Tuesday Bird Droppings: The Rangers have the upper hand

Good morning, Camden Chatters.

As much as we wish it were the Orioles playing in this World Series, at least it’s been an entertaining event so far. Game 1 was an instant classic, an extra-inning thriller that featured a game-tying homer in the ninth and a Texas walkoff in the 11th. And after a blowout Diamondbacks win in Game 2, the third game was another tense, closely contested battle, with the Rangers emerging with a well-pitched 3-1 victory in Arizona to take the series lead for a second time. The Rangers have assured that they won’t lose the series without at least bringing it back to their home field first.

With their 11th victory of the postseason, added to their 90 regular season wins, the Rangers have only now matched the win total of the 2023 Orioles, the team they swept in the Division Series. It still stings. I’m convinced the Birds were the better team, but they sure didn’t play like it in those three games, and now they’re watching the World Series at home like the rest of us (or perhaps not watching at all).

The series continues at Chase Field tonight and tomorrow, and if the D’Backs are able to win at least one, we’ll see a Game 6 in Texas on Friday. As a neutral observer, I’m just hoping we’ll continue to get some interesting, hard-fought games, no matter which team ends up on top.

Links

The ’24 Birds are no doubt counting on another big year from Yennier Cano - Steve Melewski
The Orioles would be wise not to count on this, considering the fickle nature of relief pitchers. But I’ll certainly be rooting for a repeat performance from the out-of-nowhere All-Star.

MLB will examine playoff format following Division Series loss of Baltimore Orioles, other teams - CBS Baltimore
I maintain that the Orioles’ Division Series loss had little to do with their four-day layoff, but I suppose it’s worth examining. If MLB does make a change, I’m in favor of the “ghost win” rule that lets the higher seed start with an automatic 1-0 series lead.

Ranking the Orioles’ free agents from least to most likely to return in 2024 - Baltimore Sun
Somehow, Jack Flaherty is not ranked last on this list.

Orioles birthdays and history

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! It’s the birthday of one of the best pitchers in O’s history, the late Dave McNally (b. 1942, d. 2002). McNally spent 13 seasons with the Orioles, posting four consecutive 20-win seasons and finishing in the top four of the AL Cy Young vote three times. McNally was the third best pitcher in O’s history by WAR and was Camden Chat’s 15th greatest Oriole of all time.

Other Orioles with Halloween birthdays are Yamaico Navarro (36), David Dellucci (50), Tim Byrdak (50), Steve Trachsel (53), Matt Nokes (60), and Mike Smith (60). Or, to put them in Halloween terms: Yamaico Nightmare-o, David De-spooky, Tim Byrd-ACK!, Steve Trick-sel, Bat Nokes, and, uh...Mike Smith. (Sorry, I’ve got nothing for that one.)

And yes, I repeated that joke from last year.

On this date in 1979, O’s left-hander Mike Flanagan was named the AL Cy Young winner after going 23-9 with a 3.08 ERA, including 16 complete games and an MLB-best five shutouts. He was the fifth Oriole to win the award — with Mike Cuellar winning once and Jim Palmer thrice — and Steve Stone made it six the following year. The O’s haven’t won a Cy Young since.