Sunday Bird Droppings: The Orioles’ playoff hopes may be slipping away

Good morning, Camden Chatters.

Remember when the Orioles scored 15 runs on Friday and we were like, “Hey, maybe this offense is figuring things out?” Those were the days.

Instead, the Birds’ offense fell back into its stagnant state yesterday, managing just three runs in losing to the Red Sox. Tyler Young recapped the 4-3 defeat, which dropped the Orioles further back in the Wild Card race. The O’s now sit 2.5 games behind the Rays, who won yesterday, for the third and final Wild Card spot. The Orioles are 3.5 behind the top two Wild Card holders, the Mariners and Blue Jays, with the latter once again defeating the utterly collapsing Yankees. And among the teams currently on the outside looking in, the Orioles will need to surpass the Twins -- who are a game ahead of them -- while holding off the White Sox, a half game behind the Birds.

The Orioles’ less-than-ideal lineup yesterday, which was missing Cedric Mullins and Kyle Stowers against right-hander Michael Wacha. didn’t help matters. Mullins was unavailable after fouling a ball off his foot Friday, while Brandon Hyde benched Stowers — just one day after he went 2-for-5 in his Camden Yards debut — because of Wacha’s reverse splits, which seems like a case of the manager outsmarting himself. In fact it wasn’t until Stowers entered the game in the seventh inning that the O’s finally scored any runs — and Stowers ended up driving in two of the three. Imagine what might have happened had he been allowed to play the whole game?

In any event, with the bench players getting their token spot starts out of the way yesterday, the O’s should have their A lineup back on the field for their nationally televised series finale on ESPN tonight, the Little League Classic in Williamsport, Pa. Here’s hoping the Orioles put on a good show for the nationwide audience. They might not be able to afford anything less if they hope to stay in contention.

Links

Orioles’ offense stalls again, falls short in 4-3 loss to Red Sox; Mullins out with sore foot; Boog loves these O’s - BaltimoreBaseball.com
Somewhat forgotten in the Orioles’ loss is that Kyle Bradish delivered one of his better starts of the season, throwing the second longest outing of his career (5.2 innings). Alas, his efforts proved just as unrewarded as those of Austin Voth against the Blue Jays and Spenser Watkins against the Cubs this week.

Are the Baltimore Orioles for real? Breaking down MLB’s most surprising season - ESPN.com
Ahead of the Orioles’ first Sunday night appearance on ESPN in four years, David Schoenfield examines how the Birds have pulled off their unexpected success. I will enjoy these types of articles from national outlets for however long they last.

Myriad Orioles Thoughts: The 2022 vibe; Boog Powell is ‘in love with this team’ - The Athletic
Boog Powell says this 2022 O’s team reminds him of the 1966 Orioles. I think we’d all be happy if this season ended the same way that one did.

Orioles birthdays and history

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Former Orioles born on Aug. 21 are outfielder Mason Williams (31) and infielder Jerry DaVanon (77). It’s also the 35th birthday of Red Sox designated hitter J.D. Martinez, who will be playing against the Orioles tonight in the Little League Classic.

The Orioles’ last win on this date came in 2019, an 8-1 pasting of the Royals at Camden Yards that featured home runs by Jonathan Villar, Anthony Santander, Renato Nunez, and Hanser Alberto. Orioles starter Aaron Brooks pitched five innings for the win, but he coughed up a homer to Whit Merrifield, the 258th home run allowed by the O’s that year. That tied an ignominious MLB record, which the Orioles broke the next day.

On this day in 1999, Brady Anderson led off both ends of a doubleheader with a home run, the third player in MLB history to accomplish the feat. Unfortunately, the Orioles lost both games.

And on this date in 1977, Orioles legend Brooks Robinson was placed on the voluntary retired list, officially ending his Hall of Fame career. Robinson had played his final game just over a week earlier, but the Birds needed to make room on the roster for Rick Dempsey, returning from injury.