Tuesday Bird Droppings: Where we'd give our own left foot to J.J. Hardy if we could

Hello, friends.

After an off day, the Orioles remain where they were on Sunday, half a game behind the division leading Red Sox. Those same Red Sox just polished off a sweep of the Yankees, who are surprisingly woeful at the plate so far this season - so the O's will get the chance to pad their record just like that assembly of revolting faces that hail from northaaahn climates.

They surely needed the off day, although who might have needed it and why may be a bit of a secret. Adam Jones, presumably, could use a day to deal with the rib soreness. Zach Britton's ankle has had a day to heal. One person who won't be getting much better with one day of rest is J.J. Hardy, who, if you haven't heard, could miss up to eight weeks based on current estimates. Yikes.

The good news is, uh... I'll get back to you when I think of that. For now, let's hit the links.

Around the BlogO'sphere

J.J. Hardy foot injury could lead to hot-hitting Pedro Alvarez and others in the Orioles lineup - Baltimore Sun
The Sun's Jon Meoli offers his idea of good news, which is that Pedro Alvarez might be playing more, and could get some time at third base like he did in Sunday's game. Uhh... is it, though?

Yankees-Orioles Preview (May 2, 2016) | FOX Sports
The people at Fox Sports offer their take on this upcoming series. But you can check back here at 10am Eastern if you want to know what Stacey thinks about it.

Duquette on Hardy replacements - School of Roch
You'll never guess what Dan Duquette has to say about Ryan Flaherty and Paul Janish. OK, you can probably guess. They're both "capable players." That's one word to use.

At 14-10, the Orioles are on a pace to win 94 games - Steve Melewski
Extrapolating. (Remember, there's an xkcd strip for everything.)

Tim Lincecum's showcase is set, and he's apparently throwing 91 - McCovey Chronicles
The Orioles are supposedly one of the 20 teams who will watch Tim Lincecum throw on Friday - and he is supposedly throwing 91 again. Does it mean anything for us? Probably not yet.

Mike Foltynewicz to start Monday, replacing Bud Norris - Talking Chop
Remember when Bud Norris was bad for the Orioles last year? Well, the calendar has turned and he's still bad in Atlanta. He may have been bounced from the rotation - either temporarily or for good.

Birthdays and anniversaries

On this day in 1992, Gregg Olson became the youngest pitcher in MLB history to record 100 saves.

There are two former Orioles with a birthday on May 3. They are Bob McCrory (a perfect example of a 2008-09 Oriole) and 1986-87 Oriole Tony Arnold.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Along with those former Orioles, your birthday buddies for today are: Pitot tube inventor Henri Pitot (1695), former Israeli prime minister Golda Meir (1898), singer Bing Crosby (1903), the Godfather of Soul, James Brown (1933), infamous alleged diaper-wearing senator David Vitter (1961), The Wire Season 2's Amy Ryan (1969), Mad Men actress Christina Hendricks (1975), and Chris Berman nickname favorite Joseph "Live and Let" Addai (1983).

The pitot tube measures fluid flow velocity; it was modified by another French scientist, Henry Darcy, in the mid-19th century and is still used on aircraft to measure airspeed today.

On this date in history...

In 1715, there was a total solar eclipse across northern Europe and Asia - within four minutes of the prediction by cometmaster Edmond Halley.

In 1802, Washington D.C. was incorporated as a city. In spite of the infamous slogan from the Revolution, "no taxation without representation," they're still waiting for the representation part.

In 1915, during World War I, Canadian Lt. Col. John McCrae penned the poem In Flanders Fields. "In Flanders fields the poppies blow / between the crosses row on row ..." McCrae did not survive the war, dying of pneumonia in 1918.

In 1937, Margaret Mitchell's Gone With The Wind was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.

In 1963, the police in Birmingham, Alabama, led by Bull Connor, responded to protestors by turning fire hoses "set at a level that would peel bark off a tree" on them - and setting dogs on them too.

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And that's the way it is in Birdland on May 3 - or at least, until something happens later. Have a safe Tuesday. Go Orioles!