Thursday Bird Droppings: Where the Orioles have Okajima, you're OK

Hello, friends.

There are now 60 days until Orioles Opening Day. The number 60 was worn just this past season by Mychal Givens, though perhaps he will claim another now that he's not a random minor league guy but rather an established part of the team.

Sixty days is really still a lot of days. It's two months, in fact, from this very day, that we will get Opening Day. It's far enough away that it's still quite a long time, but it's close enough that it's kind of terrifying that it looms so near and yet the Orioles have not done a dang thing about their starting rotation all offseason. Does that mean they should panic and sign Yovani Gallardo? I say no, it does not. But it's not an aspiring outlook right now, is it?

Maybe there will still be another move in Dan Duquette's future. There are only two weeks left until pitchers and catchers report to spring training, which is going to start to make some of these guys feel the crunch. Even after pitchers and catchers report, moves can be made, as we learned two years ago when the O's brought Ubaldo Jimenez and Nelson Cruz onto the team very late in the process. Could they do something like that with Dexter Fowler this year, for instance?

Sure, maybe. That would be something. Until that happens, all we have are these links.

Around the blogO'sphere

Will the Orioles add another starter before spring? Their options are ... - Baltimore Orioles- ESPN
The guy who once wrote that the Orioles should re-sign Chris Davis because one time he refused to be pulled from a game where the O's were getting blown out and hit a late FUHR has some thoughts on the starting pitching options remaining to the O's.

Orioles to hold ballboy, ballgirl tryouts on March 5 at Camden Yards - Baltimore Sun
Have you always wanted to be a ballboy or a ballgirl? Well, you can try out next month. The Sun has some more information.

Orioles sign Hideki Okajima to minor league deal – HardballTalk
You might remember Hideki Okajima as the late-00s Red Sox reliever who was amazing against all of MLB except for the Orioles. Most of us on this website remember the day Jay Payton hit a grand slam off of Okajima. It may be your only positive memory of Payton.

Steve Melewski: There is no crying in baseball, but is there tanking?
Melewski stands athwart the anti-tanking reformers by boldly proclaiming that tanking exists and it's not a problem for baseball. What do you think?

What’s Next For The Orioles? " CBS Baltimore
If you're dying to know what 105.7 host Jeremy Conn thinks the Orioles need to do next, this is the link for you.

Dae-ho Lee Ends Up In Seattle | FanGraphs Baseball
This one doesn't have anything to do with the Orioles except that back in November I kinda hoped that Dae-ho Lee would sign with the Orioles because seriously, just look at this guy. How bad do we need him hitting dingers and setting off seismographs as he trots around the bases in Baltimore? So bad. Alas, it wasn't meant to be.

Birthdays and anniversaries

On this dark day in 2009, the Orioles lost Jim Palmer's favorite pitcher, Brian Burres, on waivers to the Blue Jays.

Of all of the players to ever suit up for the Orioles, not a single one has ever had a birthday today.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! While you don't have any O's birthday buddies for this day, you do have the following from the pages of history as well as the present day: pilot Charles Lindbergh (1902), civil rights legend Rosa Parks (1913), boxer Oscar De La Hoya (1973), singer-songwriter Natalie Imbruglia (1975), and Irish footballer Darren O'Dea (1987), whom I think we can all assume surely side-arms everything even though he has no idea why.

On this day in history...

In 960, with the coronation of Emperor Taizu, the Song Dynasty of China began. Over the more than three centuries of Song rule of China, it became the first government to issue paper money, saw the first use of gunpowder, and saw the first compass that could point true north.

In 1789, the first meeting of the Electoral College took place. George Washington was elected president unanimously.

In 1846, Mormon pioneers left Nauvoo, Illinois to strike out west.

In 1941, the USO (United Service Organization) was created to entertain American troops. It's still in existence today - as their slogan says, "until every one comes home."

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And that's the way it is in Birdland on February 4 - or at least, unless something happens later. Have a safe Thursday.