Tuesday Bird Droppings: The Orioles are mathematically eliminated edition

Hello, friends.

Well, that's it. The Orioles postseason hopes are officially, finally, mathematically kaput. They've really been unofficially kaput since some time in the middle of that streak where they lost every game for six weeks (may be a slight exaggeration of what actually happened).

There are worse seasons in recent memory than one where the O's were eliminated with only one week remaining in the season... but given how much the team, largely the same as last year, disappointed us, and given how much turnover and uncertainty there will be regarding the potential composition and success of the team next year, well... it would have been better to be better than this.

Small consolation that the Nationals were even bigger disappointments, and in the last month of the season are failing in even more embarrassing ways. A small consolation, to be sure, but consolation nonetheless.

Around the blogO'sphere

Orioles notebook: Gerardo Parra hopes to return to O's next season - Baltimore Sun
I now quote a Camden Chat regular whose identity I do not recall off-hand: "Gerardo Parra is playing his way into the Orioles price range." They could probably do worse for a corner outfielder next year, but regression has hit him hard since the trade.

School of Roch: Tarp on the field, O'Day talks about award (tarp off the field)
Another entry in the continuing series of "MASN doesn't care even a tiny bit about search engine optimization" - and also an article where Darren O'Day talks about Hall of Famer and World War II veteran Bob Feller, so that's not nothing.

Steve Melewski: Will the Orioles make Matt Wieters a qualifying offer?
How low have things sunk for Matt Wieters? Steve Melewski doesn't think the Orioles should make him the qualifying offer. Yes. That is pretty low indeed.

Broken bats, used baseballs — Orioles' store sells it all - Baltimore Sun
I have two questions about this article. The first question is what kind of person is going to spend $1,000 on a broken Manny Machado bat, even if the proceeds are going for charity? The second question is who are the idiots buying "Kauffman Stadium fountain water"? Actually, the article raises many other questions. See for yourself.

Lady Orioles claim Pittsford Invite - Sports - The Daily Reporter - Coldwater, MI
It is the ongoing editorial position of this blog to celebrate the triumphs of Orioles in any sport, in any location. So today we celebrate the girls cross country team of Quincy High School in Michigan for their excellent performance in a regional meet.

Birthdays and anniversaries

On this fateful day in 2012, the Orioles re-claimed Steve Pearce off of the waiver wire from the Yankees. This decision bore major fruit in 2014, as you probably recall.

In the annals of Orioles history, three former players have today as their birthday: Calvin Pickering (1998-99), Craig Lefferts (five games in 1992), and Mike McCormick (29 games in 1963-64). One thing I have learned from regularly doing this feature is that many players had very short Orioles tenures.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Some departed souls with whom you share this day include: Roman General Pompey (106 BC), Don Quixote author Miguel de Cervantes (1547 AD), British Admiral Horatio Nelson (1758), The Right Honourable William Ewart Gladstone (1809), and Manhattan Project scientist Enrico Fermi (1901).

Among those who are still with us, you've got Solidarity co-founder, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and former President of Poland Lech Walesa (1943), sportscaster Bryant Gumbel (1948), Chuck actor Zachary Levi (1980), NFLer Calvin "Megatron" Johnson (1985), and once and possibly future DC basketballer Kevin Durant (1988).

On this day in history...

In 61 BC, the aforementioned Pompey received his third triumph, in this instance for kicking the crap out of some pirates, as well as for his role in ending the Mithridatic Wars in a Roman victory.

In 1227 AD, the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II was excommunicated by Pope Gregory IX for failing to participate in the Crusades. Frederick later went on his own Crusade without being so prompted by any pope.

In 1789, the first United States Congress adjourned its inaugural session. Among the acts in that first session were the creation of what's now the Department of State, what's now the Department of Defense, the Department of the Treasury, and the structure of lower federal courts that still remains to this day.

In 1907, the cornerstone was laid for the Washington National Cathedral.

In 1951, the first live sporting event to be carried coast-to-coast on television took place. This was a football game between the University of Pittsburgh and Duke. Records from the game show that Duke players frequently flopped to the grass in an attempt to draw penalty flags.

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And that's the way it is in Birdland on September 29 - or at least, until something happens later. Have a safe Tuesday. Go Orioles!