Saturday Bird Droppings: Two Orioles games for the price of one

Hello, friends.

You know what’s fun? When the Orioles win games. They could have easily rolled over and lost last night. They went just 2-15 with runners in scoring position. They committed two errors on the same play. They weren’t very far having it be one of those games full of stupid things happening. And yet, they didn’t lose. They went on to beat the Blue Jays, 6-3. Check out Tyler Young’s recap for the lovely totals.

Friday’s win was even more satisfying because the Orioles kept the Blue Jays out of a playoff spot by winning. The Yankees were losers on Friday (they’re losers every day, of course, but on Friday they specifically lost their baseball game) which would have allowed the Jays to move into the second wild card spot if they had beaten the Orioles.

Instead, their Cy Young candidate pitcher Robbie Ray wilted in a crucial game against the crummy O’s, all while suffering withering rebukes from manager Brandon Hyde. Apparently, based on postgame comments made by Ray, he and/or the Jays believed the Orioles were stealing signs. To that accusation, I have only three letters in response: LOL

Had the Orioles blown this game, knocking the Yankees out of a postseason spot would have been a nice silver lining. Yet still, it’s more fun to see the O’s play spoiler. If the Jays look back at season’s end and wish they’d had one more win, I have no pity for them if some of those wished-for wins came against the Orioles. If you can’t beat this team in September, you don’t deserve whatever playoff spot you’re aiming for. To lose the game and then suggest the 94-loss team is successfully stealing your signs is almost unfathomably pathetic.

The win was the 46th of the season for the O’s. They need to win just two of their final 22 games to ensure that they do not become the worst Orioles team in history. No one should hold their breath, because we all know that this team is fully capable of going 1-21, but hopefully they will not. At present, they’re on pace to end up 53-109.

A doubleheader awaits today. It’s two games for the price of one, although when the two games are only seven innings apiece, that saying isn’t quite true because you’re not getting two full, real games. The fun, or at least the first game, is scheduled to get going at 4:35. If Orioles fans are lucky, the outcome of one or both of these games will generate more whining from the Jays.

Around the blogO’sphere

Harvey, Lopez shut down for the season (School of Roch)
Hyde told reporters before yesterday’s game that Matt Harvey and Jorge Lopez are done for the season. Bruce Zimmermann may still pitch another game for the O’s this year, though.

Rutschman homers to prevent shutout (Orioles.com)
Adley Rutschman hit his 21st home run of the season in last night’s Norfolk loss. That’s good news for anyone who answered “Yes” to “Will Adley Rutschman hit more than 20 home runs across all levels?” in this year’s Camden Chat preseason prediction contest.

Orioles prospect Johnny Rizer: Playing for Baysox has been an ‘amazing time’ (Press Box)
Rizer isn’t one of the better-known prospects in the system, but he’s a guy who’s been given a chance to prove himself this season and he’s had some big moments for the Double-A team.

‘Is that ever going to be me?’ At age 32, Manny Barreda’s major league debut with Orioles even more special (The Baltimore Sun)
One thing that the Orioles have done a bunch in 2021 is give a chance for minor league journeymen to make an MLB debut. I thought they had gone through all of the possible options, but then they snuck Barreda onto the team this week.

Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries

Two years ago today, Jonathan Villar homered hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning on the way to a 7-3 Orioles win over the Dodgers. This was a record-setting home run, as it was the 6,106th home run of the season across MLB, breaking a record that had just been set in 2017. Entering Friday’s games, teams had hit 5,123 home runs so far in 2021.

This is a big day for birthdays for players who played for the 2021 Orioles and were later designated for assignment, as all of Domingo Leyba (turning 26), Evan Phillips (27), and Shawn Armstrong (31) were born today. So were 2018-19 pitcher Andrew Cashner, and 1957-58 four-gamer Eddie Miksis.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday to you! Your birthday buddies for today include: author D.H. Lawrence (1885), Styx frontman Tommy Shaw (1953), actress Taraji P. Henson (1970), rapper Ludacris (1977), and Hall of Fame Baltimore Raven Ed Reed (1978).

**

And that’s the way it is in Birdland on September 11. Have a safe Saturday. Go O’s!