Thursday Bird Droppings: Another Orioles-Mariners doubleheader awaits

Hello, friends.

For the second time in three days, the Orioles and Mariners are going to play a doubleheader. Rain in Baltimore on Wednesday led to another postponement in the series. Since the Mariners are making just this one trip to Baltimore this year, that means a getaway day doubleheader. In 2021, that means, once again, two seven inning games. We just saw this two days ago, and here we are again.

The seven-inning doubleheader is one of those things that I hope does not continue beyond pandemic-affected seasons. It made sense last year when there was a scramble to even play a shortened season, and it makes sense this year as well given that pandemic-related game movement is still a risk, and every pitcher faces an unknown risk of ramping up for a six-month season after playing a two-month season.

For a similar reason, I think these doubleheaders are okay for the minor leagues. It simply doesn’t matter all that much if two Double-A teams play 14 innings of regulation baseball instead of 18. It benefits no one if minor leaguers who are poorly paid are run into the ground. I feel like the MLB clubs should have to deal with the challenges, though, rather than play games that are different from the usual game.

Another thing is that having the double whammy of the extra inning ghost runner that kicks in for the eighth inning in a doubleheader is just... weird. Again, for the minors, I like this rule. No one’s Low-A affiliate needs to play 17 innings. Once you get to the highest level, I think they should play the game until there’s a winner, without having different rules after a certain inning.

The doubleheader is single admission, starting at 12:35 today. Thursday’s originally scheduled game time was 1:05, so it’ll be starting sooner than was first planned. There will be 45 minutes between games.

In the posted lineup for Wednesday’s game, before the rainout, Trey Mancini was getting the night off, probably to get a little mental reset after he’s looked to be getting frustrated with some of his early struggles and bad luck. It won’t be a surprise if he’s out of at least the first game lineup today. I hope he can get things turned around. His return to the baseball field has been a great story on its own, but it’s going to be an even better story once he’s back and playing how he was when he left off.

Around the blogO’sphere

It’s talk about Ryan Mountcastle day! Or yesterday was, so today’s roundup reflects the same.

Ryan Mountcastle has had a rough start in left field. For the Orioles, his defense is still ‘a work in progress.’ (Baltimore Sun)
Of playing in the outfield, Mountcastle said, “I definitely am not where I want to be yet.” He will be continuing to work at it.

Sanders sees sufficient strides from Mountcastle in left field (School of Roch)
The Orioles outfield coach thinks that Mountcastle will be fine out there with time.

Ryan Mountcastle hopes his bat is starting to heat up (Steve Melewski)
That makes at least two of us. Mountcastle said, among other things, that he’s been “just trying to keep (his) head clear at the plate and keep (his) eyes on the ball.”

Sceroler goes on injured list, Lakins recalled (Baltimore Baseball)
They can’t all be about Mountcastle. The Orioles had a roster move even before yesterday’s postponements, with Rule 5 pick Mac Sceroler hitting the injured list with a shoulder impingement.

Nick Markakis epitomized reliability during memorable Orioles tenure (Press Box)
Press Box’s Matt Kremnitzer, whose young son called Cedric Mullins “Frederick Melons,” is thinking back on an Orioles great this week as the first MLB season since his retirement moves on.

Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries

Today in 1954, the Orioles played their first game in Baltimore. The team picked up a 3-1 victory over the White Sox. O’s catcher Clint Courtney held the distinction of hitting the first home run in Memorial Stadium.

In 2000, Cal Ripken Jr. joined the 3,000 hit club by picking up three hits in a 6-4 win over the Twins. Cal became the 24th player to join that club, and the seventh in the 3,000 hits, 400 home runs club. There are 32 players with 3,000+ career hits now, with 11 in the 3000 hits/400 HR club. Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera is 131 hits away from joining both lists.

There are a pair of former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2009-18 pitcher Chris Tillman, and 2009 first baseman Michael Aubrey.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: Renaissance man Leonardo da Vinci (1452), mathematician Leonhard Euler (1707), Gore-Tex co-inventor Robert W. Gore (1937), hint writer Heloise (1951), actress Emma Thompson (1959), movie man Seth Rogen (1982), and actress Emma Watson (1990).

On this day in history...

In 1071, Norman invaders led by Robert Guiscard captured the city of Bari in modern day southern Italy after a siege of about eight months. This ended a Byzantine Empire presence in southern Italy that had gone on for 536 years.

In 1450, the French won a decisive victory over the English in the Battle of Formigny, scattering the most significant English fighting force in France and leading towards the eventual French triumph - though still three years later - in the Hundred Years’ War.

In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln died after having been shot by John Wilkes Booth the previous day.

In 1912, the RMS Titanic sank at 2:20am, having hit an iceberg late the previous night. There were 710 survivors out of 2,224 passengers and crew.

In 1947, Jackie Robinson played his first game for the Brooklyn Dodgers, ending the color barrier in baseball.

In 1989, protests against the Chinese government broke out in Tiananmen Square in Beijing.

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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on April 15. Have a safe Thursday. Go O’s!