Wednesday Bird Droppings: Nothing is working for the Orioles

Good morning Birdland,

Will the Orioles win another baseball game this season? Considering they have 44 more chances the odds are heavily in their favor, but it’s not entirely crazy to think that it might not happen.

The team has dropped 13 straight contests. The margin of defeat in those games has never been smaller than three runs, and is often quite large, losing by five of more runs eight different times. Eight! Drew recapped the latest catastrophe.

The Orioles are being blown out on a nightly basis, and it is not any fun to watch. No one could blame you for flipping over to alternative programming. Perhaps other, more entertaining baseball, or the new season of Ted Lasso, or even the dreck that is preseason football. The point is you have options, and you have to be some degree of masochist to keep watching this Orioles team at this point.

Of course, if you are a masochist simply for watching this team, what does that make me? A person that not only watches the team, but writes a handful of blogs and hosts a low-budget podcast about the team every single week? Perhaps the answer is something I should discuss with a therapist rather than the internet.

Links & Notes

New Orioles draft picks give Delmarva lineup a total makeover, and a big night: ‘It’s like the season is starting all over again’ | The Baltimore Sun
I know MiLB TV is a service that is available, but it would be neat if the Orioles could broadcast some of their minor league affiliates on MASN. It would be better to watch than what the Orioles have been doing most of the summer. Heck, let the Shorebirds play at Camden Yards while the Orioles host AL East foes at Perdue Stadium. It seems fair.

Orioles Release Stevie Wilkerson | MLBTradeRumors.com
It is possible that Stevie Wilkerson’s opportunities in Major League Baseball have run out. If that is the case, the guy has got a pretty nifty highlight real for a player with -0.7 bWAR. He made that crazy catch at Fenway, and he recorded a save against the Angels. Plus, he had the nickname “Dr. Poo Poo,” which is a legacy all on its own.

His stats have fallen off, but O’s remain bullish on Gunnar Henderson | Steve Melewski
As they should! Gunnar Henderson was young for his draft class, and he is still just 20 years old. That’s nearly three years younger than the average player in High-A East. The infielder certainly has not mastered the level yet, but there is plenty of time for that to come.

Orioles’ Mountcastle returns as Mancini sits down because of calf injury; Gonzalez talks fundamentals | Baltimore Baseball
It’s nice to have Ryan Mountcastle back in the lineup. It has not been an ideal rookie season for the 24-year-old, but has grown into his role and has improved as the season has gone on. He still looks like the sort of mid-order power threat the Orioles hoped he would be.

Orioles birthdays

Is it your birthday? Happy birthday!

• Josh Rupe turns 39. The right-handed pitcher played in nine games for the 2011 Orioles, allowing nine runs over 14.1 innings.
• The late Bob Kennedy (d. 2005) was born on this day in 1920. An outfielder and third baseman, Kennedy spent two seasons with the O’s from 1954 through 1955.

Orioles history

1965 - Brooks Robinson hits into the third triple play of his career, tying the mark of George Sisler who did the same across 1921, ‘22, and ‘26. The O’s still beat the Red Sox 3-2.

1972 - The O’s send catcher Elrod Hendricks to the Cubs for outfielder/first baseman Tommy Davis.

2016 - In a 13-5 defeat of the Astros, the Orioles smack six home runs, two each from J.J. Hardy and Chris Davis, to draw within 1.5 games of the first-place Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East.

2017 - Manny Machado hits three home runs, including a walk-off grand slam to beat the Angels 9-7.