Monday Bird Droppings: The short trip to Texas edition

If you think tomorrow's one game road trip to Texas is nonsense (and it is), I'll have you know that the Orioles play one more single game "series" on the road. They'll play in Minnesota on July 28. Have I complained about July? In July, the O's play SEVENTEEN games on the road including a nine game west coast trip. Since a few games drop off the calendar due to the All Star Break, the O's play a meager ten games at Oriole Park in July. Eesh.

All that being said, the Birds handled game one of Manny Machado's suspension like you'd hope they would: with power, defense and pitching that was good enough to get the job done.

Showalter and plenty of clubhouse quotes after win over Toronto - Steve Melewski
The O's clubhouse was fairly animated after another big divisional series win.

Orioles preparing for first interleague game | CSN Mid-Atlantic
The Orioles are the last team to have not played an interleague series. Here it comes...did you know Yovani Gallardo once won a Silver Slugger award? Think on that for a moment.

Sunday Notes: Bundy’s Senses, Devenski’s Change, Nuno, Oliva, more | FanGraphs Baseball
David Laurila chats with Dylan Bundy on re-adjusting to the rigors of pitching in a post-Tommy John world.

Camden Depot: How Tillman Has Gotten Lucky See below.

Here are five reasons the Orioles remain the surprise leaders of the AL East - CBSSports.com
I got one: Orioles Magic!

On this day in 1970, Brooks Robinson collected his 2,000th career hit, an Earl Weaver Special which secured a 5-4 over the Washington Senators.

It's the birthday of Paul "Base Knock" Bako, journeyman backup catcher during the Twilight of Perlozzo. Another favorite of a bygone era, Kevin Gregg, celebrates a birthday today. Momentary O's Tony Chevez, Phil Huffman and Juan Castro are also children of June 20.