a nice gesture that will allow his life to be celebrated by future generations.

Davis: “I would say I’m definitely a little bit more concerned” - School of Roch
The bit of news that comes from this is that Davis will be wearing a mask in the field. But his quotes here are also enlightening and gives an interesting perspective than many players likely echo. Things get scary when something hits close to home. It would seem that seeing another organization go through this has turned a few heads around the league.

Yankees vote unanimously to resume schedule vs. Orioles - ESPN
While the agreement between MLB and the MLBPA does not give the players any power when it comes to deciding whether or not to play games, make no mistake that the players do, in fact, have loads of leverage here. They should continue to wield that power.

Orioles birthday

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

No past or present Orioles have been born on this day, but some non-Orioles of note have been, like TV host Tim Gunn (b. 1953), singer Martina McBride (b. 1966) and former Dodgers pitcher Chad Billingsley (b. 1984).

Orioles history

1988 - The O’s acquire outfielder Brady Anderson and pitcher Curt Schilling from the Red Sox in exchange for hurler Mike Boddicker.

1997 - Harold Baines becomes an Oriole for the second time in his career after the club purchases his services from the Chicago White Sox.

2000 - In a trade with the White Sox, the O’s add catcher Brook Fordyce and three minor league pitchers while sending catcher Charles Johnson and DH Harold Baines to the south side of Chicago

2000 - Orioles reliever Mike Timlin is dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals in a swap for first baseman Chris Richard and pitcher Mark Nussbeck

2010 - Buck Showalter is announced as the new manager of the Baltimore Orioles, replacing interim boss Juan Samuel on August 3rd.