Thursday Bird Droppings: Where you can't watch an Orioles game today either (because they're off)

Hello, friends.

Here we are three weeks into the season and the Orioles are 10-10. It is an off day as the Orioles venture down to St. Petersburg where they will play a home series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Yeah, it's weird. Yesterday's game without fans means a little something different to everybody who watched it.

If you haven't read my recap of the game, may I suggest you start here. There was also a bunch of other cool stuff, like Caleb Joseph using his imagination, Orioles fans improvising outside, Gary Thorne being awesome, Gary Thorne again being awesome, and a Chris Davis Eutaw Street home run that nobody actually saw land.

The reason that game had to happen is bad for Baltimore, but the Orioles certainly made the most of it.

Lots of game without fans talk today, as you can probably figure. There's not a whole lot else interesting to talk about.

The impact of the Orioles' cancelled, moved — and empty stadium — games - Baltimore Business Journal
The Orioles have effectively lost four home games from their schedule, and the Baltimore Business Journal tries to quantify just what that might cost the team. Another cost is going to be borne by the stadium workers, who aren't going to get paid for that game.

Former Grand Rapids man one of few present for Baltimore Orioles' 'no-fan' game | MLive.com
Journalists the world over are always looking for that local angle on everything, and here they found one in Michigan because an Orioles assistant groundskeeper is from there.

The Only Place To Watch The Orioles Game Is From Across The Street (Deadspin)
An enterprising Deadspin writer ended up in one of the Hilton rooms that overlooked the stadium with the Orioles fan who set it up.

Baltimore Orioles score six in first, roll to 8-2 win over Chicago White Sox at empty Camden Yards - Baltimore Sun
The Baltimore Sun gamer of one of the most unusual games in MLB history.

Orioles win at empty Camden Yards, and hope 'this was something good' (USA Today)
USA Today was also one of the chosen few who covered the game, rounding up some Orioles players thoughts about the strange occurrence and everything that went into it happening.

A little check-in on a former Oriole...

Nelson Cruz crushes this shot an estimated 483 feet (Lookout Landing)
Cruz is still hitting home runs a long way. The Orioles aren't hurting for home runs, but still, it's nice to dream about what might have been.

One lone former Oriole has a birthday today: Jeff Reboulet, the bane of Randy Johnson's existence, turns 51 years old today.

And that's the way it is in Birdland on April 30 - at least, unless something happens later. Have a safe Thursday, and, if I might borrow a sign-off from Gary Thorne - We love ya, Baltimore. Be good to yourself.