Hello, friends.
I hope you didn't stay up late to watch the pathetic Orioles offense show up in Oakland last night. Why do they get only one run in seven innings against a mediocre pitcher like Kendall Graveman? That's the mystery. Maybe they were jet lagged. That would be an excuse that makes sense even if it doesn't make the loss feel much better. Hopefully it won't carry on another night.
If you missed the game, you can check out my recap of the not-so-lovely totals.
Naturally, since the Orioles lost, the Blue Jays won, so it's a tie atop the AL East again. Well, the Orioles lead by .002 at this exact moment, but they're tied as far as games over .500. Don't count on the Rays to provide any help in beating the Jays over the next couple of days. The Orioles are going to have to solve their road woes and drop some runs on a bad Athletics team that traded away two of its only good players.
The Orioles are a good team, maybe a great team, but they sure aren't good on the road. They're now just 24-31 away from Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Whether they make it into the playoffs or not, that's a number that's going to need to improve if they want to really have hopes of going far this season. The next three games would be a great time to start figuring that out.
Around the blogO'sphere
Orioles hope to have decision on Pearce by Wednesday | CSN Mid-Atlantic
When you traded for a guy a week ago, you really don't want to be hearing about how he aggravated an injury that's been nagging him all season and may send him to the disabled list. Where's the Orioles physical when you need it?
Orioles prospect Chance Sisco not the flashy type - Baltimore Sun
With the Orioles out of town, the Sun appears to have sent its summer intern to Bowie to write about the Orioles top/only position player prospect.
Showalter on resting players, Jimenez and McFarland (O's down 3-2) - School of Roch
Anyone who has watched the Orioles of late probably gets the sense there are some guys who need some rest, and Buck has plans to get them at least a game off here and there. Some slumpers may need more than that but they're not going to get it.
At 19 games under .500, Triple-A Norfolk is a playoff contender - Steve Melewski
Great Steve Melewski headline, or greatest Steve Melewski headline? Through a very weird set of circumstances, it's actually true enough, which doesn't make it any less hilarious to read.
Managers snapshot: Which MLB skippers do what well, and who's No. 1? (ESPN)
A couple of the ESPN jabronis tackle the whole manager power rankings concept. Proving that they do actually know a thing or two, Showalter is listed in the top tier, though he doesn't show up at #1.
The Orioles should be taken seriously as title contenders. | Sports on Earth
This is the kind of article that makes me break out into hives, figuratively speaking. Although none of us need to worry about it being a kiss of death or anything like that because Sports on Earth isn't mainstream enough to be capable of delivering a kiss of death. Sorry, Sports on Earth. You shouldn't have fired all of those people two years ago.
Why Orioles Fans Shouldn't Hate Mark Teixeira (Press Box)
People post things that are wrong on the Internet all of the time, and sometimes those things are about the Orioles so I have the opportunity to share them with you. I see where Glenn Clark is coming from here, but it is the fan's right - nay, duty - to hate whatever non-Orioles player he or she pleases.
Birthdays and anniversaries
There is only one former Oriole with a birthday today. That is Chuck Essegian, who played in all of one game for the 1961 Orioles.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Your birthday buddies for today include: Broadway musical character and real person Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton (1757), actor Sam Elliott (1944), designer Michael Kors (1959), singer Whitney Houston (1963), football dude Deion Sanders (1967), and Pitch Perfect actress Anna Kendrick (1985).
On this day in history...
In 1173, construction began on the campanile of the Cathedral of Pisa - now the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It took two centuries to complete the tower.
In 1854, Henry David Thoreau published Walden.
In 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, Japan.
In 1969, five people were murdered by followers of Charles Manson, including actress Sharon Tate, who was 8.5 months pregnant at the time.
In 1974, President Richard Nixon became the first president to resign from office, resigning due to his role in the Watergate scandal and cover-up.
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And that's the way it is in Birdland on August 9 - or at least, until something happens later. Have a safe Tuesday. Go Orioles! And best of luck to all the American Olympians competing today, too.