Thursday Bird Droppings: Still looking at the Orioles in the wild card

Hello, friends.

It's really an awful shame that the Orioles couldn't manage to win their game yesterday afternoon, because it's a lot more fun to go through an off day after a win. On the bright side, the Blue Jays did lose, so the Orioles stay just a game behind the Toronto squad. Oh, and the Red Sox have passed up the Jays and are two games ahead of the Orioles.

If you missed yesterday's game because you were at work or had some other pressing business, you can read my recap of the not-so-lovely totals here. This was a frustrating one to watch. But, well, can't win them all, right? On Monday, I decided (if 88 wins is enough for a spot) that the Orioles only needed to finish by going 14-12 from that point. And since then, they've gone 2-1, so now they only need to go 12-11, right? That's not so hard.

Well, if 88 wins is enough. What do you think? It doesn't hurt that many of the other wild card contenders also lost on Wednesday - the Tigers, Astros, and Royals all lost as well, though the Yankees now lurk just 2.5 games back. Can't someone put a stake through their freaking hearts already? Oh well. A lot of these teams need to drop out of the picture. But then, that won't happen unless the Orioles start winning.

They can sure help banish the Tigers this weekend. We just have to wait another day to start finding out whether or not that is going to happen. I hate waiting. I'm sure the Orioles could use the off day, particularly Chris Davis and his sore palm. How are you going to spend the off night?

Around the blogO'sphere

After loss to Rays, Orioles' Dylan Bundy says arm feels fine as he approaches high in innings - Baltimore Sun
Of course that's what he says, and let's hope it's what he means, too. Maybe, with the return of Chris Tillman, a six man rotation is just what Bundy and the rest of the Orioles staff needs? Just that extra day of rest between starts. Let's hope so.

Orioles' Caleb Joseph on verge of dubious MLB record (USA Today)
Poor Caleb. People just can't stop writing about his quest for a zero RBI season. At this point he's only going to get so many more opportunities to even play, let alone RBI chances to squander when he does play. I hope he gets one, though.

Are the Orioles elevating their play in time for the stretch run? - Steve Melewski
Yesterday's game would seem to have answered this question in the negative. Though, if they go ahead and win the series in Detroit this weekend, we'll all be back to saying, "Hell yes!"

Minor League Podcast: Looking back at the players and performances of 2016 - BaltimoreBaseball.com
Essentially everything was terrible, but there were scattered bright spots, and if you want to hear about it all in podcast form, Dan Connolly's crew has you covered.

Hearing from Bourn, Showalter and Bundy after 7-6 loss - School of Roch
"He jerked a couple of balls for home runs," said Showalter on Bundy. Are we seriously not doing phrasing any more?

Mike Trout's historic shunning by the BBWAA - Beyond the Box Score
This does not have much to do with the Orioles. It does have a whole lot to do with my ongoing disbelief that Mike Trout hasn't won four MVP awards in his career to date.

The 1-in-100 chance the Yankees win the AL East - Pinstripe Alley
This blog is not the only one suddenly having visions of a longshot AL East crown dancing in our heads...

Birthdays and anniversaries

On this day in 2012, CC Sabathia broke Nick Markakis' thumb when Sabathia hit him with a pitch. We aren't even for this yet, Sabathia.

Also, on this day in 1993, the Orioles released Glenn Davis. Yes, that Glenn Davis. I guess we can't be as upset about this trade any more, not after the Erik Bedard trade happened.

There are four former Orioles with birthdays today. They include Orioles recent (Nick Hundley), at the front of the alphabet (Don Aase), and Orioles from a short time long ago: the late George Werley, a 1956 one-gamer, and 1958 short-timer Lou Sleater.

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Along with those former Orioles, your birthday buddies for today include: professor/Little Round Top commander Joshua Chamberlain (1828), composer Antonín Dvořák (1841), Dr. Strangelove actor Peter Sellers (1925), country music's Patsy Cline (1932), actor and cool dude Martin Freeman (1971), pop artist Pink (1979), and rapper Wiz Khalifa (1987).

On this day in history...

In 1504, Michelangelo's David was unveiled in Piazza della Signoria in Florence.

In 1892, the Pledge of Allegiance, which did not, at that time, include the words "under God," was first recited.

In 1935, Senator Huey "Kingfish" Long was fatally shot in the Louisiana Capitol Building. The novel All The King's Men, inspired by Long, is very good.

In 1966, the first episode of Star Trek - titled "The Man Trap" - aired. And to this day there are still those who boldly go where no one has gone before.

In 1974, President Gerald Ford issued a pardon to former president Richard Nixon for any crimes he may have committed while in office. That's good work if you can get it.

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And that's the way it is in Birdland on September 8 - or at least, unless something happens later. Have a safe Thursday. Go Orioles!