Thursday Bird Droppings: Where it's still a miserable time for the Orioles

Hello, friends.

It is now the first day of fall, though sadly the Orioles have been falling in the standings for several days prior to today. The Orioles kind of suck right now, but let's do our best not to take out our frustration with that fact on our fellow Orioles fans. It's depressing to watch the games the last few days. I mean, really, just absolutely brutal. It has now been five games since the Orioles last scored more than two runs.

They somehow won one of those games, but geez. It's rough out there. This is like the exact opposite of Orioles Magic. Instead of every game having a different star, every game has a different goat. There was more than one goat in last night's game, of course, as you would expect in a game where the Orioles only got four hits and also committed three errors. It's just... gosh, I don't even want to talk about them.

If you missed last night's game, you're lucky. If you haven't read Joe Wedra's recap of the game, check it out here. This is awful. Save us, Chris Tillman. We surely need it.

Around the blogO'sphere

J.J. Hardy: "There could be worse spots to be in" - School of Roch
This was from before yesterday's game. As Han Solo says at the bottom of the trash compactor in the Death Star, "It's worse."

Chris Davis on his costly throwing error, plus more clubhouse quotes - Steve Melewski
One of the goats, perhaps the biggest of the goats, was Davis. No point getting mad at him about it, but it definitely sucks.

O’s have rotation health questions; is a Bundy shutdown looming? - BaltimoreBaseball.com
Just in case you weren't feeling grim enough about the Orioles, there's some kind of mystery injury situation in the starting rotation, possibly more than one.

Orioles notes: For Hyun Soo Kim, highlight-reel plays in left field show defensive development - Baltimore Sun
The headline of this article wants you to believe that Kim has made any highlight reel plays, which you should not believe because it's hardly true. But if you want to read some words about Kim improving to adequacy in left field (also possibly not true), they are there for you.

No one in MLB having more fun than Baltimore Orioles' Jonathan Schoop - Baltimore Orioles- ESPN
This was probably a lot more true before the most recent series. Now the biggest fun-havers seem to be the Red Sox outfielders who go through an elaborate choreographed victory routine after each of these wins in Camden Yards. Dicks.

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones calls home attendance 'sad' (ESPN)
Another word he used was "eerie." We'll probably have another day of these stories because tonight's attendance won't be great either, then they will sell out or close to it all weekend... unless the Orioles lose tonight too and people decide to stay home, and then who could blame them?

Orioles closer Zach Britton makes a case for Cy Young Award (Sep 21, 2016) | FOX Sports
Come on, are we seriously STILL talking about this? Zach Britton isn't winning the Cy Young this year!

Birthdays and anniversaries

On this day in 1966, the Orioles clinched their first ever American League pennant by beating the Kansas City Athletics, 6-1. They won't be clinching a dang thing today, but let's hope they can stave off falling out of a postseason spot for another day.

There are a few former Orioles with birthdays today, though they're all short-timers. Happy birthday to 2002 six gamer Luis Garcia, 1998 nine gamer P.J. Forbes, 1983/86's John Stefero, and Bob Harrison, who pitched a game apiece for the 1955 and 1956 Orioles. It is Mr. Harrison's 86th birthday today.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! I know of at least one Camden Chatter birthday today. Your birthday buddies for today include: chemist and physicist Michael Faraday (1791), baseball Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda (1927), singer and Orioles fan Joan Jett (1958), Orphan Black actress Tatiana Maslany (1985), and the portrayer of Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films, Tom Felton (1987).

On this day in history...

In 480 BC, a Greek fleet led by Themistocles defeated the Persians of Xerxes I in the Battle of Salamis despite being outnumbered. This is now seen as one of the more significant military battles in human history.

In 1692 AD, the last of those who were put to death in the Salem witch trials were hanged. After this date, the others who had been convicted were ultimately released.

In 1761, George III and Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz were crowned King and Queen of Great Britain. Nearly 15 years later, some American colonists sent George a letter.

In 1980, Iraq invaded Iran, sparking a war that would go on for nearly eight years. Around one million people are believed to have lost their lives as a result of the conflict.

**

And that's the way it is in Birdland on September 22 - or at least, until something happens later. Have a safe Thursday. Go Orioles!