Hello, friends.
There are now 76 days remaining until Orioles Opening Day, which as you may recall is the same number of trombones as led the big parade the same historic day that Gilmore, Liberatti, Pat Conway, The Great Creatore, W.C. Handy, and John Philip Sousa came to town. You know, the actual score for that song is regrettably light on trombone features. None of that gets us any closer to baseball, though the inexorable march of time does.
So, that was a heck of a long weekend, huh? Chris Davis is back. Well, it's not official yet. You know, pending physical and all of that. But let's not get too worried about that. Much like with Darren O'Day, we can feel pretty good that the Orioles know what they're going to find in Davis's medicals already. Bringing back most of an 81 win team is a lot less exciting than bringing back most of a 96 win team, especially when the one key loss is the only good starting pitcher from the 2015 O's.
I think we'd all like to see the Orioles improve the starting rotation, but the question that's important to figure out is whether there's any reasonable trade or signing they can make that would meaningfully improve it. Signing, no, though I wouldn't hate rolling the dice on Doug Fister for a year. Trade, who knows?
Let's mow through some links.
Around the blogO'sphere
The Value of the Deferred Money in the Chris Davis Deal (Fangraphs)
If you've ever been seized by extreme boredom, or an unhealthy interest in the American legislative process, and watched live C-SPAN of Congress in session, you may have encountered a politician indicating he or she would like to "revise and extend my remarks" - a move Dave Cameron executes here.
Peter Gammons: Davis and the Orioles, Hanley Ramirez, and the scout-analytic balance - GammonsDaily.com
While many people are lining up to take a steaming dump on the Orioles for the Davis signing, including the link before this one, the veteran of veterans, Peter Gammons, thinks it looks like a good one all around.
Orioles in leadoff spot as baseball eyes China market - Baltimore Sun
Because everyone needs to read an article where the first paragraph reads: "Deeming baseball a "bourgeois indulgence for the rich," Mao Zedong, China's longtime communist leader, banned the game in 1966 during his Cultural Revolution."
School of Roch: What does the Davis signing mean to Walker and Mancini?
I'm going to go out on a limb and say if they mash, the Orioles will find a way for them to play in Baltimore, and if they don't, they won't.
Orioles draft pick Pat Connaughton believes his career will eventually lead back to baseball - Baltimore Sun
"I'm going to leave a candle in the window for Pat Connaughton," Orioles executive vice president Dan Duquette said. I didn't make up that quote. It's really in the article. Good work in The Sun today.
Steve Melewski: A look at the 2016 Orioles' power potential
Melewski stakes out the radical position that the Orioles are going to hit a lot of home runs. Which reminds me for some reason of this scene from The Band of Brothers (NSFW language.)
Birthdays and anniversaries
On this day two years ago, the legendary Earl Weaver passed away. It was the morning of FanFest that everyone found out. I remember getting there and everyone was in disbelief.
In 1995, owner Peter Angelos announced that the Orioles would not field a team of replacement players if the baseball strike was not resolved before Opening Day.
There are three former Orioles with birthdays today. They are: Rick Krivda (1995-97 Orioles), Rec Specs aficionado Chris Sabo, and Fred Valentine (1958, 1963, 1968).
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Along with those former O's, your birthday buddies also include: secessionist strategist Robert E. Lee (1807), the buried-in-Baltimore Edgar Allan Poe (1809), psychedelic rocker Janis Joplin (1943), country singer-songwriter Dolly Parton (1946), painter Thomas Kinkade (1958), ostensibly funny person Frank Caliendo (1974), and Full(er) House actress Jodie Sweetin (1982).
On this day in history...
In 1419, the surrender of Rouen in the Hundred Years' War marked the conquest of Normandy by Henry V of England. The war went on for another 34 years all the same.
In 1883, Roselle, New Jersey became the first place in the world operating overhead electric wires. They were designed by Thomas Edison, of course.
In 1953, almost 72% of all television sets in the United States were tuned in to watch the I Love Lucy episode "Lucy Goes To The Hospital." By a strange coincidence, in real life, actress Lucille Ball had given birth to her son, Desi Arnaz Jr., about 12 hours before this episode (filmed the prior November) aired. Yes, it's his birthday too.
In 1977, for the first and to date only recorded time, snow fell in Miami.
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And that's the way it is in Birdland on January 19 - or at least, unless something happens later. Have a safe Tuesday.